sbudaj

My wife went in for her Global Entry interview, but her fingerprints would not register. She was told this happens quite frequently. Although she was approved, she was told she would get an X on her form when going through customs and would have to see an agent. (I am approved.)

Can anything be done at this point to get the fingerprints to work?

Ari

Not usually, unless they didn't try all the tricks at the interview.

k2o

I have this problem and find my fingers must be warm or moist.
Sounds silly but I suggest she use a wetwipe on her way to the kiosk...barely damp fingertips, not wringing wet.
I have the same fingers on glass problem with my iphone.

nrr

At my GE interview, the agent suggested that I rub my hand on my forehead after deplaning, that is supposed to add (extra) moisture.

banderon

You can just lick your fingers lightly. Flying tends to dry out the skin, so it's harder for their readers to pick up the oils on your fingerprint ridges.

drewguy

True, although I might try again at the office next time she's at the airport. The X makes GE almost not worth it.

milepig

It sounds like the OP had trouble getting the fingerprints to register in the first place, the responses are mostly talking about when you use the GE machines.

There's a long thread on this somewhere, and the consensus is that the best trick is that when using the machine, place your hand on the plate and then press down firmly with your OTHER hand on top. This does the trick for both me and Mrs. Milepig.

Ari

I don't know which POEs you use, but that doesn't match my experience.

Exocet

If you were to unnecessarily go to the back of the line every time, then yes. But that is not at all how it works.

flyingpolarbear

While the kiosk always read my fingerprints fine on previous trips, during my most recent trip it took 4 attempts at the kiosk to read my prints and then I got an X on the slip. Sounds like it does happen quite frequently.

yannix

My mom was interviewed for GE but her fingerprints won't scan. Two agents tried over a dozen times using two different systems to no avail. They then told her that she will be approved but a fingerprint waiver will be put on her file which means she will get the X mark everytime.

Does anyone know if one can just visit the CBP office to re-do the fingerprints in the future? A few days before her interview, she had an allergic reaction to a handsoap which caused the skin on her hands to peel off. I don't know if this is enough to cause the enrollment machine to reject the fingerprints.

TIA

gobluetwo

Doesn't hurt to try. May want to call the enrollment center for confirmation.

steppie

My daughter's and my fingerprints do not scan, its not a big deal. When she gets the X card, she just waves it to customs and she will go right through. Done it many times!

nrr

At JFK (T8=AA), I once got an "X", but to exit it took more than "waiving" the slip at the agent. (From posts here on FT, and info from CBP, you still have to be cleared by a (passport checking) agent.) In my case, my "X" was fingerprint related, and I was sent to the "special" room for further processing...I did get an email from CBP, a few says later, asking me to describe my issue--I think they want GE to be a "smooth" operation for pax.

yannix

Same here. At JFK T7 I did get an X once (I don't think I asked the agent why). An officer sent me to one of the counters to get processed the old fashion way.Thankfully there was no "special" room treatment.

Getting an X is definitely better than no GE but it adds some delay and reduces the benefit of having GE.