There was a period of time when GE first came out you had to pay $15 extra to get a card issued...I was one of those (later I changed to Nexus where the card comes standard)... now, all approved applicants receive a card free.

The card is considered a valid form of federally issued identification that is good at TSA checkpoints and land border crossings INTO the US. Good luck using it anywhere else though as anyone outside an airport or perhaps a federal government building where they have a list of acceptable ID's will not know what it is.

Also, the GE card by itself does not get you into the TSA PreCheck lane..you still need to have the Pre logo printed on your boarding pass. But it is valid for ID.

The security lines at Canadian airports do indeed have special lanes for those who are members of the Nexus and Global Entry programs.. and they can ask to see your card. The US and Canadian governments partner in the Nexus program...you can even apply for Nexus at the same website you apply for Global Entry (Nexus includes trusted traveler status in both the US and Canada). I recently went through this at the Vancouver, BC airport...I've got Nexus, and I got a stamp at the United checkin counter by showing my card so they did not require me to show my card to access the Nexus/GE lane. You can write DHS all you like.. but as I said they partner with Canada on this, and it's not going to make any difference..just bring your card next time. You're in their country, they can require what they want.

I replied to you in another thread on this.. the card has been around all along but you had to pay for it originally.. this would only happen in Canada. Now that you have a card you'll be good...bring it with you next time. If you're going to be traveling to or through Canada a lot you might consider changing to Nexus..

They also have the authority not to accept GE cards at all and accept NEXUS only. @:-)

Would you like that outcome? Maybe they should; it seems that would solve your problem. :rolleyes:

I do not mind having to show the card, but I do mind being told that we do not need the car unless we are at a land border crossing or I think the CBP Officer specially called at Immigration and Customs in St. John USVI and then having to show the card to be able to access the machines.

Have a consistent clearly defined policy about the use of the card, something like it can only be used for Immigration and Customers Purposes at Land Border Crossing, but you should have it with you to prove that you are eligible to utilize the service at all other locations.

I can only speak for myself, it is not hard to carry the card with me, but it is annoying to be told that I do not need the card but then I am asked to show it to be able to access the Global Entry machines when I am specifically told otherwise.

Of interest I finally heard back from the MIA Airport regarding the line organizer wanting to see the Global Entry card and the Line Organizers were having lots of trouble with people seeing long lines, seeing a shorter line and assuming that they could use that line as well, even after being told that line was for Global Entry Only, thus for a short period of time they were asking to see Global Entry cards to prove eligibility to access the Global Entry area and avoid the long line for regular immigration.

She said once they were alerted to the fact that one was not required to have their Global Entry card on them to be able to access the service, they removed that restriction and a verbal acknowledgement of being part of Global Entry was enough to be allowed to bypass the regular line and access the Global Entry Machines.

do tell.. i'd like to know for future reference in case something like this happens

Brits do not get the card. Mexicans do

My wife and I are both NEXUS card holders. In fact we are both GE card holders (having learned too late that GE privileges are conferred upon NEXUS cardholders).

We had our NEXUS interview at the Blaine enrollment center in December and were told that once we got our NEXUS cards, we could put our GE cards away as the GE cards would supersede and invalidate the NEXUS cards. I did not misunderstand this; the officer was quite clear about it.

So my wife came back today via air from a vacation in the Dominican Republic, arriving at MIA. She had her passport and NEXUS card with her. She was unable to use her NEXUS card at the GE kiosk. The officer she asked about it said that NEXUS cards were only good for travel to and from Canada, and therefore were of no use to her there. She advised the officer that was not what she was told at the interview. Of course, this had no effect, the officer could have cared less about what was explained at an interview, and wife had to move to the back of the non-TTP line. She was pissed and telephonically unloaded on me once she got through Customs, as it was my big idea to get the NEXUS cards.

I've lodged a complaint with CBP and written my Congressman. The truth about NEXUS is out there somewhere - can any of you share it with me? I am truly flabbergasted about what my wife experienced. I never expected it.

I though you had to use your passport (or green card, if applicable), not your GE card (or Nexus), at the kiosk? Did she try putting her passport in the machine?

(I've only recently joined GE, and haven't actually crossed the border yet, but all the instructions I've received clearly state you can only use your passport at the GE kiosks, the GE card is only for land-border crossings - moreover any non-US citizen, e.g. me, doesn't even get a GE card.)

That, I will have to ask. There was too much emotion at the time. :D

UPDATE: Yes, she did insert her passport in the kiosk. I'm not really sure what happened, she gets back here Tuesday at which time we'll discuss further.

You must use your passport at the kiosk. There were some mistaken attempts to ask for a GE card to prove the right to use the kiosks (see above) but you are neither required to have nor can use the card at airports.

GE card is just for show at the airport, it seems.

I heard NEXUS cards work in the GE machines at Canadian pre-clearance locations, which I tried successfully a few months ago. That seems to be the exception though -- GE machine + passport is the way to go everywhere.

Global Entry Card Mail Time
 

Got approved on 1/6 and already received KTN. How long does it take to receive the physical card? After the interview, Border Control said it would take 7-10 days, but I haven't received it yet.

Mine was less than a week

Different people have widely varying experiences. It appears that they sometimes get backed up and can take over a month.

But, don't worry. You do not need the physical card. As soon as you have the KTN, you are good to go.

Global Entry Card Mail Time
 

Unless you are planning to enter US via land border.