What is Global Entry?

Global Entry allows you to skip the lines at US Customs when you reenter the US. You don’t have to fill out the customs form (you click a few buttons on the kiosk) and you don’t have to wait to have your passport scrutinized, so you save time in several ways.

Global Entry includes the ability to skip customs lines and use a kiosk instead and you’ll have access to expedited entry benefits in other countries. Plus, you’ll get TSA PreCheck for use in the US.

There are Global Entry kiosks located in:

• UAE: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)
• Aruba: Aruba: Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)
• Bermuda: Bermuda International Airport (BDA)
• Canada: Calgary International Airport (YYC), Edmonton International Airport (YEG), Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)
• Ireland: Dublin Airport (DUB), Shannon Airport (SNN)
• Bahamas: Grand Bahamas International Airport (FPO), Nassau - Sir Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS)

• Anchorage (ANC)
• Austin (AUS)
• Baltimore/Washington DC (BWI)
• Boston (BOS)
• Burlington (BTV)
• Charleston (CHS)
• Charlotte (CLT)
• Chicago (MDW and ORD)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG)
• Cleveland (CLE)
• Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW)
• Denver (DEN)
• Detroit (DTW)
• Fairbanks (FAI)
• Ft. Lauderdale (FLL)
• Houston (IAH and HOU)
• Guam (GUM)
• Hartford (BDL)
• Atlanta (ATL)
• Honolulu (HNL)
• Indianapolis (IND)
• Kansas City (MCI)
• St. Louis (STL)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Las Vegas (LAS)
• Miami (MIA)
• Milwaukee (MKE)
• Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)
• Nashville (BNA)
• New Orleans (MSY)
• New York (JFK and SWF)
• Newark (EWR)
• Oakland (OAK)
• Orange County (SNA)
• Orlando (MCO, MLB, and SFB)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Phoenix (PHX)
• Pittsburgh (PIT)
• Portland (PDX)
• Providence (PVD)
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
• Sacramento (SMF)
• Saipan, Mariana Islands (SPN)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• San Antonio (SAT)
• San Diego (SAN)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• San Jose (SJC)
• San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
• Seattle (SEA)
• South Bend (SBN)
• Southwest Florida (RSW)
• St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE)
• Tampa (TPA)
• Toledo (TOL)
• Washington DC (IAD)

Global Entry membership expires after five years.

US citizens, US lawful permanent residents, and citizens of the following countries are eligible for Global Entry membership: Argentina, Brazil, Bahrain, India, Colombia, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Mexico.

Note: There may be additional requirements you must meet depending on your country of citizenship.

You may not be eligible if you provide false or incomplete information on the application; have been convicted of any criminal offense or have pending criminal charges or outstanding warrants (including driving under the influence); have been found in violation of any customs, immigration or agriculture regulations or laws in any country; are the subject of an ongoing investigation by any federal, state or local law enforcement agency; are inadmissible to the United States under immigration regulation, including applicants with approved waivers of inadmissibility or parole documentation; or cannot satisfy CBP of your low-risk status.

To apply for Global Entry, you’ll need your passport information as well as information from a secondary form of identification (like a driver’s license). The application will also ask for your mailing and residential address, your occupation (and work address) and vehicle information if you want to register your car for SENTRI. It will also ask for five years of previous employment history and home addresses, and if you’ve been convicted of any criminal offense or if you’ve ever been found in violation of customs laws, etc.

To apply for Global Entry, create a Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account. Log in to your TTP account and complete the application. A $120 non-refundable fee is required with each completed application. After accepting your completed application and fee, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will review your application. If your application is conditionally approved, then your TTP account will instruct you to schedule an interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center.

Processing times for Global Entry vary by applicant. US Customs and Border Protection says wait times average 4-6 months due to high demand.

The waiting time for a Global Entry interview depends on where you schedule an interview. Some locations have only a few interview slots a month, which can result in waiting several months to get an appointment; others have several appointment slots per day. You can view all of the Global Entry Enrollment Centers by state here.

Typically a Global Entry interview will last 10-15 minutes. At the interview a CBP officer will: ask you questions, take your photo, and collect biometric information (like scanning your fingerprints).

You will need to bring your valid passport(s) and one other form of identification, such as a driver’s license or ID card to the Global Entry interview. If you are a lawful permanent resident, you must present your machine readable permanent resident card. You also need to bring a copy of your conditional approval letter. To print the letter, log into your TTP account and you will see it under Notifications. If you do not have it, then write down the PASSID number issued to your application and print out a copy of your interview confirmation.

It depends. Some Enrollment Centers (ECs) may accept walk-ins, but it’s totally at their discretion. The best bet is to call them to see if they will allow walk-ins.

Once you’ve been conditionally approved, instead of scheduling an interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center, you can complete the enrollment interview during CBP primary inspection at a participating airport. Upon arrival, you’ll go to a booth specifically designated for Enrollment on Arrival. A CBP officer will conduct both the primary processing and Global Entry interview and collect your biometrics; then you’ll be a Global Entry member.

Enrollment on Arrival is available at the following US and international airports.

You need to complete your Global Entry interview within 365 days of conditional approval, or your application will be cancelled (and you will not be refunded). You can reschedule as often as needed.

The application for Global Entry currently costs $120.

Check out our guide to learn more about some of the cards that offer a statement credit for the Global Entry application fee once every four years.

No, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are not the same. Global Entry allows you to speed through customs when you return from a trip abroad; TSA PreCheck allows you to speed through security when you’re traveling in the US.

Global Entry is for expedited entry into the US. NEXUS is expedited entry into Canada, either through the airport or over land borders. Canadians with NEXUS are eligible for Global Entry.

Yes, Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck (but TSA PreCheck does not include Global Entry).

Yes, you can use Global Entry without your card. You just need your passport to access Global Entry on one of the kiosks when you enter the customs area. However, it’s not a bad idea to have your card with you, just in case. Additionally, if you’re crossing a land border from Mexico or Canada to the US, having your Global Entry card can significantly speed up the process.