Is Global Entry worthwhile?
 

I fly internationally about once or twice a month. Most trips from BOS to Europe, but I make trips to Asia, Mexico, Australia and other countries as well a few times a year. These latter trips are often through LAX, DFW, and MIA. I also go to YYZ a few times a year. Does it make sense to apply to the Global Entry program at this point? Is there any information about when a kiosk will come to Boston?

Yes, Global Entry is very much worth it. I save about a half an hour at IAD or ORD regularly.

You mention YYZ....that's a different program, NEXUS.

Is Global Entry worthwhile?
 

Absolutely 100%.

Without a doubt -- YES ! Do it !

Cheers,

--J

It's worthwhile only in that it's cheap, and will eventually pay for itself. It's not actually saved me any time yet anywhere - I still fill out the C. Dec because I play it safe and assume it won't work.

I was motivated to get a GOES pass when I entered the US at IAD early in January. A bank of UA flights had come in within minutes of each other. I stood in line for an hour. I didn't see a single person use the GOES machine. It costs $100 for five years. I don't have to save much time for it to be worthwhile to me.

To clarify...

GOES = Global Online Enrollment System. This is the gateway to let you apply to programs such as Global Entry and/or NEXUS.

GLOBAL ENTRY = The program SD1K is referring to. Does not work for travel to/from Canada.

NEXUS = The program that gives you trusted traveler privileges between the U.S. and Canada only.

One would hope in situations like that (multiple full loads arriving at the same time), the CBP supervisor would inspire his/her officers to make the process as quick as possible so people can catch their onward connections. (Meaning: no 20 questions, scan the passport, stamp it and hand it back).

Sadly, I doubt it.

CBP can try to be more efficient by not taking any breaks and bringing a few officers in from the office area to clear passengers, but they can't just relax the border just to hasten the line.

Anyone know why DFW isn't on the list of entry airports, or when it might be added?

Thanks

- Tim

GlobalEntry is worth every penny. It truly does pay for itself. The next time you are at ORD standing in line behind hundreds of people at passport control, think of how easier it would be to zip through by using the kiosk!

(Plus, even if the kiosks are not working, you can skip to the front of the line and/or use the crew line.)

PLEASE sign up! The more members in the system, the greater the incentive for CBP to deploy the kiosks at more airports.

What about the privacy issue with GOES? Spiff where are you. I am not an advocate of Fly Clear or programs like this because it is yet another place I have to air my life story out in some database that I am not entirely sure about its security. Spiff and all of the guys I am normally at odds with in this forum, what are the security/pricacy issues with Global Entry?

The GAO has lauded DHS and TSA for its privacy of personal data.

Clear is a private program, and the reasons I don't participate in that program is mostly out of principle and somewhat with security of my data.

Ok, well that is good to know. I had no idea that TSA had been lauded by anybody. Now, does TSA have anything to do with this program or is it a CBP/ICE program only? At least I could rationalize in my mind that CBP and ICE are actually sworn LEO's. Or...am I just way off the mark about the Global Entry program and need to give it another look?

GE and NEXUS are CBP program, not TSA. TSA doesn't care, although you can use a NEXUS card as official picture ID instead of a DL or passport. When I used mine a few weeks ago during screening I had to show it to 5 different TSA officers who had never seen one and wanted a look.

GE is terrific. I will plan my international travel to gateway at a GE enabled airport from here on.

I don't consider it relaxing the border to let Americans re-enter their country without questions once their passport has come back clear and they have been visually identified as the passport bearer. It serves no purpose to ask a multitude of questions, other than to slow down a line that is often slow enough to begin with. If a point of concern comes up during the passport scan, that is one thing. Going on a fishing expedition is another.

If a large majority of people sign up, the benefits of skipping to the front of the line, having a separate line or even using the kiosk all go away. Systems like this only benefit the members if membership is limited. (Just as being elite on an airline is useless if everyone is elite. ;))

(Actually, since I don't intend to sign up for anything like this, I should encourage you all to do so, so I can have the regular passport line to myself!) :)

Here is the GOES Privacy Statement.

I don't think that's an issue with GlobalEntry. It's extremely unlikely that a "large majority" of eligible travelers would sign up. The $100 fee plus the rigamarole of the application and interview will keep membership pretty limited.

In fact, there were only 4,400 active members of GlobalEntry as of December 2008.

Furthermore, how many international trips do most Kettles have in a given year? Maybe Cancun once every 2 years? Canada over the summer? Certainly not enough to justify an additional $100 on top of the cost of the passport. (Actually, it would be $200 for 10 years, which is the length of passport validity for those older than 16.)

Only 20-30% of the U.S. population (#s vary depending on which website you look at) has been issued a passport. We need to keep in mind that FTers tend to have MANY more arrivals into the USA each year than the average person holding a U.S. passport.

I understand the privacy statement. I am just curious as to LessO2's comments and Spiffs and all the other privacy stalwarts comments about the privacy of this program. They would not be thrilled, I would not think, by an agency's own declaration that the DB was secure. I DO NOT want to put words in their mouths that is why I am waiting patiently to see what they have to say and I already appreciate LessO2's comments. :D

I initially had a CANPASS card, which was the Canadian version of Global entry. During that process, I had some concerns, but the way I looked at it, they were asking for stuff I had to produce when crossing the border anyways, so they already had the info. Granted, they took an iris scan, which I hadn't produced before..

I then "upgraded" to NEXUS, the program run mainly by Canada Customs, but used at US pre-clearance centers in Canada for entry into the US. For that, I had to give the US fingerprints, which I have before for different jobs and such, and they asked me the usual customs questions.

Global Entry was an automatic approval since I was already in NEXUS.

CLEAR requires substantially more information than I usually give an airline when flying domestically. That's a huge difference for me, vs any of the GOES-based pre-clearance programs.

Thanks for all of your feedback. I applied for Global Entry based upon this. I'll also go for Nexus but I'll do it next. Plus my work in Canada has slowed -- we sold one of the companies on which I had a board seat and I'm leaving a couple of the others. I had CanPass and I do the Iris Scan thing at LHR (which is free, I think).

Further to that, remember the old "20/80" rule about passengers on a plane and revenue. Divide that up by the number of entry points into the U.S., and it's unlikely you'll see any "crowding" at the kiosks anytime soon.

I did the same thing with CANPASS, then NEXUS. But I got into Global Entry before the "automatic NEXUS" thing was put in place.

Agree 100% with the Clear sentiment.

I think you're bordering on analysis paralysis here.

Think of this another way. It's very likely there's more information out about you among private companies right now. Your bank(s) and your credit card company/companies know a LOT more about you than The G right now.

I've been a CANPASS or NEXUS member for four years now (and Global Entry for six months) and have had no problems.

Anyone? It's my port of entry for almost all my international flights and is conspicuous by its absence from the list....

The Global Entry website does not list Dallas.

I think the best course of action would be to ask them at DFW. I would suggest asking multiple people at different times, as some might have heard about it, some might not have.

I was conditionally accepted into Global Entry and now have 30 days to get to one of the offices. Unfortunately, I don't have plans to be in any one of those airports in the next month. Any thoughts?

You just have to Schedule an interview within 30 days. The interview date it self can be anytime in the future, and is changeable online if your plans change.

I'm going through Dallas from Frankfurt Sunday. I'll ask a few people if I have time.

Is there any chance we would be allowed to use the Crew line?

Ah. You're right.

Well it looks like I might be in DC for a day next week and should be able to fly through Dulles.

Is it possible to get Nexus at the same time?

At present, GE is still classified as a pilot program, with a limited set of entry points for data collection/program validation requirements.

No. NEXUS and GlobalEntry are two separate programs, administrated separately.

For the purpose of air travel, NEXUS is a program run out of Canadian airports only. There are U.S.-based enrollment centers, but most do not have the iris scanning equipment that is necessary in order to qualify you to use the passport control kiosks at Canadian airports. So, in most cases, you would need to schedule an appointment at a Canadian airport enrollment centre in order to join the program.

GlobalEntry is a wholly U.S.-based system, run out of offices at U.S. airports.

You can apply for both NEXUS and GlobalEntry via GOES. If you plan on joining both, I recommend applying first for NEXUS, which is $50 for a 5-year membership. Upon acceptance into the program, you will have been vetted by both Canadian Customs and US CBP, and confirmed as a "trusted traveler" by both. Then, if/when you decide to apply for GlobalEntry, you most likely will get automatic approval, since you already completed the CBP interview and digital fingerprinting that would occur at the GlobalEntry interview.

Also, if you are already a NEXUS member, then GlobalEntry membership is FREE! So, you get 2 programs for 1/3 of the cost! ($50 instead of $150)

DFW will be added this year. I talked to the CBP guy in LAX about DFW. He said for sure this year because of the size.

I have used it once sin Jan and it got me out Immigration and Customs in approx 10mins.

Once you use the Immigration kiosk, you can skip the whole line at Customs and just walk up to the front and show the officers your reciept and they just waive you thru.

Awesome !!

I can't speak about Global Entry but NEXUS is a godsend. I traveled to YVR weekly and it saved me a 2+ hour wait at immigration just about every time. My flight would always arrive just after half a dozen flights coming in from Asia, and the customs hall would be packed.

Also, at least at YVR, when traveling outbound you can flash your NEXUS card and use the first class line at the security checkpoint. Every so often when I returned home, the US preclearance and security area would be teeming with people on their way back from cruises, and it saved me from having to wait in those ridiculous lines.

I just found out about Global Entry. I used to have an INS Pass that I used regularly at LAX. Is this roughly the same thing? I didn't see any kiosks a few weeks ago at LAX TBT? Are they there?

My other question is about the appointments. As a full time international traveler, I have a hard time with any kind of appointment. Are they flexible if I need to change dates or times or cities? Do they do appointments at LAX?

TIA!

stimpy, the machines look at lot like the INS PASS machines. These read your passport, then check your fingerprints on both index fingers.

The GOES office is very easy to find, unlike the office when I got my INS PASS card. It's on the street side of the wall on the floor where you check in for flights at TBIT. My sense is that they'd be reasonably flexible re appointments. They only process 20 people or so a week at the LAX office.

You don't get a card for GOES. A sticker is put on the back of your passport and even it doesn't say anything about GOES. However, if the GOES machine is down, you are supposed to be able to jump to the top of the immigration line by showing that sticker.

There is no such thing as a GOES enrollment office. There is no such thing as a GOES machine/kiosk.

GOES is the online application system. GOES is not a trusted traveler program. GlobalEntry is the trusted traveler program under discussion here.

I had an INS-pass kind of thing back in the mid-90's. AFAIK, it went away (the pilot program). It was at JFK and a few other airports; they did a palm/fingerprint scan, IIRC.

I was reading the pdf file with the instructions for applying for Global Entry, and they require you answer if you have been in a "CBP trusted traveler program" in the past. Does something from so long ago "count" as a trusted traveler program? Not sure if I can find/remember the number if it does.

TIA...