Global Entry for 5, please
Global Entry for families
Yes, you read that right. Our family of 5 all have Global Entry. Why? With Global Entry comes TSA PreCheck built right in. So for $100, you get the benefits of both programs. This seemed to make way more sense than paying almost $100 for just TSA Pre-check. Waiting in a mile long US Customs line with 3 small children is a nightmare. Even without children, it is something everyone dreads. So if there is a way to avoid this, I am in.
Prior to getting Global Entry, I tried out the Mobile Passport Control app to bypass the long line at US Customs. This can be a handy workaround for people who don't want to go through all the steps to obtain Global Entry. Read more about my experience with Mobile Passport Control here.
The Application & Getting Conditional Approval
I paid for each of our 5 Global Entry applications using cards that carry a Global Entry reimbursement benefit. This took a little bit of research but was well worth it to get all 5 of us free Global Entry and TSA PreCheck!
The Global Entry application is very straightforward. You provide basic information about yourself including recent employment history, travel history and where you have lived. Once you receive Conditional Approval, you can schedule your interview appointment.
Getting an appointment
This seemed impossible at first! Every single time I checked, there were zero openings at any local sites. I spent hours refreshing and couldn’t find one appointment (nevermind 5!) So, I changed my strategy. It seems simple, but this is all I did:
Check the scheduler website often, at different times of the day, everyday
Try not to sit there refreshing the page continuously. Check the site but then go on with your life. Come back a few hours later and check again. Repeat.
When there are no appointments available at your location, you will see a message as shown in the first picture. It will say “Appointments full thru XYZ date.” When there is an opening, it will result as it does in the second picture “Next Available Appointment: XYZ date.”
The interview
We lucked out and got an amazing CBP agent. She took us as soon as we arrived. She also processed all of our applications together, instead of making us do it one at a time. It was efficient and easy.
Bring: your passport, another form of identification, proof of address and any other pertinent information that relates to your specific application status
Time:~5 minutes (probably more if your application is complex)
Components of interview: basic questions, took our pictures and fingerprints, then voila…we were done
Using Global Entry & TSA PreCheck
Save your Known Traveler Number (KTN) and add it to all your plane tickets. This will get you PreCheck and your passport will show you have GE when entering the US. You’ll get a card in the mail too.
No more waiting in painfully long lines to get through security and US customs. This was 100% worth every minute I spent getting this done.
