bbtrvl

All US passports issued since August 2007 are e-passports, which means very shortly all valid US passports will be e-passports. You can doubly verify by looking for the chip symbol on the front of the passport (in addition to the seal of the US and the lettering)

jmsnyc

Ok thanks! I have an ePassport than, it was issued in 2011 and has they symbol.

Can you still use smartgate if entering on a work visa?

Daniel-SYD

I'd recommend writing a note as soon as possible, as it is under consideration. Write to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Make sure you mention need for US GEP, and why.

seawolf

US seem very willing to offer GE to foreigners (eg added India recently). Are there laws in Australia preventing background check or sharing of that background check with US?

sabbasolo

I have written to each address individually. Hope a team effort will help. If I lose TSA Pre I will go bananas

Daniel-SYD

Nothing is preventing it - APEC already does what's needed for the ABTC.

I just read read that India joined...

sabbasolo

Here is the text of a response I received from the Australian Gov, Department of Immigration and Border Protection:



Thank you for your correspondence of 7 August 2017 to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, concerning Australia's participation in the US Global Entry Program (GEP) . The Minister appreciates the time you have taken to bring this matter to his attention and has asked that I reply on his behalf.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the Department) is considering how to participate in the GEP and is in early discussions with the US Department of Homeland Security. As a part of our considerations on deciding whether to join the US GEP, we will be weighing up the benefits to the traveller against other implications, such as resourcing and costs.


Thank you for raising this matter with the Minister. Yours sincerely

Newbie2FT

@Daniel-SYD - Is there a particular reason you suggested that people write to Matt Thistlethwaite?

He appears not to have ever held a ministerial or committee appointment with authority over Global Entry consideration, had only minor and nominal involvement with air transport infrastructure, and his party is out of power.

It seems like it would be more effective if Australians on this board wrote to their own MP and their own Senators -- the ones who represent the electorate (a.k.a. district / riding / constituency) and the state in which they live.

Daniel-SYD

haha - actually he is my MP but I also thought he held the shadow immigration role, or at least did when I started the process. It can't hurt - his office did speak to me at length about it which was really nice, and they can always raise issues on our behalf.

I also got another response a few weeks ago from a travel policy. I got the same lame response that it is still under consideration as pasted above also - they promised a decision by July last time, so looks like no progress, or backwards progress.

Meanwhile these lines are killing me.

Newbie2FT

@Daniel-SYD: Have you thoroughly investigated whether you also might be eligible for British (or Canadian, Dutch, or German) citizenship, like through one of your grandparents?† As the recent kerfuffle over dual citizenship of MPs and Senators has shown, many Australians are also unknowing citizens of European countries, including the GE partner ones. And that, of course, would make you Global Entry-eligible.

(Other possibilities are South Korea, Panama, Singapore, Colombia, Argentina, or Mexico citizenship.)


†Not suggested if you intend to run for the House of Representatives one day!

Gig103

A family friend's daughter is considering study abroad in Australia. She will be on a student visa (as opposed to a tourist visa), does anyone know if this makes a difference? He is thinking she should get GE regardless, for the returns to the USA, but I thought it an interesting question to pose.

seawolf

If she is US citizen, it doesn’t matter what type of Australian visa she holds as far as GE enrollment is concern.

mnbp

A lot of AUS-US flights arrive in LAX. GE is really helpful in LAX. Good idea to apply for GE.

Gig103

How about being allowed to use the e-gates when she lands? I could see, her first time landing she'd expect to see an immigration official , but I dunno how many other trips she'd be taking in between. (Side note, if it was me I'd probably go, stay the year, then come back because that flight is brutal and she'd be in Y).

iamflyer

Global Entry status is now irrelevant to SmartGate eligibility