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Updated on 19.08.2024
Global Entry is a special entry program for US travelers to minimize waiting times at the airport. Find out here how to get an appointment for Global Entry and how you can best prepare for the Global Entry interview.
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The Global Entry Program is administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and is one of the most convenient travel programs available. Global Entry members can enter the US faster and clear border control in a matter of minutes.
Individuals who frequently travel to the United States or want shorter wait times at the airport should therefore consider Global Entry membership.
However, those interested in Global Entry must go through several application steps. Part of the process to be approved for Global Entry membership is an in-person interview. Due to backlogs, limited capacity and increased demand, it is not as easy to get an appointment for a Global Entry interview.
We will provide you with comprehensive information on what the coveted Global Entry interview appointments are all about and how you can become a Global Entry member.
The Global Entry interview is a personal appointment with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The interview is mandatory in order to successfully register for the US Global Entry program. During the in-person interview, CBP officers assess whether the Global Entry candidate poses a risk to the national security of the United States.
During the Global Entry interview, the US officer therefore asks Global Entry applicants questions, takes passport photos and records biometric data (e.g. fingerprints).
The Global Entry interview only takes place as soon as the first registration steps have been completed and the US traveler is pre-approved. If the interview is successful, the applicant will receive a final confirmation of participation and can then use Global Entry to enter the United States
Global Entry interviews are aimed at all persons who are conditionally approved members of the Global Entry Program. Global Entry applicants must first complete the online application in the Trusted Traveler Program system and pass the country-specific security check in order to achieve pre-approved status. In principle, all applicants are considered conditionally approved or pre-approved during the waiting period until the appointment and until the final registration step is completed.
Global Entry interviews are generally intended for new applicants. However, Global Entry members who wish to submit a renewal application and renew their membership may also have to attend an interview. You can see whether an interview appointment is required to renew your program membership in your TTP account after you have submitted your renewal application and fee. There you can check what steps are required to complete the renewal application. Once your renewal application is approved, your dashboard will indicate whether an interview is required.
On average it takes 2 to 8 weeks after the background check until "conditional approval" or until an interview appointment can be booked or the interview on arrival can be carried out. As there can always be delays in the processing of Global Entry applications, even longer processing times must be expected in individual cases.
Once your Global Entry application has been conditionally approved, you can make an appointment for a Global Entry interview. Given the large number of applicants and the limited number of interview appointments, this can be a challenge.
In addition to US citizens and Green Card holders, citizens of the following countries are eligible for the in-person Global Entry interview:
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The appointment for the Global Entry Interview is made online via the official Trusted Traveler Program website.
Special appointments, e.g. in Europe, are also booked online via the appointment booking system on the TTP website.
Please observe certain deadlines after receiving the provisional confirmation of participation, as otherwise the entire Global Entry registration process will have to be started all over again.
You can go through the interview in the following ways:
Note: CBP announced dates for Global Entry Enrollment Events at short notice. In March 2024, US travelers will have the opportunity to book an interview at a special event.
The Global Entry interview usually takes place in a so-called Enrollment Center. Generally, the Enrollment Centers are located at US airports or in a CBP office. However, there are also enrollment centers outside the United States, e.g. in Canada, Guam and Qatar.
Selected enrollment centers at high-traffic US airports
New Enrollment Centers have been added regularly since the introduction of Global Entry. There are currently 89 Enrollment Centers. Some of the most attractive places to go for the Global Entry interview are listed below alphabetically by US state:
New Enrollment Centers at airports and other locations are being added all the time, so it's worth taking a look at the official CBP website for the addresses of the Global Entry Enrollment Centers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues to organize special Global Entry enrollment events inside and outside the United States. Since the beginning of 2024, CBP has intensified these efforts and has already held several enrollment events within the United States.
Normally, conditionally approved Global Entry applicants complete their Global Entry registration process with an in-person interview at a CBP Enrollment Center, which is usually located at a port of entry / airport. Now, for the first time, CBP has held a registration event at a US community center.
There have recently been several Global Entry Enrollment Events in Europe. Events or appointments that are held outside the United States usually take place at the consular missions of the respective countries or at the US embassy.
Previously, CBP held a registration event for the first time at a US community center (Woodbridge Township Community Center in New Jersey). CBP hopes that this will be the first of many such events for conditionally approved Global Entry applicants.
With this offensive, CBP is responding to the high demand for Global Entry interviews. The US authority hopes that these events, in cooperation with local communities, will help to reduce waiting times for interview appointments at the Enrollment Centers.
In general, the processing times for Global Entry applications have improved significantly in recent months. The average processing time from submission of the application is currently around 2 to 4 months. However, processing times continue to fluctuate and longer waiting times may well occur in individual cases.
Please note that CBP often announces the dates for Special Enrollment Events at very short notice, i.e. only a few days before they take place.
Only Global Entry applicants who have scheduled an appointment for one of the event locations listed on their profile will be able to be interviewed by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at that location and complete the final phase of the Global Entry application.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows Global Entry applicants to complete the final interview upon arrival in the United States at a US airport, even without an appointment.
In addition, Global Entry aspirants have the option of completing their registration outside the US at a designated CBP Preclearance airport of departure to the United States, such as Aruba, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, The Bahamas, and United Arab Emirates.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is gradually expanding the Global Entry program and regularly announces additional airports on its official Global Entry website.
Under certain circumstances, a personal invitation to a Global Entry interview may be possible. At selected conferences and summits in the United States, for example, Global Entry employees are on site to conduct interviews with event participants.
Please allow sufficient time for both the application and the renewal of your Global Entry membership, as processing times can fluctuate from time to time.
Global Entry applicants have several options for completing the personal Global Entry interview. This allows you to choose the option that best suits your travel plans.
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