Ordered my card 10 calendar days ago and it arrived in the mail today (though to my permanent US address rather than my preferred current UK address). Had the usual dual notifications, one asking for an interview, but the card still came anyways as expected.

I think I have figured this out, but since the thread is 140 plus pages long I MAY have missed something :)

If you are traveling with a family member (same last name, but adult) who is NOT on GOES you can't take them through with you right?

(That would have helped us this winter as we have a VERY tight connection which I figure we won't make, but..... )

You both need GE. Answer is on this page, Post 2162.

BTW, if you change your account prefs to more posts per page you will have fewer pages to read. I only have 55 pages in this thread :)

New freshy approval - GOES
 

Applied online with Amex credit motivation - after 13 days from App, got conditional approval email and status on Aug 2, 2011. Scheduled interview in Orlando on Aug 3 and apptmt went smooth; agent confirmed approval, put sticker on PP and said I would get email confirmation 24-48 hours later. Notice did not come. Called ORL CBE number on 8/11/11 and spoke to same agent who processed me and said we were done. He brought up his screen and re-entered something that then triggered an approval on 8/11, so I'm in and will get a SENTRI card as well. Hopefully AX credit for $100 will go well. I'm very excited about my new premier status perk! I'm heading into ORD from Beijing in OCT and relish the priorities I'll gain in the midst of 4 jumbos that might attempt to jump ahead of me. We'll see. I'm jazzed about GOES.Even 2x per year I'm jazzed about any new angle or advantage.

Just used Global Entry the other day in ATL and had a few questions.

First off, in the kiosk process when it takes your picture, it looked like it just got the top of my head. Will that be an issue, and in the future is it possible to adjust the camera? I'm about average height (maybe a little taller than average) and can't imagine why it would be positioned so high. Unless you're supposed to stand several feet back for that?

Second off, after I got my receipt that said to proceed to baggage claim/the exit, I walked in between the booths by the crew lane and was stopped by an officer who told me I had to wait and show my receipt when passing through that point. Is that normal? It would seem to defeat part of the immense time savings provided by GE.

Yes it's normal to wait in line and have an officer verify your receipt. It shouldn't take more than a minute or so (depending on how busy the crew line is). Don't rush past them or you're bound to tick them off.

Depending on how you answer the kiosk questions s/he may ask further follow-up questions or send you to customs if you exceed declarative limits.

It pays to be both friendly and patient.

Great program. Hate lines:td:

Hear, hear. Arrived at SFO from HKG last week and one of the two terminals was down (out of paper, which someone came to refill while I was waiting). Would have been quicker to get in the regular line!

The one time I used GE at SFO (coming off of the CX flight from HKG) there wasn't much of a line for the non-GE booths. I just prefer not having to interact with anyone. One difference between LAX and ORD is that a CBP agent was checking the receipts versus the daily code before allowing people to proceed to the baggage claim.

I have used GE at SFO a few times now. I never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a GE kiosk, regular lines were between "busy" and "zoo". Great time saver.

Picked for Random!
 

Arriving IAD today from FCO in UA/F; went to the GE terminal and was out into baggage claim in record time - maybe 30 seconds at most at the machine. It was a 30-minute wait for the luggage, however :( I walked to the exit lane where the officer usually looks at the GE form and waves me by. But for the first time in perhaps 20 uses, he writes "GECC" on the form in green marker, and sends me into the ag search area.

I hand my GE form to the officer, and he says, "What are you doing here?" I reply, "I don't know - your colleague sent me here." He said, "I guess it's a random." He took my passport, and typed a bunch of stuff into his computer. He then asked me a series of questions (where did you come from, do you have any prohibited foods, do you have more than $10,000). Then he asked me to put my bags on the table. I had three - a check-in, and roll-aboard, and my laptop bag. He unzipped the roll-aboard and poked in one corner then closed it. He opened my laptop bag and peeked inside. He did not touch my check-in -- just said, "Good bye."

It really wasn't that bad, but I hope it's my last random for a while. I still love GE!

I guess they have to audit compliance with the program. Actually, I think I have been more diligent since I joined GE. It's such a convenience that I don't want to lose it. I have left mints and candy on the plane if I was going to declare that I didn't have any food items. I hope CBP doesn't catch many people or else there will be a lot more random checks.

Actually, as a GlobalEntry member in good standing, you don't have to worry about mints, candies, cookies, chocolates, etc. The kiosk declaration questions have been changed so that the term "food" no longer appears. Instead, it asks about specific kinds of restricted foods like items of plant origin, fruit, veggies, etc. Essentially, CBP is trusting us to know what kinds of food need to be declared.

Note, however, that if the kiosks are not working, or if you enter at a FIS facility that does not have GE kiosks, you are required to fill out the standard paper declaration which DOES use the generalized term "food," so you must check "Yes" if you have ANYTHING that can be consumed as food. If you don't and they decide to search you, you could risk huge fines and revocation of your Trusted Traveler status.

They were crystal clear with me on this point at my interview: if you EVER are caught smuggling once granted Trusted Traveler membership, they will throw the book at you.

Or....just don't bring in any food! :)

Or eat it right there. :) If I mistakenly have some fruit in my bag, I usually eat it real quick before the plane lands.

During my random, the officer asked if I had any food. I said, "Just some packaged cookies from the airplane and Red Carpet Club." He couldn't have cared less.