Archived: Processing Timelines for 1st Time GE Applications by US Citizens and LPR
Oct 17, 2015, 10:08 am
#2746
Join Date: May 2004
Location: HNL
Posts: 124
Mine took a good two weeks: Interview on 1 October and active on 16 October.
Oct 17, 2015, 11:59 am
#2747
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Hilton, United, Gold DL
Posts: 993
Applied: 10/5 in the evening
Conditionally Approved: 10/17
Interview: 12/5
Conditionally Approved: 10/17
Interview: 12/5
Last edited by RacingJunkie; Oct 19, 2015 at 12:42 am
Oct 18, 2015, 3:16 pm
#2748
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7
Applied: 10/6
Conditionally Approved: 10/17
Interview: BOS -- originally the earliest was 12/27, but I kept checking back and managed to snag one on 10/21
Conditionally Approved: 10/17
Interview: BOS -- originally the earliest was 12/27, but I kept checking back and managed to snag one on 10/21
Oct 19, 2015, 12:43 pm
#2749
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 13
Applied: 10/8
Conditionally Approved: 10/19
Interview: AUS -- earliest 3rd week JAN. Will stalk schedule to see if something earlier opens up.
Conditionally Approved: 10/19
Interview: AUS -- earliest 3rd week JAN. Will stalk schedule to see if something earlier opens up.
Oct 20, 2015, 8:21 am
#2750
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2
Applied: Sept 27
Conditionally approved: Oct 8
I live in Denver, but it's apparently one of the busiest centers because so many people from surrounding states that drive here to do their interviews. Wasn't able to get an appt until Dec in Denver. Since we have a trip in Nov ended up driving to Albuquerque which has much more availability.
Interview: Oct 19, had the approval e-mail before getting back to the car
Update: Received cards: Oct 24
Interesting note: I really didn't want to drive 900 miles round trip to Albuquerque so I called the Denver center to see if we could just try walking in. The agent was adamant that they don't take walk ins. At the Albuquerque center, right above the sign in sheet it says that if you don't have an appt and are a walk in, to write in "walk in" for your appt time. So I'm not sure if Albuquerque allows it just because they are not very busy or what.
Conditionally approved: Oct 8
I live in Denver, but it's apparently one of the busiest centers because so many people from surrounding states that drive here to do their interviews. Wasn't able to get an appt until Dec in Denver. Since we have a trip in Nov ended up driving to Albuquerque which has much more availability.
Interview: Oct 19, had the approval e-mail before getting back to the car
Update: Received cards: Oct 24
Interesting note: I really didn't want to drive 900 miles round trip to Albuquerque so I called the Denver center to see if we could just try walking in. The agent was adamant that they don't take walk ins. At the Albuquerque center, right above the sign in sheet it says that if you don't have an appt and are a walk in, to write in "walk in" for your appt time. So I'm not sure if Albuquerque allows it just because they are not very busy or what.
Last edited by tgifarris; Oct 26, 2015 at 9:07 am Reason: Update
Oct 20, 2015, 6:15 pm
#2751
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM, AA PLT, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,056
Does anyone what the protocol is for renewing Global Entry at the end of the 5-year period? Do you have to go through the whole process of applying, scheduling interview and getting a new card or can you just pay and renew online like a drivers license or something?
Oct 20, 2015, 8:20 pm
#2752
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Applied 10/6
Conditional approval 10/17
First avail appt 10/20 for TUS
Approval 10/20
Card arrived 10/26
Conditional approval 10/17
First avail appt 10/20 for TUS
Approval 10/20
Card arrived 10/26
Last edited by Ksully; Oct 26, 2015 at 2:24 pm
Oct 20, 2015, 9:56 pm
#2753
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,061
You can renew online. Some people are called in for another 'interview' whereas others are offered an extension without needing another appointment.
Oct 21, 2015, 9:10 am
#2754
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,782
GF Applied 10/10
Conditional approval 10/21
Conditional approval 10/21
Oct 21, 2015, 10:50 am
#2755
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Newly minted free agent; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, BA SECM, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,108
I live in Denver, but it's apparently one of the busiest centers because so many people from surrounding states that drive here to do their interviews. Wasn't able to get an appt until Dec in Denver. Since we have a trip in Nov ended up driving to Albuquerque which has much more availability.
Interview: Oct 19, had the approval e-mail before getting back to the car
Interview: Oct 19, had the approval e-mail before getting back to the car
Denver to Albuquerque is about 7 hours each way by car, so including the actual interview, stops for food, etc this consumes the entire day (~16 hours). Now if you have to do the trip anyway, that makes sense, but people usually don't say that.
Assuming this one trip in Nov before the first available appointment in Dec, you might save 5-10 minutes clearing TSA with Pre-√ (I regularly travel with priority-line-but-no-pre-√ people and I think the most time I ever saved compared to them was 7 minutes).
Coming back into the country, the longest I ever waited in the US Citizen line was maybe a half hour, and that was before the non-GE kiosks started getting installed. Most of the time GE saves me then gets spent waiting for my checked bag, but let's assume not checking bags. GE saves maybe 5 minutes tops for the final customs check, assuming a really long line.
So 16 hours to save maybe, generously, 1 hour. You'd need to travel at least 16 times internationally (and probably more, way more if domestic only) before the December appointment to make up the time lost driving.
So, why? What am I missing?
Oct 21, 2015, 11:00 am
#2756
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,508
We see quite a few posts of people traveling lengthy distances for their interviews rather than wait, and I genuinely don't get it. Let's use this as an example.
Denver to Albuquerque is about 7 hours each way by car, so including the actual interview, stops for food, etc this consumes the entire day (~16 hours). Now if you have to do the trip anyway, that makes sense, but people usually don't say that.
Assuming this one trip in Nov before the first available appointment in Dec, you might save 5-10 minutes clearing TSA with Pre-√ (I regularly travel with priority-line-but-no-pre-√ people and I think the most time I ever saved compared to them was 7 minutes).
Coming back into the country, the longest I ever waited in the US Citizen line was maybe a half hour, and that was before the non-GE kiosks started getting installed. Most of the time GE saves me then gets spent waiting for my checked bag, but let's assume not checking bags. GE saves maybe 5 minutes tops for the final customs check, assuming a really long line.
So 16 hours to save maybe, generously, 1 hour. You'd need to travel at least 16 times internationally (and probably more, way more if domestic only) before the December appointment to make up the time lost driving.
So, why? What am I missing?
Denver to Albuquerque is about 7 hours each way by car, so including the actual interview, stops for food, etc this consumes the entire day (~16 hours). Now if you have to do the trip anyway, that makes sense, but people usually don't say that.
Assuming this one trip in Nov before the first available appointment in Dec, you might save 5-10 minutes clearing TSA with Pre-√ (I regularly travel with priority-line-but-no-pre-√ people and I think the most time I ever saved compared to them was 7 minutes).
Coming back into the country, the longest I ever waited in the US Citizen line was maybe a half hour, and that was before the non-GE kiosks started getting installed. Most of the time GE saves me then gets spent waiting for my checked bag, but let's assume not checking bags. GE saves maybe 5 minutes tops for the final customs check, assuming a really long line.
So 16 hours to save maybe, generously, 1 hour. You'd need to travel at least 16 times internationally (and probably more, way more if domestic only) before the December appointment to make up the time lost driving.
So, why? What am I missing?
Oct 21, 2015, 11:02 am
#2757
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
So, why? What am I missing?
Many people have reported hellacious lines getting out of baggage claim/customs in the international arrival halls at several different airports recently. Maybe it was the summer crunch. Maybe having all the arrival kiosks gets them through immigration quicker now, only to pile up exiting customs. Whatever the problem, the lines getting out of baggage claim/customs at IAH this summer were over an hour long! Just to hand the Customs Agent your form.
Fortunately, there are Global Entry exit lines allowing you to get out as quickly as you can claim your bag, or even faster if you're doing carry on.
As far as holding GE when it comes to PRE Check.... Sometimes the PRE lines are about the same as the general and Premier lines, but they move much faster. Most of the time the PRE line is MUCH shorter than any other line. Definitely worth it in the long run IF you fly a great deal. But if you fly only a couple times a year, or you're doing it for a one time international flight, it may not be worth it and I certainly wouldn't make a 16 hour drive for the five minute interview.
Many people have reported hellacious lines getting out of baggage claim/customs in the international arrival halls at several different airports recently. Maybe it was the summer crunch. Maybe having all the arrival kiosks gets them through immigration quicker now, only to pile up exiting customs. Whatever the problem, the lines getting out of baggage claim/customs at IAH this summer were over an hour long! Just to hand the Customs Agent your form.
Fortunately, there are Global Entry exit lines allowing you to get out as quickly as you can claim your bag, or even faster if you're doing carry on.
As far as holding GE when it comes to PRE Check.... Sometimes the PRE lines are about the same as the general and Premier lines, but they move much faster. Most of the time the PRE line is MUCH shorter than any other line. Definitely worth it in the long run IF you fly a great deal. But if you fly only a couple times a year, or you're doing it for a one time international flight, it may not be worth it and I certainly wouldn't make a 16 hour drive for the five minute interview.
Oct 21, 2015, 6:13 pm
#2758
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
I have two home airports: RDU and GSO. GSO has no First Class/Elite line and while RDU has one, in my experience it's almost always closed. Precheck saves me 15 minutes or more each time I go to the airport and that's just at my home airports. It's saved me a vast amount of time this year at ORD too as well as other airports. Granted I only had to drive 5 hours round trip to Charlotte but even if I'd had to give up an entire day, it would have been worth it for all the times I got to sleep later to bypass the giant lines.
Oct 21, 2015, 6:22 pm
#2759
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,165
I have two home airports: RDU and GSO. GSO has no First Class/Elite line and while RDU has one, in my experience it's almost always closed. Precheck saves me 15 minutes or more each time I go to the airport and that's just at my home airports. It's saved me a vast amount of time this year at ORD too as well as other airports. Granted I only had to drive 5 hours round trip to Charlotte but even if I'd had to give up an entire day, it would have been worth it for all the times I got to sleep later to bypass the giant lines.
I'll add that in addition to the time savings -- which of course is the primary consideration -- the civility of not having to partially disrobe and unpack your carry on before the XRay IMO would make it worth it... But everyone values different attributes differently.
Oct 21, 2015, 8:24 pm
#2760
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 10
applied 10/10, conditionally approved 10/21. first appt available at LAX is 12/17! ugh.
also applied for husband 10/12. hope he gets his conditional approval soon. will be stalking the cancellations... hope they have something soon! when do people usually check? is it every hour on the hour? or every morning at X? TIA.
also applied for husband 10/12. hope he gets his conditional approval soon. will be stalking the cancellations... hope they have something soon! when do people usually check? is it every hour on the hour? or every morning at X? TIA.