I too am an infrequent traveler (1 -2 trips international and 1-2 trip Canada) per year on average. I was wondering about the merits of getting GE but after seeing some of the posts here I'm seriously considering it. The cost is no big deal especially if it provides access to the TSA program - don't know if it will and what the program is about although I've seen posting on here about it.

I think I also read somewhere it is possible to have the interview at the San Ysidro border crossing. Can someone confirm that. Going to LAX would be a pain as I'm in San Diego.

I thought the UK did away with outbound passport checks a long time ago. I flew out of LHR about a year ago and don't recall this. However, most US carriers have some security you have to go through before checking in. I think they are tied to the airline - did not think it was UK immigration.

I see no evidence on the CBP site that you can do your GE interview at San Ysidro. You can apply for Sentri and San Ysidro is an enrollment center for that program. Sentri members are now allowed to use GE as well. Unfortunately, Sentri is more expensive than GE (unlike Nexus which also allows GE use, but is cheaper than GE)

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/tr.../ge_kiosks.xml

You may still need to submit fingerprints, but there is no reason you need a separate trip for that. If you are travelling domestically to an airport with a GE office, schedule an interview there during a layover, after an arrival, before a departure, etc. You could also do the same for a straight GE enrollment instead of a special trip to LAX.

It was UK Border Agency. They have booths (at least in Terminal 4) after the bordering pass scanner check people and actually entering the lanes for the WTMD. I'll presume since this was my first time seeing them actually manning the booths that they only do it on occasion.

They did do it yesterday. I usually skip the contracted airline doofs up front by doing online check-in and never checking a bag. I deal with them at the gate and watch the fun when I present a passport without their daily coloured sticker on it.

The US does outbound checks too on occasion. CBP will stop you in the jetway and check documents. Happens daily around the country but to a small fraction of flights. I had not seen it in the UK.

I'm not sure if it is totally "worth-while" but I use it.

However, it's part of my NEXUS, and the NEXUS, In My Opinion, is DEFINITELY worth-while. Thus, the package as a whole - Yes. Worth-while. ;)^

Even after 18 months with GE, I continue to be impressed. At DFW today, we arrived from Paris just after a couple of other flights came in. I was off the plane and through C&I in less time than it took to do the TSA opt-out grope alone in Terminal D. The only slow-up was the CBP person verifying passports at the exit.

I'm signing up even though i will probably not do any more then 2 entries a year. Anyone know what ID (other than my passport), I need to being to an interview? I don't have a drivers license (car costs cut into my travel budget) Should I go to the DMV and get a State ID?

The letter that comes once you get your conditional approval says to bring the following:

So you don't need another ID, just something that shows residency.

GE - gone in 60 seconds or less!!
 

I used GE for the first time yesterday and I will never live without it from this point on. I arrived 3 PM-ish Monday March 5 LHR-ORD and the time from reaching a kiosk (there was no wait- 3 available, 2 were in use) to saying "thank you & goodbye" to the Customs agents was 59 seconds. I had only carry-on luggage.

I have arrived at that time before on a weekday and have observed longer regular lines for US citizens than I did yesterday, so I probably had the best possible conditions. Still, how incredible was that experience? Even if I never use it again in 5 years, the $100 app fee and $6 I spent on short-term parking at the airport interview center was worth it.

So I was approved 3/6. Had hoped to be able to use YYZ or YUL in the next two weeks. Did not know YYZ had nothing available until June. YUL has nothing, period.

What do I do if I'm supposed to interview in 30 days but won't be near another enrollment center by then? Will I have to pay $100 and apply a second time? It's frustrating not to have the scheduling availability beforehand. I'd have waited then.

I googled schedule changes and I found something about paying $30 to reschedule. Is that true? Hmm.

You don't need to pay to reschedule the appointment.

Nor do you need to be interviewed within 30 days. You just have to schedule the appointment within 30 days.

This goes for NEXUS (which it sounds like you're doing) or GE. If it's GE, just take a quick jaunt to LAX or LAS and do the interviews there. Both of those had lots of availability when I got approved last year.

Doing GE, not Nexus. Just happen to be taking a winter trip to Quebec, passing through YYZ and YUL so those were logical choices if I could actually get a timeslot.

LAX, LAS or even SAN (well, the land border port) are options. Just hadn't planned on any weekend trips until June due to other obligations. Maybe I'll be changing that.

I think I'll just book something now and hopefully keep changing it until MIA's or JFK's June calendar becomes available. Nothing past April right either.

I didn't realize they did GE interviews in Canada. I guess I learned something new! Supposedly PHX is getting GE in the near future. Maybe that means there will be an interview location there?

You could also take a drive to Nogales and do an interview at the crossing there. I thought about that, but ended up doing it in SEA between flights.

If they do do GE interviews in Canada, there's no real benefit to it. It would be better to spend $50 instead of $100 and get NEXUS and GE combined.

The only benefit to doing discreet GE interviews in Canada would be for travelers who qualify to get GE and happen to be at Canadian preclearance airports often, and want GE, but would be refused NEXUS by Canada Border Services Agency. I think that would amount to about eight people. :)

Does anyone know if there is _any_ chance to get interviewed on a walk-in basis at IAD? Got approved today, and unfortunate thing is that I'm flying out abroad tomorrow morning with quite a long connection at IAD, but regretfully the closest timeslot available at IAD is in the end of March. Can't wait to try it, if I get approved during the interview :p

I will most likely give it a try anyway, at least to entertain myself with something during more than 6 hour connection in the airport, and show up at their office at IAD tomorrow without an appointment, but does anyone actually have an experience of doing that? Alternatively I can try to do it at EWR right away as I live at a 20-minute drive distance from the airport, again without an appointment (strangely, they have lots of slots at EWR tomorrow, but they are too late for me to catch my flight in LGA), so I was just wondering if it's worthwhile at all or I'll just waste my time trying, or, even worse, annoy those guys completely so they'll just reject me not to see me there anymore :confused: