Bummer… when I applied for a renewal, before it was approved in about 5 days, my online account showed that there was an AUTO EXTENSION of 2 YEARS already just during the renewal process. Did you not get that message or is that not on your account?

That's not in my account. Just looked again. Conditional approval on 9/20/22 pending interview. No auto extension. Not really a bummer though, since, in the end, I got approved without having to schedule the interview. Just strange that it would happen like that. I thought about doing a renewal interview when I came back from an overseas trip 10 days ago, but I couldn't find info saying that worked for renewals, and I was so dead after starting my travel with a 2:30am flight out of CMN, followed by FRA-SFO.

Yes, we're 2/3 in this house for conditional changing to approved . . .

I've been waiting almost exactly 4 months. I'm flying in January and hope that the extension is still good. I wonder if it will ever be approved.

By design, this kind of final approval thing (for some conditionally-approved renewal applicants who suddenly no longer have to do the “interview”) started going on from November (2022), and it is one way to clear the backlog of renewal applicants needing “interviews”. I am still trying to find out what criteria have been applied to determine which conditionally-approved renewal applicants suddenly end up with final approval status for the renewal applications.

If needed, conditionally-approved renewal applicants can do the “interview” process via the “enrollment on arrival” method. On my FRA-SFO flight a few days ago, some conditionally-approved renewal applicants did enrollment on arrival right next to me. On my latest FRA-SFO flights, the EOA line at SFO was shorter than the (neighboring) GE line. [The EOA counter’s CBP guy would call over people from the regular (long) GE line.]

Just another data point for this "Conditionally approved -> Approved" without an interview thing.

Paid renewal fee on Tuesday. Conditionally approved yesterday (Wednesday). Arranged a Zoom interview for today (Thursday). Logged in again to get the Zoom link, and I see that it now shows Approved without doing the interview.

I've been pending approval on my GE renewal for about a month now (renewed 12/02/22).

Just realized that my passport needs to be renewed (expires in about 6 months) and we have some overseas travel planned for the summer. Will applying for (and possibly being issued) a new passport while GE is still pending approval cause any issues?

I would not think so, but just wanted to be sure. I'm fully prepared for my GE wait to extend into the spring at this point.

might be worth a little research first. I've read that A) GE when renewal is pending you should have some up to 2 year extension and B) at least the US CBP will allow US citizens and residents to RE-ENTER the USA for I think at least six months beyond expiration of their passports. I think somewhere one should be able to confirm this info of course before travelling..

of course, getting it done and off the task list is always good!

After realizing my current GE was expiring March 2023, and with a fair bit of travel coming up, I started the renewal process on 12/30 by updating info and paying. Woke up today, 1/1, to an approval. No interview or anything. Was not expecting it quite so fast, but impressed.

Nice - there is a good New Year's gift from the govt. You rarely get them in your lifetime; consider yourself lucky.

I drew the in-person interview straw for my renewal. Not come think of it, got re-fingerprinted and interrogated like I am a criminal :rolleyes:

Current GE expiring 4/2023, submitted renewal information on 12/5/22 [FWIW 2nd renewal, 3rd period of having GE]. Approved on 12/7/22 no interview.

I AT LEAST expected it to take longer, but also figured I would need to do another interview.

Grr. I just hit the 9-month mark.

being a vet and long time gov consultant, you are spot on. I’ll take what I can get. Now if only my upgrade clears.

I too had a renewal that got me the in-person interview straw. Did EOA and I was asked literally nothing — other than to position myself to get re-fingerprinted and re-photographed.

#1 Third time Renewal application for Sept 2022 expiration submitted May 1 2022 - still Pending Review/Wait for conditional approval as of 1/6/23

note saying "Due to a significant increase in application volume, we are extending the grace period to allow you continued full benefits while U.S. Customs and Border Protection is finalizing your renewal application."

Attempted to do "Approval on Entry" at SFO Immigration but was denied since it was only Pending

#2 Third time Renewal application for June 2023 expiration submitted Sept 2022 - still Pending Review/Wait for conditional approval as of 1/6/23

same info regarding grace period