What to Know About Global Entry Application Delays
With more countries opening their borders, U.S. tourists are checking the expiration dates on travel documents like their passports and Global Entry cards. But even organized travelers who have recently submitted a Global Entry application are likely facing a harsh reality: The trusted traveler program, which is designed to speed fliers through Customs and Immigration lines at the airport, is still wrestling with a major application backlog, causing delays.
As the pandemic took hold in the U.S. in mid-March, Customs and Border Protection, which runs Global Entry, shut down all the program’s enrollment centers. That meant that no one could get an in-person interview to complete their application, effectively halting new memberships. After nearly six months, CBP announced in September 2020 that “most” enrollment centers would be reopening for interviews.
But just because centers have reopened, it doesn’t mean it’s been easy to snag an in-person interview or complete the renewal process. Fortunately, the agency is offering new options, like remote video interviews and longer application grace periods, as it works to chip away at the backlog. Here’s what to know if you’re applying for a new Global Entry membership or if you need to renew this year.
How to handle the delays
Global Entry enrollment centers are now open again, in dozens of airports across 44 U.S. states and territories. Conditionally approved applicants can schedule an appointment at their nearest enrollment center online through their trusted traveler account.
According to CBP, “appointment availability varies by location, and there can be a long wait at some locations.” When scheduling an appointment, the agency’s system will also show alternate enrollment centers that might have interview availability sooner. CBP recommends applicants contact centers to see if they take walk-ins, a policy that varies by location; it also advises to check back often for new openings due to cancellations.
The good news? Due to the delays, the window for conditionally approved applicants to schedule their interview has been upped from one year to two years. That longer time frame means your application won’t expire for 24 months from the date of conditional approval while you attempt to schedule an interview. (You won't be able to use your membership yet, but if you plan to travel internationally soon, you can use the Enrollment on Arrival option at the airport for an interview—more on that below.)
Earlier in the pandemic, some travelers complained of being stuck in “pending review” mode—unable to schedule an interview—for nearly a year. As of spring 2021, roughly 60 percent of applications are conditionally approved within 15 days, according to CBP, with applications needing more detailed review taking as long as four months. Applicants can check the status of their membership by logging into the trusted traveler website.
If you’ve already applied for a membership and are getting frustrated, there's really no turning back: CBP says the $100 Global Entry fee is non-refundable. Adding another layer of urgency for new applicants is the fact that the agency has announced it will soon be raising the cost of the five-year membership to $120.
Travelers whose memberships are up for renewal might have an easier time. The agency recently extended the grace period for renewals to 24 months (up from 18 months earlier in the pandemic) for members who have reapplied but have not yet been approved. That means that members who apply for renewal before their expiration date can keep using their Global Entry benefits for two years after expiration.
Renewing members have access to more flexible interview options, too. In June, CBP launched a pilot program offering remote interviews via teleconference to select Global Entry renewal applicants. To be eligible for a remote interview, the applicant must:
Be conditionally approved for renewal
Be at least 18 years of age
Have a photo on file with CBP that was taken within the past 10 years and after the applicant was 14 years of age
Have previously submitted fingerprints to CBP
You can schedule a remote interview through your trusted traveler account. To conduct the interviews, CBP uses a government version of Zoom with extra security features. You should make sure your phone, tablet, or laptop can run Zoom and that it has a working microphone and camera.
How exactly does a remote Global Entry interview work? Up to 15 minutes before the interview time, applicants will be given access to a virtual waiting room through their trusted traveler account dashboard or the free CBP One mobile app. During the interview, which lasts about 15 minutes, applicants will be asked to show a valid passport, proof of residence (a driver's license, mortgage statement, rental payment statement, or utility bill with a current address all work), and, if applicable, a permanent residence card.
Furthermore CBP’s site says that for some renewals, an interview—in-person or remote—may not be necessary. A renewal interview is usually still required for adults who first joined the programs as minors, an agency spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal last year, because new photos and fingerprints will need to be captured. Traveler has heard reports of some renewal applications recently being approved without an interview.
Enrollment on Arrival, in which members returning from an international trip can complete their interview at 65 U.S. airports without an appointment, has remained operational throughout the pandemic. CBP says that the “program remains the best option for conditionally approved Global Entry applicants to complete the enrollment process without pre-scheduling an interview.” With more international flights slowly returning, that option is becoming more feasible and appealing every day.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
