Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Travel Safety/Security > Trusted Travelers
Reload this Page >

Global Entry Denial and Recourse

Global Entry Denial and Recourse

Old May 23, 2013, 10:07 am
  #46  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,326
Originally Posted by nrr
Suppose someone flew to Paris (France = EU), and then using a railpass (say) went to lots of other EU countries, and then returned to the US via Paris. Since crossing between EU countries (in most instances) is not subject PP controls, if one left out some or all of those other countries, how could CBP know? [Back in the 60's and 70's when I traveled to Europe, I did the routing above (long before EU), and even then, stamping passports (except for your air arrival and departure points) was a rarity--from my recollection Denmark was the only place that stamped pps when you arrived by train (and boat).]
In this case, you would be required to list the countries visited on your blue customs form when re-entering the USA. If this information is entered into the computer, it would be associated with your passport number and could be retrieved.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 10:10 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
I was failed during my first interview because the CBP Officer didn't like my attitude towards TSA security. I appealed and was again conditionally approved. During my second interview it was completely different. I kept my opinions to myself. Answered questions directly. I treated it like I was being cross examined in court and giving them the least amount of info to lead into other questions. I was approved in all of 10 minutes.
Not saying to put yourself back in the closet but if you do get a second interview I'd not mention the partner unless asked directly again. You may have had a differently minded interviewer or maybe there was another reason you were failed. But do appeal, it's so worth it when you get to skip the lines.
Yoshi212 is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 10:32 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Just got through to the SFO office and had a conversation with their "team lead." I mentioned that I'd been denied and was unaware of any reason why my enrollment would be remotely controversial. She said I could write to the Ombudsperson, but he would simply echo CBP's decision, which was final and "not based on an error." She said my only recourse to determine the reason was to make a FOIA request. She then hung up on me.

Thank God for FOIA.
RandomBaritone is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 10:33 am
  #49  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,900
Leaving out a county isn't an automatic disqualification. On my application form I left off Canada. The interviewer just asked me "what about Canada" and my repsonse of "oh, yes, I fogot that one" was satisfactory.
milepig is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 10:40 am
  #50  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Originally Posted by Yoshi212
I was failed during my first interview because the CBP Officer didn't like my attitude towards TSA security. I appealed and was again conditionally approved. During my second interview it was completely different. I kept my opinions to myself. Answered questions directly. I treated it like I was being cross examined in court and giving them the least amount of info to lead into other questions. I was approved in all of 10 minutes.
Not saying to put yourself back in the closet but if you do get a second interview I'd not mention the partner unless asked directly again. You may have had a differently minded interviewer or maybe there was another reason you were failed. But do appeal, it's so worth it when you get to skip the lines.
I was told today that there are no appeals. Do you mean take it to the Ombudsman? Your experience seems to be an outlier; others indicate that when they hear back from the Ombudsman's office after months, it's always just a form letter.

And let me reiterate that I didn't say anything remotely controversial in the interview. I even thought that, despite his tough questioning, we had a nice rapport. I complimented him on his Rolex (!), which he seemed to appreciate.

The most puzzling part of the entire process was the call I got from my interviewer after I'd left the airport, asking my partner's full name so he could "flag his application." Even then I couldn't imagine what he meant by it, but now I'm wondering if he meant so he could flag it for extra scrutiny and/or denial.

If they deny Global Entry to a patriotic returned Peace Corps volunteer/former Peace Corps employee/Episcopal priest, we'll know something's seriously askew.
RandomBaritone is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 10:56 am
  #51  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
My situation was rather specific. I hold several Security Clearances from different Government Agencies and the person who reviewed my case could see no reason for me to be denied at all which led to my second interview.
When I say appeal I mean write the Ombudsman and state exactly what you feel. That you have no knowledge as to how you don't fit the set characteristics of a Global Entry member, how you don't feel you did anything wrong during the interview process, but question the procedure that was followed during the interview detailing the oddity of the questioning of who you partner is and the follow-up call asking for his name for flagging.

If you can wait for your partner's interview to be completed also as that could give more weight to your reconsideration if he were to pass or fail.

Good luck.
Yoshi212 is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 11:07 am
  #52  
formerly ltabi
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 202
Originally Posted by LAXative
There are people here who applied without traveling anywhere, and were approved.
I had only travel once internationally in the last 5 years and I was approved, and I literally got my GE card 5 days after my interview.
traveling_newbie is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 11:43 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
Really unfortunate and I'm sure extremely frustrating! I would definitely appeal to the ombudsman.. it can't hurt. It is possible you were denied because you have or perceived to have associated with person(s) who are flagged in some database... in which case you'd never be told if that's the reason. I'm grasping at straws here... from what you've described about yourself there's no good reason for the denial. Lack of international travel isn't a criteria to deny someone.
SEA1K4EVR is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 11:47 am
  #54  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depends
Posts: 1,518
If they won't tell you the reason, you should consider the FOIA request. Apparently there is something on your record that made the agent suspicious -- and the supervisor confirmed it. Based on your posts, it is likely a mistake of some kind that you probably want to clear up regardless before you start a lot of international travel. Based on news accounts of the No Fly list, including flagging a sitting member of Congress, there are plenty of mistakes in the government's background files.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/bu...anted=all&_r=0

Mr. Wagner said that 3 to 5 percent of travelers were rejected, out of about 30,000 applications every month, and that individuals are generally told the reason for the denial....

Those whose Global Entry applications are denied have three ways to appeal: making an appointment to speak with a supervisor at a trusted traveler enrollment center (listed at globalentry.gov), e-mailing the agency’s ombudsman ([email protected]) or filing a complaint through the Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (dhs.gov/trip).
abaheti is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 11:58 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Originally Posted by abaheti
If they won't tell you the reason, you should consider the FOIA request. Apparently there is something on your record that made the agent suspicious -- and the supervisor confirmed it. Based on your posts, it is likely a mistake of some kind that you probably want to clear up regardless before you start a lot of international travel.
Just made the FOIA request and sent my letter to the Ombudsman this morning.

And thanks for the link to the NY Times article -- great stuff, except that my case appears to be the outlier even among those interviewed. I've never had a single brush with the law, and my family background and travel patterns wouldn't be cause for alarm either.
RandomBaritone is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 12:07 pm
  #56  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,647
Best of luck with the denial. If you have a new interview, I'd suggest going to a US-Canadian land crossing. I'd heard awful things about interviews and went to one in Sault Ste. Marie (I was in Petosky for a wedding). It was a piece of cake. I suggested my son go to either Buffalo or Detroit-Windsor and his was fairly easy.
manneca is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 12:12 pm
  #57  
nrr
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
In this case, you would be required to list the countries visited on your blue customs form when re-entering the USA. If this information is entered into the computer, it would be associated with your passport number and could be retrieved.
And there would be NO way of their knowing if you omitted a country [also does one count having visited a country if all you did was changed trains there, or just passed through?]
nrr is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 1:16 pm
  #58  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: A3, AA. Plasticy things! That give me, y'know, Stuff!
Posts: 6,293
Originally Posted by Often1
2. The fact that you are gay is neither here nor there.
I beg to differ. US government officials at the pointy end of things tend to be overly interested in imposing their invariably right wing religious moral view onto the world where they can. The fact that the officer would call to confirm an identity after the interview "to flag it" suggests to me that that is exactly what happened.


4. You can appeal to the ombudsman and should make it short and sweet, namely that there is nothing in your background which ought to concern CBP one bit. And, further, if there is any detail which does concern CBP, you are ready, willing & able to clear anything up.
I would add a single sentence that the interviewer's demeanor changed upon learning the OP was gay & they followed up with a call to flag another applicants file. Don't suggest anything other than stating that. It forces CBP to back themselves up in the face of the only likely "negative" they could hang their biases on.
SeriouslyLost is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 1:17 pm
  #59  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Hyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: QLA
Programs: SBUX Gold
Posts: 14,507
I just thought of something... do you have any "interesting" financials going? Or, have you ever been caught at customs with something you weren't suppose to be bringing in?
IceTrojan is offline  
Old May 23, 2013, 1:17 pm
  #60  
uwr
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold75K
Posts: 850
Good luck. Please let us know how it turns out.

If the agency stonewalls you, you should consider contacting your member of Congress or one of your senators. Their constituent services liaison should be able to help you get an answer.
uwr is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.