Applied 9/225
Conditionally Approved 9/26
Scheduled next availablle appt at SFO Dec 9.... :(
Checked back on 9/27 found an appt in DFW for Oct 2...when I have a 3 hour connection! :)

Might be 8 days start to interview!

I wonder if the GE program will be affected by the government shut down?
Are the GE kiosks will stay operating as normal or not? Will they be maintained if they ever break down or they will not be touched?

They might halt GE interviews like they're stopping passport processing, but manning the kiosks seems like a very low effort task, but maybe they don't have enough GE staff. I would think that removing one person watching the kiosks would send more people through faster than if you routed all those folks through the regular lines with the same person.

GE interviews are proceeding as scheduled per CBP officers here in LAS. Passport processing continues per State Dept website.

Really... hmm... I read that they might be stopping those, but maybe the full penny-pinching hasn't begun yet.

I believe I read somewhere that since the passport service was supported by fees, it would continue to operate. Here is the link to the State Dept notice.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

The notice on the CBP website does not specifically mention GE, but I'm thinking the officers are part of air operations.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/...g_port_ops.xml

Just had my interview, GE will be active tomorrow, so 9 days total!

The interview process was unaffected. Asked the agent why, and he didn't know. I opined that maybe it is because WE pay for the process (with the $100 fee), he said 'dunno'

As far as I know, all CBP officers have been deemed to be essential personnel. Since they are still working, they might as well be doing their usual jobs.

I think that's the answer. Aren't GE offices staffed by CPB officers rotating through various functions?

I am not sure if that is correct as I don't consider GE as an essential service!!

Probably they still working because they have not received yet their shut down and stay home notices from the CBP ;)

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I flew LHR-ORD-SFO on Oct 1 and they were working at ORD. Also, it was so fast that I was able to get to my departing terminal in time to go to the Admirals Club for a shower and change of clothes before my connection ( door open to outside customs in about 10 minutes) which was really nice on a relatively short connection at ORD.

Does anyone know if any customs sites are still checking that blue CBP sticker that got put in passports when you get (or used to get) GE? My wife got a new passport and stopped by the PDX CBP interview location and the folks there insisted that no such stickers exist any longer and that they would serve no purpose. Now actually I agree with the latter statement but at one point places like ORD would actually look to see the sticker. Does any place still check? I'm a bit concerned about the quality of info from the PDX guys because they also informed her in no uncertain terms that they needed to scan the new passport because it was not possible to update to a new passport on line. :confused: They were then a bit confused when they did that, that the new number was already the one in the system (I had already updated her record on line of course) but still said that it couldn't have been her updating it since only they could do so.

I can confirm that Global Entry interviews are preceding as scheduled at DFW. The agent did say that my card would not be produced until the shutdown ends. You don't need the card to use the service however.

For the previous poster, no sticker was given during the interview.

I've never been asked to sh:rolleyes:w my sticker. I understand it was in case the system was down they'd know who the GE pax were. They are no longer issuing stickers.