Global Entry Enrollment Centers Will Reopen
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will reopen its Global Entry Enrollment Centers. They’d been shuttered for months, due to the pandemic. Here’s why you should apply, and why New York residents can’t.
–
Good news! U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) will reopen its Global Entry and Trusted Traveler Enrollment Centers on July 6th. CBP closed the centers in March amid the growing threat of coronavirus transmission. While the threat has not receded, CBP will reopen the centers with proper social distancing measures in place.
It’s another milestone in the slow process of reopening the vital travel services the U.S. government provides. On June 15th, the U.S. State Department started issuing passports once again. Since mid-March, they would only process applications for “life or death emergencies.” But the shutdown left a backlog of nearly 1.8 million applications. State Department officials say they’ll take at least eight weeks to get caught up.
Why Global Entry Is Just The Best!
If you travel internationally, even a little bit, consider Global Entry. This Trusted Traveler program lets you speed through U.S. customs with much shorter lines and no paperwork. Check in at a kiosk, and then have a final check on the way out to your luggage. We used Global Entry last summer at Miami International Airport (MIA), while returning from Cuba. There was no line and the process took literally one minute.
Not only that, Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck with no additional fee. TSA PreCheck may be the best thing that’s ever happened to airport security. If you’re unfamiliar, TSA PreCheck offers expedited security screening at U.S. airports (usually) via dedicated security lines. You don’t remove your shoes, laptop computer, liquids, belts or light jackets — which speeds along the entire process.
Understand the difference between these two programs: Global Entry will help you clear customs quickly, when returning to the United States. You’ll use TSA PreCheck to clear security before you fly, when departing a U.S. airport.
Eligibility and Application
Global Entry is open to American citizens, legal permanent residents, and select foreign nationals. You need to create a Trusted Traveler Program account and file your application. Once you receive conditional approval, you will need to schedule an in-person interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center.
Alternatively, you may be able to use Enrollment on Arrival. This program has continued to operate during the pandemic. It works for anyone who’s been conditionally approved for Global Entry and is clearing U.S. customs through an eligible airport, no appointment necessary.
When I got Global Entry last summer, the interview felt like a formality. The agents were cracking jokes and just not worried. I’m sure plenty of applicants have a similar experience, but your results may vary.
Cost of Global Entry vs. PreCheck
Global Entry requires a non-refundable application fee of $100. You’ll need to renew every five years. The cost is just $15 more than you’ll spend to get TSA PreCheck. So you spend a little extra and get the benefits of both programs.
Pay With the Right Credit Card
If you play your (credit) cards right, you won’t need to spend a dime for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Several credit cards include a statement credit when you use their card to pay. Issuers typically limit these benefits to once every 4-5 years. The benefits cover the cost of either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — never both.
CBP maintains a list of available credit cards with Global Entry/PreCheck benefits, but you should check the specifics and find the right one for you before applying. I have 13 credit cards, and many of them offer this benefit. And not all of them require a high annual fee.
The United MileagePlus Explorer Card has a $95 annual fee (waived the first year), and offers the Global Entry/PreCheck statement credit every four years. Currently, Chase offers a welcome bonus of 40,000 MileagePlus miles after spending $2000 on the card within the first three months.
The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card also offers this benefit with an even lower $89 annual fee. Currently, Chase is offering a welcome bonus of 140,000 points after spending $3,000 within three months of opening a card account. The Premier card also includes an annual free night certificate, good for any night that would normally cost 40,000 points or less. There’s a lot of value in this card, even if you aren’t that loyal to Intercontinental Hotels Group properties (like Holiday Inn Express).
New York Need Not Apply
A few months ago, the Trump Administration decided to bar residents of New York State from either applying to or renewing their Global Entry credentials. The dispute stems from New York’s new “Green Light” law, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. The law prohibits the state DMV from sharing an individual’s immigration status with the federal government.
What does any of this have to do with Global Entry? I suspect nothing, nothing at all.
CBP claims it cannot properly vet applicants without getting that DMV information. And yet, they do not require applicants to possess a drivers license or any form of state ID. Applicants must present “documents providing proof of residency.” While that might be a drivers license with a current address, a utility bill or mortgage statement would also work.
This is more likely the Administration trying to pressure the State of New York to change a policy it does not like. But until someone relents or wins a lawsuit, New York residents will be left with the consequences.
More Global Entry Benefits
Once you have obtained your Global Entry credentials, you can use them in a couple of other ways.
If you return from Canada through a land border, you can use the faster NEXUS lanes, provided everyone in your vehicle is in possession of a Global Entry card. This works for return trips to the United States only; Global Entry members cannot use the NEXUS lanes to enter Canada. To do that, you must be separately approved for NEXUS.
When applying for Global Entry, you should also register your vehicle with SENTRI if you think there is any chance you’ll drive it to Mexico. If you register your vehicle during the application process, you won’t be charged a fee. You’ll pay $42 if you want to register your vehicle at a later date. When returning from Mexico, you’ll then be able to use the SENTRI lanes, again provided all members of your party have a Global Entry card. (Note: You may need a Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit to drive your car in Mexico, and you will definitely need to buy a Mexican insurance policy).
And of course, your Global Entry card is another very good form of identification. Not quite as good as a passport, but pretty good. When the REAL ID requirements finally kick in (now scheduled for October 1, 2021), your Global Entry card will still work as a valid ID. Your state-issued drivers license might not.
Final Thoughts
Now that Global Entry Enrollment Centers are reopening, I recommend you apply right away. It’s great to have Global Entry if you fly regularly (even domestically) and you plan at least some international travel.
There’s been quite a backlog of applications, even dating back before Covid-19 shuttered the enrollment centers. So you may have to wait awhile for approval. The backlog is so great that CBP will extend the validity of current Global Entry memberships by one year, provided the member submits a renewal application before the expiration date. (You can apply for renewal at the four-year mark, which should be plenty of time). Once CBP grants conditional approval, they will give you 485 days to complete your in-person interview and obtain final approval.
I love Global Entry, even though I haven’t used it more than one time. But it literally only costs $15 more than TSA PreCheck. For $15, I’m happy if I save the hassle of just one long line at customs. Over the course of five years, I expect to use it a few more times. Credit card benefits cover the total cost, making the Global Entry decision an easy one.