JoanneH

Update: I was approved and I was then linked to calendar to set appointment date. SFO must be very busy appointments every 15min 8am-17 hundred (5pm). The first open time was on November 13th. So if planning on using SFO plan ahead.

yestravel

I did get my approval email yesterday. My husband was approved last Thursday & got his card in the USPS mail today.

The new DC location was not particularly crowded when I got there, they were taking walk ins. When I scheduled my appointment, I had to schedule a few weeks out and they had a full schedule. @JoanneH, you might give it a shot as a walk in when you are in SF. You may very well get taken as a walk in or be able to arrange an appt while you are in SF.

JoanneH

Good Idea will give it a shot

annw

I went Friday at 6:40 p.m. at SFO, an appointment I scheduled two months ago. They continue to book at least two months out (I overheard when someone tried a walk in).

The small nondescript office is in the Arrivals area of International Terminal; it's the kind of airport office you would overlook if you didn't know to look for it, though there is a sign high up advertising Global Entry.

The website gives very specific directions on how to get there, though I made one mis-step at first of trying to bypass Garage A as advised when you need to drive into it and THEN keep driving to get to Garage G.

Two nice women/officers were behind a bar type counter; you sit, sign a form, have them take fingerprints and a picture, and the 4-5 questions are very routine (ever been arrested etc.).

She gave me a booklet and noted that I use the passport, not the card I will get in the mail, at the kiosks. (I guess you can use the card in some other circumstances that didn't apply to me.)

Now to get DH to sign up before our March trip....

sparkchaser

I had my "interview" last week at EWR. I watched a video, had my fingerprints scanned, photo taken, and told I was good to go and to have a nice day.

xyz123

So let me get this straight. The whole security set up is necessary for our protection but if you're rich and want to spend a few dollars than the ordinary person in the street, you can buy a free pass around the queues and the like. Just another indication of how money rules in our country.

RoamsAround

OH come on, xyz123!!! This has nothing to do with money. You don't need to be "rich" to get Global Entry. The fee is $100 and is good for 5 years - that comes to $20/year.

It's not a "free pass" - you go through a background check which, while easy, is more extensive than any questions that are asked by those without Global Entry. The fact that Global entry are "pre-cleared" is what make the process work.

Any citizen can apply and as long as they don't have a criminal record or ties to a terrorist group they will be approved regardless of their economic situation.

Obviously, if a person travels internationally infrequently they may choose not to spend $100 but for those of us who travel extensively iGlobal Entry is well worth $20/year.

sparkchaser

xyz123, that's a pretty foolish statement. What qualifying frequent international traveler would <b>not</b> spend $100 to be able to bypass the U.S. immigration lines for <i>five</i> years. Not to mention that Global Entry also qualifies you for TSA precheck.

travelgourmet

<i>So let me get this straight. The whole security set up is necessary for our protection but if you're rich and want to spend a few dollars than the ordinary person in the street, you can buy a free pass around the queues and the like. Just another indication of how money rules in our country.</i>

1) I would think that the protection offered by doing a thorough background check on an entrant to the US would be greater than that afforded by an at-airport screening, no?

2) If you have to spend "a few dollars" then how is it a "free pass"?

3) I would think that, for those for whom this offers any significant benefit, that the cost would be amortized over enough trips such that you need not be "rich" to afford it - Indeed, I'm already at something less than $5 per use.

4) CBP checkpoints at airports are primarily user-fee funded and I think this is merely an extension of that. Indeed, I think it far preferable to things like elite frequent flier security lines, which I oppose.

5) There is benefit to the other users of the system to pre-screen some fliers and keep them out of the queue - when I go to the Global Entry kiosk, that means I am not in front of you in line.

6) Global Entry also reduces the overall cost of the system by reducing staffing levels, which is a positive for everyone.

annw

I particularly endorse the point about getting some people through via kiosk and shortening the line for everyone else. How is that not a good thing?

flygirl

I applied the day the government reopened. The next day (friday)I got an email saying "interview Sunday". All done in 15 minutes. My approval email was waiting for me when I got home.