Number of countries visited definitely didn't slow me down. I've done about 30 new countries in the past 24 months and still got approval in a week and half

Has anyone had any experience with bringing back cookies or other snacks? I will be flying back from LHR to IAD next month, and will get to use GE for the first time. I have heard that cookies do not need to be declared on the kiosk, but have heard that they do need to be declared. I am curious to see if I have to press yes or no when I land...

Thanks

Got my conditional approval today --- took a total of 13 calendar days.

Then went to select a date a DFW, and they are booked until March 1st. Called them and they said that the program has really taken off at DFW and they are booked solid. Every other airport has openings the next day....not DFW....20 day wait.

Before I got GE, I asked twice whether I had to declare snacks like candy, etc. and both times I was told if anything can be eaten, it had to be declared so technically, cookies have to be declared. I would not risk the tremendous convenience of GE. Although the chance that you would be caught is very slim, they emphasized at the interview that they have a zero tolerance policy. You will not be delayed much as you can cut in line after you get the X on the printout.

I was told exactly the same thing. If you can eat it, you must declare it as food. They are serious about zero tolerance for trusted travelers.

Was told the exact same thing. In fact I saw one of these reality shows on customs and border patrol and a fellow entering the US was given a secondary search after his customs declaration and he was found to have a sandwich in his back pack. The customs officer asked him if he knew he was suppose to declare it and he said yes, he was fined $300.00 as the customs officer after looking at the numerous entries in and out of the US said he should have known better. I value my GOES at a lot more than $300.00

I'd really hate to loose my GE membership, due to the fact that I did not declare cookies. I guess I'll try out the line cutting privilege when I go through IAD.

Oh yeah, I remember that show. I believe it was Homeland Security USA.. I would prefer to skip the fine and revocation of my GE membership. I bet that taught him not to bring in undeclared food!

Well, this whole thing about cookies and the like is disconcerting, for multiple reasons. First, they aren't even following the law. Cookies, and other similarly processed foods like candy and chocolate, are absolutely legal to bring in and only need to be declared as any other purchase. Second, if this really is something they are pushing, then they need to tell the NEXUS interviewers this. In my NEXUS interview, I was told that there is absolutely no need to declare processed food items. Remember, this is also my interview for Global Entry. They said the main issue is tropical fruit, as all fruits and vegetables grown in Canada are allowed to travel over the border in quantities for personal consumption, duty free. He expressly stated there is no need to declare.

Using Nexus from Canada, I've declared food on the kiosk. I get back to the guy that collects the form, he asks what I declared, I told him some chocolates I bought at the duty free shop, and he waives me through. I don't know if the agents have the same flexibility on GE as they do on nexus..

I've gotten the random secondary with Nexus and it used a different code on the slip vs when I declared I answered "yes" to a question on my blue form (you still have to fill those out with Nexus)

With GE when you get the X, you have to go to the immigration officer (but can cut the line) - it should take a minute or so and they'd waive you through, but it is an extra step

Car component gone for NEXUS?
 

Hi Collective Wisdom:
Was told by both the Canadians and the Americans at my 24 December 2009 YYZ NEXUS interview that they no longer cared about the car information (I wanted to add my wife's car). They told me that the new(?) NEXUS rules require all passengers to show NEXUS IDs so the car information is not necessary.

Cheers and safe travels all,
DocD

I called DFW today to see if they hd any cancellations so that I could get processsed before early march. They took my number called me about an hour later with a choice of times. Went to my interview and ended up staying 40 minutes. The CBP officer was great! Vert friendly and we just chatted about crazy things. One super nice guy. I did ask about food. We discussed interpretation of "food" and then when we went to the machine to practice we read in detail the items that were asked about. Read it some time. No chocolate candy could be interpreted as OK as there is no dairy in it they ask about dairy); He said to just declare eny food as 99% of the time you are jjust waved through for routine food. But he was the first to say that if yuo read the list on te kiosk in detail, there are many foods that are technically not asked aout.

Thanks for the clarification! I'll declare my food upon my return next month, so I can avoid any major problems with CBP...

Glad to hear that you got your interview taken care of. When I had my interview at MCO in November, the CBP officer was the friendliest person I have ever met that works for CBP.. We discussed the airlines, FlyerTalk, and just had a nice time.

Welcome to the club:)

looking for Global Entry customer to interview for newspaper story
 

I'm a newspaper reporter looking to interview someone who's used Global Entry or Nexus. Can someone get back to me with their contact info at [email protected]. I'm on deadline for today so if someone can reply to me today, I'd really appreciate it. Based on this forum, it seems to be a positive experience. Thanks.

Just had my interview at IAD.
I had just arrived from NRT, and he asked me about my bags. Dbl check.

Forgot my confirmation letter, but wasn't an issue.

Nice guy asked some questions, added an additional address, then asked me if this was my "website" and he had www.amrivlin.com up on his system. Haha, I guess they google our names to see if we have anything outlandish.

He had me do my prints, guess I am in the sytem now!!!

Test run on the trial box, and I was on my way.

Can't wait to use it.