Jeff_Costa_Rica

Has anyone here signed up for the Global Entry program? It looks pretty slick. If you have a U.S. passport, you can get advance clearance to enter the United States. You apply on line, set up an appointment for an interview, have your photo and biometrics taken. Then when you enter the U.S., you bypass the normal passport lines and go to a special Global Entry kiosk. I guess you scan your passport, and the machine takes your fingerprints and scans your eyes. Or something like that. You get a dedicated customs line too.

It's $100 for five years, but it seems worth it to me if you travel internationally frequently. I think I'm going to do it after the first of the year. Just wondering if anyone else here has signed up.

thursdaysd

I haven't found the lines for entry for US citizens to be long enough to be worth it - either the cost or the biometrics. Now if you're a foreigner...

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Except if you're a foreigner, you're not eligible to participate in the program.

I'm trying to decide. DFW is my most frequent airport of entry, and the passport and customs lines seem to be getting longer there. $100 spread out over five years is starting to seem worth it.

hetismij

The Dutch have the same sort of thing at Schiphol. It is available for any EU citizen with a biometric passport. You don't even have to pay for it here.

jbella

Jeff,

I'm reading this older post and wonder if you went ahead are doing the Global Entry? We saw people using it in Houston (while we were backed up in line) and it looked slick.

ps. Thanks for all your informative posts in Costa Rica Forum--very helpful

Josh

jbella,

My wife just completed the process. It was pretty painless; all done online followed by an in-person interview (20 mins) at the regional GOES office. Start-to-finish was about one week.

https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/

sandy_b

My travel buddy and I just signed up and were approved . . . it will be well worth the $20/yr to get through Immigration and Customs quicker. We have been backed up multiple times in Miami and New York and almost missed our connecting flights.

Plus . . . it's just pretty cool to have. We can't wait to go someplace so we can use it coming back!

Sandy (in Denton)

lovely2c

Last week, I used it at DFW. It was the first time using it and it was perfect. It took about two minutes from start to finish. And there was a special (quick) inspection desk for global entry travelers. I am amazed it's only $100 for five years. I think our gov't should increase the price.

lovely2c

a special (quick) CUSTOMS inspection desk

lilla

We have had Global Entry for a while and have used it at both Dulles and D/FW airports. In all cases, it took us less than five minutes to complete the entry process. The lines at Dulles are usually long, so we save a great deal of time after an eight to nine hour trip from Europe.

We are very pleased with Global Entry, especially when we can complete the process in just a few minutes after a long, exhausting flight. We highly recommend it to everyone we know who travels internationally.

You do have to be in an area that has a border/passport control office to do the personal interview, picture and digital fingerprinting.

travelgourmet

<i>The Dutch have the same sort of thing at Schiphol. It is available for any EU citizen with a biometric passport. You don't even have to pay for it here.</i>

You absolutely do need to pay for Privium. The basic membership is EUR 115 per year. The UK is the only country where it is free, I believe.

FWIW, Global Entry members can join Privium and Privium members can join Global Entry, so if you often fly from, to, or through Amsterdam, a joint membership might be nice.

nikunjbhai

I had an interview on 4/05/12. The process is slick and the benefits are what I need. However, GOES mentions a local telephone number to call when we get to the airport. The voice mail says someone will call back. No one does. I waited a while then caught the attention of a lady at the counter inside. She asked me to come in, asked me why I was there and directed me down the hall where the GOES office was. I walked in and an officer checked a log and asked me to take a seat.

After a few minutes, we were asked to watch the 6 minute video about GOES. A few minutes later I was called for the rest of the interview. The officer was extremely professional and nice. He did inquire if I was comfortable since I am physically disabled. Sitting in low chairs and getting out of the seat is quite painful. All in all, a nice experience.

He gave me information about a pilot program called TSAPre. I need this since currently, I have been subjected to the new fully body scan. I have to get out of my wheelchair. It is physically taxing to hold out my hands straight out while the machine revolves. Unfortunately I have not found an application for TSAPre.

RoamsAround

We've had Global Entry for about a year and find it very convenient. We travel internationally often and have never taken more than 3 or 4 minutes to clear immigration and are always directed to a special Global Entry line when leaving customs so there's no wait there either.

it's well worth the $100 fee and the 30 minutes or so it takes to have your personal interview and orientation.

We've done it at JFK, DFW, SJU, LAX, MCO, EWR and SFO - all without a hitch.

eliztravels

Here in Canada we can get a Nexus pass for $50 for five years--same system as GOES. It provides fast lane access at most highway border crossings into the US, and the same at highway crossings and most airports on return to Canada. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I am so looking forward to bypassing the lineups when we return from Australia at midnight after a 30+ hour trip.

Not sure if as Canadian citizens we can use it when travelling by air in transit through the US from a foreign destination. It is always such a hassle having to collect bags, go through customs and border control and then recheck bags before our last leg into Canada.

Getting it was a longer process than anticipated, as there was a three month wait to get an interview at our nearest airport, Pearson in Toronto. My husband wanted his sooner so was able to get an appointment within a few days of his 'conditional 'approval' by going to Fort Erie, a couple of hours drive away.

dutyfree

I have had it for several years and both as a crew member and a regular passenger it has saved me alot of time and energy. It is the best $100 you will spend-so easy to apply and so easy to use.I am usually through imigration within less than 2 minutes whereas my fellow crewmembers wait in lines for upwards to a half hour!