I have decided to apply for Global Entry.
Global Entry is an expedited USA admissions scheme for (what they consider to be) trusted travelers (sic). In short, you apply, obtain a "conditional approval", have an interview with an immigration official, and, if approved, can, on future visits, use automated kiosks to gain entry to the USA rather than waiting in line for an official every time, where the landing airport offers them. UK passport holders are eligible to apply. Approvals last 5 years after which you need to renew.
Along with the easier entry, it comes with TSA PreCheck which in airports with this provision, allows expedited departure screening, with much reduced need for eg removal of shoes, unpacking of laptops and so on.
More detail:
The steps involved are
1) Online - Obtain UK government "permission" to apply. This costs £42. Mine was approved the next day. A reference number is provided.
2) Online - Apply to the US government for entry to the Global Entry program. This costs USD100 at the time of writing. You need the above reference number to proceed.
3) Await "Conditional Approval". Despite some horror stories online of long delays, mine was conditionally approved in two days.
4) Have an in-person interview with a US border official. You can schedule an appointment for this once you have your conditional approval. Most locations are at US airports, but the two international airports in Eire are also centres, so if you want to get it done BEFORE your next USA trip and/or want an excuse to visit Dublin or Shannon, you may be able to complete this process there before actually going to the USA. Appointments at all locations are fairly well booked up so you may have to wait some time before getting one. (At the moment, there are NO appointment slots at Orlando, and the earliest in Miami is October). Alternatively, certain US airports also have Approval on Arrival - meaning that, when you hit immigration, rather than joining the main queues, you join a special queue for your in-person interview.
5) Assuming you are approved at your interview, at some point afterwards, you can then add your reference number to any airline bookings such that your boarding cards are marked with the TSA PreCheck indicator allowing access to expedited departure screening, and can, on future visits, skip the entry screening and use the machines instead.
At the moment, I have my conditional approval and my appointment scheduled, but I intend to try the arrival screening when I get there in November. The appointment is a backup in case on arrival doesn't work out. I'll write more once those steps are complete.
It's primarily aimed at frequent travellers, but at a total cost of under GBP130 over 5 years (UK and US fees), it seems to me to be worthwhile even for, say, an annual trip. Anything that eases the business of transiting airports has to be a good thing - right?
Global Entry is an expedited USA admissions scheme for (what they consider to be) trusted travelers (sic). In short, you apply, obtain a "conditional approval", have an interview with an immigration official, and, if approved, can, on future visits, use automated kiosks to gain entry to the USA rather than waiting in line for an official every time, where the landing airport offers them. UK passport holders are eligible to apply. Approvals last 5 years after which you need to renew.
Along with the easier entry, it comes with TSA PreCheck which in airports with this provision, allows expedited departure screening, with much reduced need for eg removal of shoes, unpacking of laptops and so on.
More detail:
The steps involved are
1) Online - Obtain UK government "permission" to apply. This costs £42. Mine was approved the next day. A reference number is provided.
2) Online - Apply to the US government for entry to the Global Entry program. This costs USD100 at the time of writing. You need the above reference number to proceed.
3) Await "Conditional Approval". Despite some horror stories online of long delays, mine was conditionally approved in two days.
4) Have an in-person interview with a US border official. You can schedule an appointment for this once you have your conditional approval. Most locations are at US airports, but the two international airports in Eire are also centres, so if you want to get it done BEFORE your next USA trip and/or want an excuse to visit Dublin or Shannon, you may be able to complete this process there before actually going to the USA. Appointments at all locations are fairly well booked up so you may have to wait some time before getting one. (At the moment, there are NO appointment slots at Orlando, and the earliest in Miami is October). Alternatively, certain US airports also have Approval on Arrival - meaning that, when you hit immigration, rather than joining the main queues, you join a special queue for your in-person interview.
5) Assuming you are approved at your interview, at some point afterwards, you can then add your reference number to any airline bookings such that your boarding cards are marked with the TSA PreCheck indicator allowing access to expedited departure screening, and can, on future visits, skip the entry screening and use the machines instead.
At the moment, I have my conditional approval and my appointment scheduled, but I intend to try the arrival screening when I get there in November. The appointment is a backup in case on arrival doesn't work out. I'll write more once those steps are complete.
It's primarily aimed at frequent travellers, but at a total cost of under GBP130 over 5 years (UK and US fees), it seems to me to be worthwhile even for, say, an annual trip. Anything that eases the business of transiting airports has to be a good thing - right?
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