The Department of Homeland Security’s popular Global Entry program, part of the Trusted Traveler Program, is experiencing significant delays – here’s how to beat it.
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What Is Global Entry?
The US Trusted Traveler Program is a system of security protocols that pre-screen (perform background checks) American travelers to expedite passage through security checkpoints. NEXUS allows frequent travelers through Canada and Mexico to use expedited travel lanes and bypass lengthy security checks, these also allow for land crossings through vehicles. TSA Precheck is a domestic security program that allows approved passengers to bypass standard security lines and proceed through a reduced inspection area with shorter lines and fewer hassles.
Global Entry membership allows vetted and approved passengers to bypass lines and most of the process when entering the United States by using Global Entry kiosks to answer basic questions. This is focused on international travel outside of Canada and Mexico but of course, works for arrivals from those countries too. Once completed, a slip is printed and handed to a waiting agent and/or Agriculture representative upon exit. In airports that do not have a dedicated Global Entry agent, members can move to the front of the Customs line to pass their slip to CBP officers.
The Global Entry application fee is $100 and if approved is valid for (5) years. Global entry also includes TSA Precheck benefits (and $85 value.) Upon successful completion of both the background check (conditional approval) and the interview, a card will be sent out to travelers. This card, though it looks like a driver’s license with sensitive details and a photo – constitutes a valid form of identification at security checkpoints (though in my experience, many staff members are not aware and do not honor this) and cannot be used in lieu of a passport. Travelers also cannot use this card to check in at an airport counter.
Naturalized citizens are eligible for Global Entry including those with a permanent residency card in the US.
Extensive Delays
This week, DHS disclosed that due to a COVID-incurred backlog and a surplus of new applications, the agency is experiencing delays in processing applications by up to 18 months. It’s important to note that such delays are just processing new applications, not including the in-person interview.
DHS reports that TSA Precheck has just a two-week wait on applications with interviews, fingerprinting, and documentation adding just 3-5 additional days.
Important note: If a traveler has submitted a Trusted Traveler Program application, they cannot then submit a secondary request for another program until the first application has a decision. For travelers who have a stalled or stuck application for Global Entry, they should not submit a TSA Precheck application (or NEXUS) as they will not be processed, however, applicants still pay for the application fee.
Global Entry Renewal
Renewing your Global Entry membership is a far easier endeavor. The renewal process is typically faster and does not require a new interview in most cases. Travelers can apply for renewal during the last year of their membership. Paying the fee is the largest impediment to the process. Application fees are reimbursed by some premium credit cards once every five years such as the American Express Platinum credit card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, or the Capital One Venture X.
I Failed To Renew
It’s my own fault. I had a long wait for my initial Global Entry approval so I should have been more diligent with my renewal which was due during COVID. However, with constant extensions due to the pandemic, there was no rush. Adding the grace period after the extensions took away my concentration on getting my renewal completed and also hindered my ability to do so (almost impossible to schedule an appointment to interview.) However, it lapsed, I had plenty of time and notice and I failed to renew putting myself in this compromised position.
That’s my fault 100%.
What made it particularly stupid on my part, is that the last time my application stalled for nine months before it moved to the next stage and required intervention to get it out of purgatory.
How To Beat The 18-Month Global Entry Processing Delay
There are two potential portions of the Global Entry process that can be delayed. The first is in the initial application processing where documentation has been submitted but the application is in review and there has not yet been a change in status to “conditionally approved.” The second is following that process but a failure to secure an appointment for a Global Entry Interview.
How To Get Your Application Approval Expedited
One way to shortcut your passport issuing is listing your next international trip on the application, especially if it’s within the near future. The agency usually puts those to the front of the line. For Global Entry, future trips don’t necessarily help application approvals move to conditional approval.
If your application is stuck or even denied, there is an ombudsman process to challenge the decision. My last experience with an ombudsman was not great. However, contacting your congressman (especially in an election year) is a good tool to get an application unstuck. By contacting an elected official, whose office staff is there to serve the constituency, there is no guarantee that the application will be approved, but it will get attention.
If you find yourself in this situation, reach out to your representative or senator. Most will have a release to sign in order to work on your behalf and share information with DHS.
How To Get Your Interview Appointment Expedited
Landing a Global Entry appointment for an interview can be the next challenge, and as an FYI, conditional approvals do expire. The government won’t necessarily grant an extension on your time allotted to complete your interview even though they do not have appointments available.
If you have applied for Global Entry, and have received the conditional approval but can’t find an opportunity to interview, at most major airports with international gateways, you can participate in enrollment on arrival, completing your interview following re-rentry and clearance from Customs and Border Protection.
Global Entry Enrollment Centers may offer drop-in interviews (though these seem to be increasingly rare.)
Applicants are also able to schedule an interview at ANY eligible location. This could be a nearby airport, a city you’re going to visit, or even an international location. For example, if you live in Pittsburgh and have an appointment confirmed in January of 2023 (don’t look, they don’t have any appointments bookable even that far out) but are flying to Fort Lauderdale for a weekend away, you can shop that city for appointments too.
There’s even a service, Appointment Scanner, that will find available appointments as they are released to up to 100 locations, and up to 25 alerts for $29. The service last 30 days and does not renew.
Some locations, especially those with lingering COVID caution, may offer online interviews. A relative did this and I was able to overhear the interview. It was quick, easy, and scheduled relatively soon.
Following a successful interview and processing, your Trusted Traveler number should arrive quickly and you can place that on upcoming reservations.
Fine For Me, Not For Thee
While the Department of Transportation is trying to manage through threats of new rules, for airlines to perform better, the Department of Homeland Security feels no such pressure to perform. The two departments are managed by different cabinet members, both reporting to President Biden, but for travelers, the question is simpler: what is the government doing to improve my travel woes?
The DOT has been clear that airlines need to do a better job, just this week the agency published guidelines for what passengers are due during delays and cancellations, as well as which airlines have policies that comply or exceed with those guidelines. That pressure has been enough to force results.
The DHS by comparison has given separate guidelines letting travelers know that they will get to Global Entry processing when they feel like it essentially.
American travelers, I’d argue, will not see the help the government is performing in one sector when imposing an impediment in another aspect of the travel experience, entirely within their control. It’s also worth noting how this looks and feels: “airlines are making your life hard so they should get their act together or else; what about us? Doesn’t apply.”
Conclusion
An 18-month delay for Global Entry application processing is absurdly high. The program has little recourse, does not have to ever approve, and does not have to extend the conditional approval. There are options to beat these delays, but it requires more work than it should. If the Department of Homeland Security treated Global Entry customers (that’s what they are when they pay the fee for this special service) like the Department of Transportation wants airlines to treat its customers, there might be a less embarrassing delay and no need for alternative solutions.
What do you think? How have you gotten around Global Entry delays?
I’m not sure I understand this “18-month backlog” and it certainly does not seem to be across the whole system. My wife and I both had it but my son did not. Maybe because my son is 8 it was uncomplicated, but I submitted his application 7/7/2022, he was provisionally approved 7/9/2022 and I had his interview at MSP 8/13/2022 and he was approved. I think that was faster than when I applied in 2018 for mine.
@Benjamin LeRoy – Children might have a shorter window than adults, but this is the guideline given by DHS, and my own experience with the application stuck for (7) months already before jarring it free.
Wow that is great, I have been wait for 9 months now (applied January 2023 and my status is still awaiting conditional approval as of September 2023). I contacted the Illinois State and Senate representatives for support in expediting using their influence, wish me luck!
My understanding is that a valid Global Entry card is an allowable form of ID at TSA security checkpoints. It’s issued by CPB and has your photo.
You’d better have your passport if traveling out of the country. You need your passport.
Of course, but my point is that the card is valid ID at TSA checkpoints which Kyle incorrectly said was not valid.
@Jamieo: I’ve corrected the post. In my experience, much like how it is totally legal and sanctioned by the DHS to take pictures in the security process (as well as Customs for that matter despite the signs), many staff members are not aware and do not allow it. It is true, that it is a valid option, but I (and others I know) have been rejected at security for using this as a form of ID, whether it’s policy to accept it or not.
I’ve used my passport card or GE card at TSA checkpoints for years with no issues.
I’ve never had any issues or additional questions when using my GE card at TSA checkpoints. My wallet was stolen once and I had to use my GE card as ID for a few months. All the TSA agents knew it was an acceptable ID. This was back in 2015.
Actually TSA website says the card is okay. Also NEXUS and sentri
If you can find a country that will let you in without a passport or you have a second passport from another country to enter ex US country, then you will likely be able to travel without your US passport including return to the US. Proof of US citizenship/ residency should be enough to (eventually) get over the boarder. Might work for Canadian land crossing. That’s a really niche application but by all means go for it and let us know how it goes.
Who said anything about travelling without a passport? The GE card is valid as ID at TSA checkpoints which have nothing to do with CPB or immigration
The main reason I applied is because my new credit card was paying for it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have. Its just a scheme by the government to get extra tax money from you (and I am Not anti-government). Why should the person who has Global Entry, or TSA be any more secure than me just because he paid $100 dollars extra? Still waiting after 6 months…
You obviously have never used it, and don’t understand why one would pay for it. It saves time. It can save a lot of time, and also gives you TSA pre-check status.
The cost of Global entry is to cover the expenses incurred to manage and run the program, and not another ‘scheme to tax poor US citizens’.
Please get your facts straight before you mouth off on what you clearly don’t know, or cannot understand.
I agree with the tone of Michael’s comments. Besides that, consider what the program really does. It is designed to collect information about the traveler well before the trip itself so that it can be vetted and verified. My experience was that there were a whole range of questions, particularly in the interview, that went well beyond what is typically asked by a TSA agent. And as a result, they knew more about me, and could assess my putative risk as a traveler, better than they can know a general member of the public passing through an airport. Because I was able to pass through the vetting steps I am now a lower risk and am rewarded with accelerated processing. And believe me, after a ten-hour flight passing through the final indignity of security processing is something I want to pass as quickly as possible!
Now if I could just get the Canadians to actually conduct the interview so I can get my Nexus card renewed I would be a happy man…
You shouldn’t have a problem with the Canadian Officer’s interviewing you. They are friendlier. When I applied for NEXUS many years ago, the American officer gave me hard time and grilled me about why I knew this person who lived at my address. There was no such person, but at that time I didn’t even want to bother to prove it. The American officer gave me a hard time perhaps because I was BORN in Canada even though I was a dual citizen. They can keep their NEXUS, I don’t want it.
I find Canadian officers are the worst. I was grilled in Montreal by a nasty agent.
It is a “money scheme” in my mind obviously and exists only in capitalist America. Don’t think the rest of the world has anything else like that. Does it?
Tony please stop while you are behind. MANY countries have TRUSTED TRAVELER programs.
SENTRI, Nexus, SmartGate, EasyPASS, Viajero Confiable, Panama Global, SES, UK Registered Traveler, APEC Travel Card, Canpass, Privium, FLUX, Smart Entry,
You don’t even understand Global Entry so please just STOP.
For those of us who DO TRAVEL Internationally, it’s awesome and a big time saver – well worth the mere $100 every 5 years.
Tony has a BELIEF SYSTEM, so he doesn’t need facts. You just gotta love people that don’t UNDERSTAND and yet have a definitive position based on justified reasoning and total nonsense.
I have a USA Diplomatic passport I travel on for overseas work trips, which is 90% of my international travels. Is it worth getting Global Entry if I can already access the customs Diplomatic lanes?
@Scott – You probably won’t need it, but frankly, I’d get it anyway because the time to complete doesn’t matter for you. Sometimes the Diplomatic lane is also used for families or other passport types that could delay.
I use my Global Entry card as ID at TSA checkpoints all the time when traveling domestically. No problem.
@Miles – I have updated the post, but not all checkpoints allow this even though they should. I have been rejected at numerous airports attempting to use it as my ID.
I tried it at LAX. The screener called a supervisor probably because he didn’t know about the card. I said “would this speed up the process?” while giving him my driver’s license. I was allowed to pass within seconds.
I did the on-arrival at JFK earlier in the year. I’d think scheduling processes far more people in the same time than a CBP waiting in case arriving passengers want to process, but oh well. Also, the office was behind an unmarked door and of course the other TSA officers could care less about helping you find it.
I had about 4 domestic legs before and checkpoints were even worse than prior given the time off from travel. Annoyingly do not get pre-check while in conditional approval. The best play at the moment seems to be pre-check and then either use mobile passport or apply for global after approval, assuming you have another card that’ll reimburse.
“does not constitute a valid form of identification at security checkpoints”
That is not true within the US. I carry mine domestically as a back up in case I lose my wallet while away from home.
“DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)” – https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification
@380Flyer – I updated the post per the link, but it’s worth noting that I (and others I know personally) have been instructed by TSA staff that it is not valid (even though it should be) just like taking photos at checkpoints and in Customs is also valid, it’s not always treated as such.
Another example where Covid is used to hide incompetence. Government workers are just plain lazy.
I applied for renewal back in February and didn’t hear anything until two weeks ago where I got an email saying my process had been approved and there was no need for interview.
I just flew into IAD from abroad for the first time in two months, and a whole wall of the GE machines had been removed. There were only 7 machines, of which only 4 were working. It’s the ones that recognize your image, but it would not work for one family member. Not much of a delay, but odd.
Thanks. I just added a Google Calendar event to remind myself when I need to start renewing my GE
Maybe I got super lucky, but I started my renewal of GE early last month, didn’t need to have another interview, and had my new card in hand two weeks after completing the renewal application.
Straight renewals are different. If your Global Entry status has NOT expired, it should renew promptly.
It’s those of us who’ve let our status expire that suffer the DHS’ “don’t really give a s–t about our fellow Americans” attitude.
But I, like Kyle, wasn’t paying attention to my expiry date and only discovered it when heading for Europe and wasn’t even permitted to go through TSA Pre.
I was traveling Back From MBJ, In January 22, Thru MIA, Everyone Knows How Bad MIA Customs, Can Be, With My GE, There Was Like 400 People, In Regular Customs Line, But GE Line Was Myself, And 3 Flight Attendants, Thanks GE
Literally have been waiting 6+ months for ANY appointment to open up in DFW. Then I had a flight to Zurich through PHL planned. Was told to do the “Interview on Arrival” way. So I arrive today and they said that ALL places across the country had to shutdown ANY AND ALL “Arrival Approvals” because they ran out of money and now can’t pay the agents/officers overtime to do them. It’s completely ridiculous and I’m very upset right now. They said that they won’t start back up until October at the earliest, when the funds from the next year’s budget begins. So dumb.
Yes, please don’t let yours lapse. My renewal slipped past me during the lockdown and though I now have approval, scheduling an interview requires extra steps I could have possibly avoided.
Datapoint: GE initial registration 10 yrs ago requiring 5 minute interview (mostly watching a video) which I did as a walk-in at EWR after landing on an overnight international flight. Renewed 5 years ago, no interview required. Expires in 7 months.
Renewed on-line 6 weeks ago, interview required, appointments at JFK and EWR fully booked for several months. Walked-in to EWR office prior to a domestic flight 7-8 weeks ago, told (without an appointment) to pound sand.
Online renewal 10 weeks ago, few days in London returned a month ago, planned Enrollment on Arrival (EoA) at JFK Terminal 8 upon return during website stated hours (~8pm). GE kiosks stated to scan passport but would not scan passports. Adjacent (empty) kiosk took a photo/facial recognition and printed receipt immediately. Asked Passport Control about EoA, told to go to Lane 1 of Baggage Control (BC). 3 agents working BC area of ~12 lanes, all empty with agents apparently doing bupkis. Nearest staffed lane to 1 was 5 or 6. Went to Lane 5 or 6, asked about EoR, agent said only at Lane 1 when it is staffed. Asked if it could possibly be done now, usual nonsense excuses (I just work here, we’re short staffed), played the Navy retired card, asked to speak with a supervisor/manager.
Agent disappears for a few minutes, comes back, says okay, this one time, follow me to Lane 1. Fingerprinted (again) on electronic scanner, photographed again, asked where I was returning from, asked if Canada or Mexico in past 5 years, supervisor came by, thanked me for my service, said he was retired Marine Corps, I said “a grunt, excellent” (they consider it a compliment) asked how long I served, said 32 years, 8 active 24 reserve, he said he did 28 with 6 active. Process completed in 8 minutes, received email immediately that application was complete and approved. BC area still basically completely empty of travelers with 4-5 agents apparently not doing much.
I was soft-spoken, polite and respectful at all times, thanked both officers profusely. You get more bees with honey! New card received by snail mail 2-3 weeks later.
I had one and arrived from HKG in 2018 and scanned it and it said REVOKED. No idea why and nobody would tell me. Ombudsman likewise. Would ot be worthwhile to try again? I have TSA PRECHECK which I applied for ans got in 2 days in 2019 so it runs until 2024.With an 18 month delay would it make any sense to try now or would it void my TSA Pre?
I did two applications on the same day for my parents. One was conditionally approved within two days, the other is still pending review. What a joke.
We flew in March 2022 from Georgia to California. My TSA precheck application was processed and we were still waiting on my husband’s to process. My husband went through the regular security line in San Diego and was out and finished by the time I went through the TSA precheck/Clear line in San Diego. EVERYONE had TSA precheck/CLEAR/or another entry program.
We just made a trip in August 2022 from Georgia to Canada then Alaska for a cruise. My husband and I have TSA precheck. But at our very small airport here in Georgia, I was pulled aside by security for a wand check even though we have TSA precheck. Security said that I was chosen at random. What good is TSA precheck? Then in Canada, TSA precheck doesn’t work. So, which entry program should we get to cover everything if we plan to travel internationally the next few years? We applied for TSA precheck because we heard Global entry was backed up. It took 2 days for me to get mine and took 4 months to get my husband’s TSA precheck. WHICH ENTRY PROGRAM DO WE NEED FOR ALL TRAVEL?
I’ve had times where precheck had a longer line than standard, or clear had more than precheck, but even if it takes a few extra minutes it’s worth it to leave everything in my bag and keep my shoes on. Plus there haven plenty of times where regular security was insanely backed up and precheck was 5 minutes (hello LAS terminal 1).
If you have a credit card that covers the charge you might as well go for global entry if you have any international travel plans, then the meantime you still have precheck while you wait
Leslie, different programs cover different travel needs. The official descriptions are here: https://ttp.dhs.gov/. My understanding is as follows:
• TSA PreCheck; Designed for domestic air travel. Provides access to special TSA lanes and allows you to avoid some of the indignities of the security process (for instance, you can keep your shoes on). No international travel benefits. Air only.
• Global Entry: All the benefits of TSA PreCheck plus expedited processing for return flights to the U.S. Air only.
• NEXUS: All the benefits of Global Entry (which itself includes TSA PreCheck; see https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus/card) plus expedited entry INTO Canada and Mexico. Works for Air, Land, and Marine crossings. Costs less than the previous two programs (though it does more). As a negative requires a pre-approval interview by both U.S. and Canadian customs officers which compounds the scheduling pain.
• SENTRI: I am not very familiar with this program. It is optimized for travel to and from Mexico and I believe includes Global Entry benefits as well. SENTRI does not include the benefits of NEXUS for travel to Canada.
• FAST: Designed for commercial truck drivers.
Hope that helped!
Kyle,
I just wish I could get approved. Two tries, two appeals, both rejected. I can’t getvany clear answers. Never arrested, served my country, honorable discharge. I’m stumped.
Contact your congressman.
CBP will most likely process you in the diplomatic lane but according to DOS and DHS regs returning US diplomats are no different than regular US citizens and do not get any privileges in CBP processing, including the use of the diplomatic passport lane.
Seems like it has nothing to do with you being a “LESS SECURE” person. Maybe they just figured that since you’ve been denied they are too lazy to find out why and they deny you again just because you are an “ODD man out.”
I applied for my 1 year old daughter a few weeks ago. Her application was approved in a week or so. I think it’s ridiculous that I need to do it for her. If you already have Global Entry, you should be allowed to add your kids onto your own until they are like 5 or so. Plan on using the Enrollment on Arrival at DFW when we move back to the States for her interview in 4 weeks time.
Is there any program better than Global Entry for international flyers. Or a special program for people that fly private that you are aware of?
@Lynn – Not that I am aware of, but I would say that in many places when you land private, those that have flown this way indicated to me that CBP staff came on board rather than going through standard customs on the commercial side. This may not be uniform, it may not be the rule – it might not even be sanctioned – but this is what happen to people I know who flew private internationally.
Did (second) online renewal application for GE — originated ten years ago — last Thursday afternoon. Approved Friday evening. Same process, results as five years prior.
For those having delays an educated guess is any change in entity data, ie address, phones, occupation, so on is more likely to kick out for longer manual review.
If your GE is still active definitely submit renewal online before it expires, at least 3 or 4 months minimum. You have the final year of use to submit renewal. You do need a dedicated federal web user account, if you haven’t done that yet, which adds time. Syncing with your State, TSA travel site data also probably smart prep.
Don’t rely on GE on-arrival interviews. I just flew into LAX and saw no fewer than 15 people waiting in line at the on-arrival GE interview desk, and I think I only saw one agent interviewing people.
NEXUS doesn’t apply to Mexico travel, that would be SENTRI. Your GE card allows you access to the SENTRI lanes when crossing the US – Mexico border. There are often long lines, and I have saved hours having it with me. It’s also a valid ID in both directions, so you can leave your passport at home. I frequently cross to Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo, and Cd. Juarez and it’s great not having to worry about a wait on my way back to the US.
Nexus can be used for Mexico travel the same like Sentri or Global Entry. It is lIke the other two cards, valid for reentry back into the United States from Mexico. However if you are driving across from Mexico into the United States in a vehicle (and want to use the Sentri only lanes) you must pay a one time fee to have that vehicle entered on your Nexus/Global Entry account.
Do not try using the Sentri lanes in a vehicle that has not been registered to your Sentri/Nexus/Global Entry account.
Make sure you keep in mind that Enrollment on Arrival might not be an easy option for the interview either. My 13 year old daughter had her Global Entry conditionally approved about 30 hours after I submitted the application and just needed the interview. We flew into JFK Terminal 8 on American from London in early July, arriving just after noon. I asked the CBP agent where to go for the Enrollment on Arrival and was told they didn’t have an agent doing them at all that day and hadn’t the previous day either. He suggested I could try going to another terminal at JFK, but also cautioned me that he had no idea if any of the other terminals had CBP agents doing Enrollment on Arrival either. We just left and I haven’t been able to find an available appointment since then.
It’s a waste of money for the regular person. EVERYONE should be treated equally. It just promotes a class system. You are much safer than me just because you have this membership. And you should go ahead of the line just because you paid $100?
Yes. For all who are willing to voluntarily undergo a background check and pay for it, there should be benefits.
I got background checked 2 times in my life; By the FBI for becoming an American citizen (dual citizen from Canada). And by the RCMP, Canada’s version of the FBI. Secondly, I was checked for any criminal record by the Healthcare department, The Board of Reg. Nursing (for being a Registered Nurse). So I have been background checked and fingerprinted already and I shouldn’t have to PAY AGAIN for going through this AGAIN. A money scheme it is, for me.
It is a money scheme for sure, but it is worthwhile for me, despite Ben Franklin’s warning.
True. LOL. I get it, Ben Franklin on the $100 bill.
LOL, well that too, but I meant Franklin’s statement (often taken out of context, as I do here):
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
I applied for Global Entry on 5/16/22 for me and my husband, our friends did the same at the same time, everyone was approved and had their interview except me.
We are leaving for an international trip next week, I contacted my senator and congressman also trying to get some help moving my application from pending review to conditional approval, they tried and came up empty. I am so frustrated since I am being treated for cancer and long standing is so very difficult.
I applied/paid for renewal in February and it is still pending, Any tips to get it further.
Just keep waiting. There’s a tremendous backlog.
My husband and I each applied for GE at the end of August. He was conditionally approved within 2 days (and thanks to Appointment Scanner, now has GE); I’m still waiting for conditional approval. Should I assume that I’ll be getting the full background check treatment and this process will take at least 6 months? To put it another way, is there any point to keep checking the TTP dashboard every day? We’ll be traveling overseas this winter, hence my impatience.
Try this: https://liveandletsfly.com/traveler-cheat-code-appointment-scanner-for-global-entry/
I’m at 6 months+ in ‘pending review’ he’ll for GE. I forget about it for a month; then go back and check thinking ‘wow so much time has gone by, surely I’ve moved forward’ – and of course: no change. No ETA, No options. No explanation; And certainly no ability to just get my money back and get out of the queue. (And – god forbid – re-apply to TSA-P – which I stupidly let lapse a year ago)
This is crap. It’s totally infuriating that there’s zero recourse. They basically just stole $100 from me.
And thanks for the effort, Kyle, but nothing in your article hints at ‘how to beat it’
There were a few tips (including engaging the ombudsman) but the easiest is contacting your congressperson or Senator – that’s the fast track and if you do, you’ll be amazed at the speed with which you get to the conditionally approved state. Further, when you get to that stage, I recommend you sign up for this as it saved me months: https://liveandletsfly.com/traveler-cheat-code-appointment-scanner-for-global-entry/
I just recently had my enrollment on arrival but did not receive a decision, could that also be part of the 18-month delay?
Probably not, but mine was stuck in limbo from that point for about a week. Any longer than 3 weeks warrants contacting them.
At the time I applied for Global Entry nearly 8 months ago, CBP was saying processing was running 6-8 months on their website. We’ll see what happens in the next 3 weeks, but I’m not holding my breath. And now CBP is saying new applications can take up to 18 months. I now have a planned international travel in June 2023, which will be about 14 months after I initially applied, Given the delays in processing and the additional backlogs in scheduling an interview, I have very little faith I will have my GE before my June 2023 travel.
In the meantime, it’s not even like I can apply for pre-check for all my domestic travel, because they won’t process that application until the GE application completes processing. The lack of updates or accountability for a service you have paid for is incredibly frustrating.
I just emailed Kyle this if anyone knows a solution?
question for you? you have this disclaimer:
Important note: If a traveler has submitted a Trusted Traveler Program application, they cannot then submit a secondary request for another program until the first application has a decision. For travelers who have a stalled or stuck application for Global Entry, they should not submit a TSA Precheck application (or NEXUS) as they will not be processed, however, applicants still pay for the application fee.
My whole family are US/Canadian citizens- we have been waiting on NEXUS renewals for EIGHTEEN MONTHS- i got fed up and then applied everyone ALSO for Global Entry, which is now going on 7 months in process (applied may 2022 for GE)
Are you saying that applying for a 2nd program can jeopardize the 1st? or just “don’t apply for 2nd as it wont go anywhere before the 1st is processed and you will lose the application fee?
I don’t know what to do here-
Thanks very much
Contact your US representative.
My GOES renewal is still pending after 11 months. I’ve had it for over 10 years. I contacted the local CBP office that performs interviews and was informed they are no longer allowed to comment about waiting times, nor are they allowed to look up an application to check its status. I was told “Just wait – it will be processed eventually.” Using Covid as an excuse is nonsense. Is our only recourse to contact a Congressman?
My husband and I renewed Feb 2023, he received his in literally 1 week, I am still waiting as of Dec 2023……my only reasoning on my husband getting his so soon is due to his job which he already is back ground checked yearly, although from a different government organization. I don’t NEED my precheck until the end of next year and I did receive pre-check on our flights in June and September even though my Global entry expired. But it is frustrating that my husband already has his and we applied the same day! We just renewed passports a month ago and we’ve already received half of our passports (card for me and book for my husband, I’m assuming my book and his card should be in the mail here in a week) I really hope that my Global Entry doesn’t take 18 month.