The secret about Global Entry is officially out. It's one of the most powerful tools to get through the airport faster – to skip through security thanks to a TSA PreCheck benefit, then clear immigration within minutes after an international trip.
But getting enrolled in Global Entry can be easier said than done. While federal officials say some travelers can complete the entire process in less than 30 days (and that was our experience recently), backlogs in processing applications can drag out the process for months.
Long processing times to get signed up – and finding a Global Entry interview to finalize enrollment – have made it a months-long hassle for many flyers. It got so bad at one point that the federal government practically pleaded with travelers to sign up for PreCheck instead.
While you can hit plenty of snags throughout the process, scheduling an in-person interview can be the hardest part. It's the last step to getting Global Entry set up, and finding an interview can be a pain, dragging out the process by months or more.
But don't give up hope. We've got some hints to get Global Entry faster.
- What is Global Entry?
- Waiting on Conditional Approval?
- How Long Do Global Entry Appointments Take to Schedule?
- 1. Monitor the Schedule Like a Hawk
- 2. Pay a Service to Find You a Global Entry Appointment
- 3. Check on the First Monday Each Month
- 4. Take a Global Entry Interview Road Trip
- 5. Or Work it into a Domestic Trip
- 6. Use Enrollment on Arrival
- Renewals Have More Options
What is Global Entry?
Global Entry is a trusted traveler program that allows you to get through U.S. immigration and customs quickly. It also includes a TSA PreCheck benefit that gets you into a designated lane for security. It's a genuine two-birds, one-stone program.
Because this program lets you get through high levels of security quickly, the process for getting approved is a bit more rigorous. It's also more expensive, costing $100 versus TSA PreCheck which costs $78. Enrollment in both programs lasts for five years.
Torn between Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck? Read our guide!
The signup process for Global Entry is easy enough. You need to fill out an application online that is fairly extensive. You will answer questions about current and previous employment, residences, and more. This application will be submitted for a thorough background check.
Thrifty Tip: Pay for your application with a travel credit card that covers the cost of enrollment – it's like getting Global Entry for free!
After submitting your application, you need to get conditional approval. Once you've got that, you need an in-person interview to finalize your enrollment. From there, you can simply head to the designated Global Entry line when clearing immigration and waltz through in just a few minutes – or less.
One thing to keep in mind: Until your Global Entry enrollment is completely finalized, you won't get TSA PreCheck benefits, either.
Read our full guide to getting signed up for Global Entry for a complete walkthrough!
Waiting on Conditional Approval?
On paper, applying for and getting Global Entry is fast and simple. It can take just a week or so. But in practice, it's not always so simple.
After submitting your application, getting conditionally approved is the next step before you can move on to the interview stage. It's a crapshoot, but in some cases, that process can take months. And the pandemic certainly didn't help.
Enrollment Centers nationwide closed in early 2020, worsening a backlog of applications that Customs and Border Protection staff have struggled to chip away at. In the meantime, applications for Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler Programs have surged to record levels: More than 12,000 per day in April 2022, according to a spokeswoman for the agency.
Customs and Border Protection have employed a few different measures over the years to try to relieve the pressure on staff, move applications faster, and open up more interview availability. They've extended the grace period for pending Global Entry renewals to a full 24 months and began offering remote interviews for renewing members – if travelers renewing their Global Entry even require an interview at all.
But still, the stories of travelers waiting three, six, or nine months or more awaiting conditional approval continue. That's not always the case: While there are horror stories about applications sitting in limbo for months, some applicants are still getting conditionally approved in just a few days. It's seemingly random.
Read more: Application to Approval in 13 Days – My Global Entry Success Story
And unfortunately, there's not a whole lot you can do to speed up this conditional approval process. You can try calling the Global Entry information line at (877) 227-5511 to escalate your approval process, but there's no guarantee. And recent reports from travelers suggest that CBP will not escalate an application until the nine-month mark – up from the previous standard waiting time of four months.
How Long Do Global Entry Appointments Take to Schedule?
Finally get approved? It's time to schedule an interview. And depending on where you live, that can be a challenge. Many times, in-person interview times are months out – if they're available at all.
If you're lucky, you might find an appointment at your local airport within a few days or weeks of getting conditional approval. Some Global Entry enrollment centers outside of major airports reliably have wide-open appointments – especially along the Canadian border.
But at major airports, it can take weeks if not months to find even a single Global Entry interview appointment available. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has previously said that the average processing time for new applicants, start to finish, was 208 days. Ouch.
So how can you get in and get Global Entry faster? We've got some advice.
1. Monitor the Schedule Like a Hawk
It's not unusual to pull up the schedule of available interviews around your area and see … well, nothing.
Getting an in-person interview on the books can be the hardest part of signing up for Global Entry. That's especially true lately, as available appointments have been close to non-existent around major U.S. cities.
For example, here's a look at appointment availability at the Seattle (SEA) airport, where you currently won't find an appointment open until June. That's a long time to wait.
Other locations like Los Angeles (LAX), Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), and others don't currently have any appointments open, period, at the time of publication. But keep in mind: Just because there are no interviews available right now doesn't mean there won't be any tomorrow. Or even later today.
The schedule of available interviews is constantly in flux, as enrollment centers add and subtract slots and other applicants cancel or reschedule. So it's worth checking regularly if you're on the hunt for an appointment.
It pays to be vigilant and keep checking back. If you schedule an interview weeks or even months out, don't resign yourself to waiting that long. Book that appointment but keep checking back to the calendar. You may – and often will – be able to slide in even earlier.
Thrifty Tip: The federal agency that runs Global Entry now releases a bunch of interview appointments at 9 a.m. local time on the first Monday of each month. While you won't find wide-open interview availability at every single major hub across the country, there's typically enough there to help travelers stuck in Global Entry limbo get across the finish line.
2. Pay a Service to Find You a Global Entry Appointment
If you've struck out finding a last-minute appointment at your home airport, there are services like Global Entry Spotter and Appointment Scanner that can do it better than you ever could. These services scrape the entire Global Entry interview schedule 24/7/365, alerting you whenever it finds an appointment at your designated enrollment centers.
Global Entry Spotter
With Global Entry Spotter, you can get alerts for up to three airports or global entry enrollment centers. You'll get an alert via text when a new appointment opens up, and from there you can just head to the Global Entry website and schedule it.
Global Entry Spotter charges a one-time fee of $25 for unlimited automated Global Entry interview appointment alerts. And unlike many competitor services like Appointment Scanner and TTP Appointments, which charge $29 and $24.99 respectively for a month's worth of alerts, Global Entry Spotter will send you alerts for as long as it takes. It even allows you to opt back into alerts without having to pay again.
Our Senior Editor, Allie, signed up for Global Entry Spotter at 9:48 a.m. on Jan. 9. Just 10 minutes after signing up, she had already received an alert about a Global Entry interview appointment at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) … and it was for later that same day!
Read our review of the Global Entry Spotter service!
Appointment Scanner
With Appointment Scanner, you can get alerts for up to three locations, including remote renewal interviews via Zoom. Just wait for an alert by email or text, then head out and snag an opening as soon as you get one.
It's not free: It costs $29 for one month of alerts. But if you ask me, it's worth every penny if you're otherwise struggling to find an interview. Consider this:
- I received an alert for an interview at my hometown Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport within four minutes of signing up. Four minutes!
- I got more than 15 alerts for MSP interviews within just a few days – all for availability within the next two weeks.
- Since I picked New York City (JFK) as one of my three locations, I also received more than 70 alerts for that airport … in less than 48 hours!
- Unlike Global Entry Spotter, Appointment Scanner can help renewing members find a Global Entry appointment
Appointment Scanner is an incredibly powerful tool that can help solve the interview problem for you. Its utility is undeniable.
Read our full review of the Appointment Scanner service!
3. Check on the First Monday Each Month
As travelers fight for limited interviews, the agency that runs Global Entry has shaken up how it releases these appointment slots.
In February 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it has begun releasing more interview slots on the first Monday of every month. Interviews get added to the calendar right at 9 a.m. at the local time of your enrollment center.
“Given the unprecedented demand and continued interest in TTP, CBP is at an inflection point, where we must provide consistent, efficient, and accessible processing methods for applicants to select an appropriate enrollment option,” Michael Millich, the agency's director of Trusted Traveler Programs, said in a statement.
So set yourself a calendar alert for 9 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 5. Or Monday, March 4. Or even Monday, April 1. It might be your best bet to snag an appointment before other travelers beat you to it.
4. Take a Global Entry Interview Road Trip
Most of the major Global Entry enrollment centers are at major international airports. But they aren't alone.
There are roughly 100 enrollment centers nationwide – and even one in Guam! You can find them in towns big and small, in the center of the country and along the borders with Canada and Mexico, and in Hawaii and Alaska.
So depending on where you live, it could make sense to hop in the car to knock out your Global Entry – and turn it into a weekend road trip, if you can!
For example, you currently can't schedule an interview at our hometown airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). But you could head up Minnesota's beautiful North Shore, spend the weekend hiking or skiing, and pop in for an interview in Grand Portage where the schedule is much more open.
At five hours, this example is a fairly long drive. But by turning it into a weekend trip, you can get a two-for-one: a short vacation and your Global Entry interview. And there are other similar opportunities around the country.
5. Or Work it into a Domestic Trip
Pssst … You don't have to do your interview at your home airport.
If you've got some domestic trips coming up, check out the list of enrollment centers nationwide and see what might fit into your travels. Head down to your interview after you land or schedule it well ahead of your departing flight to return home. Or even sneak in during a layover!
Let's say your nearest enrollment center doesn't have interviews available for months, but you're making a trip to Miami. You never know, the interview schedule at Miami (MIA) airport might be wide open.
Check out your travel calendar, go through the list of enrollment centers, and see what you could make work.
6. Use Enrollment on Arrival
As enrollment centers continue getting hammered, Customs and Border Protection (CPB) keeps touting one of its newest features: Enrollment on Arrival.
How Enrollment on Arrival Works
Rather than scheduling an interview, you can simply wrap up your enrollment process when returning from an international trip. It's available at nearly 70 airports, including a few international airports that have U.S. customs pre-clearance like Dublin (DUB) or a dozen airports in Canada. There is typically a designated lane to finish your enrollment with CPB officers while also clearing immigration.
Read our full guide to enrolling in Global Entry on Arrival!
The biggest drawback of this process is that you won't be able to use the TSA PreCheck benefit until after you've completed your enrollment – so you're out of luck when departing on your international trip. But it's an easy way to knock out your interview when getting one on the schedule proves difficult.
Renewals Have More Options
Renewing your Global Entry for another five years? That's a whole different story.
You can begin the renewal process exactly one year before your Global Entry is due to expire. The application process for renewing is much the same as applying for Global Entry the first time. Barring any major life changes, it should be much easier (and much faster) to get conditionally approved.
But there are a handful of differences in processing Global Entry renewals to keep in mind – and that's a good thing.
- A Global Entry spokesperson previously told Thrifty Traveler that a “significant percentage of Trusted Traveler Program member renewals” can be automatically approved, meaning they’ll skip the need for an interview altogether.
- If you do need an interview, Global Entry is now offering remote interviews for many renewing members via Zoom. Availability for these appointments is much, much easier than tracking down an in-person interview – plus you can do it from home.
- Even if you're stuck in the renewal process, Global Entry now gives members a full two-year grace period. So even if your renewal is still pending, so long as you applied before it expired, you've got a full two-year stretch to continue using Global Entry (and TSA PreCheck) beyond the initial expiration date.
Bottom Line
It's gotten more and more difficult to get Global Entry in just the last year or so. But trust us – good things come to those who wait. And if you employ some of these strategies, hopefully, the wait to find a Global Entry appointment won't be long at all.
Enrollment on arrival does not work when coming in from Dublin, Ireland. This is because C&BP pre screening occurs in Dublin so Customs is bypassed upon arrival in the U.S This is great if you do not want an enrollment interview. This happened in Philadelphia, which we chose because there is no Global Entry interviews available in Maryland, where we live. Turns out there in no Enrollment on Arrival in Philadelphia if you come in from Dublin. There seems to be no reference to this exception on the governments website for C&BP ot TTA.
You do the enrollment IN Dublin or Shannon…as you are “arriving” at that time.
Not always. I arrived at Dublin, asked to do re-enrollment and was told CBP was not doing it.
We asked for it when going through US customs when departing Dublin (which is when you’re supposed to be able to do it, not when arriving), and were told no, they weren’t doing them, and we were brushed aside. So we then asked when we arrived at O’Hare and were told by the agent there, who had zero customers and was sitting there doing nothing, that we couldn’t do an interview because we should have done it in Dublin. Despite explaining that they said they don’t do them in Dublin, we were again brushed aside. In my opinion, the entire program is a complete scam designed to take our money and give us nothing in return. I have had my conditional approval for over 6 months and there have not been any available appointments in my state in that entire time. I don’t know how anyone ever gets into the program.
When applying for Global Entry be sure to read the eligibility guidelines. I had no idea when I applied that my 1974 misdemeanor charge of possession of drug (marijuana) paraphernalia (a pipe) would cause an automatic denial of my application. $100 down the drain!
It is possible to write the ombudsman’s office and they will review your case and it is possible for the denial to be overturned. I was apart of a “loud party” in college and was initially denied GE, but after writing the ombudsman’s office I was accepted a year later. Worth a shot.
I applied for the Global Entry back in July 2019 and I my application is still pending review. Who can I call to get an update on my applications
You can call the GE Info line at (877) 227-5511 but other readers report that they won’t escalate the approval until your app has been pending at least 6 months.
Thanks Kyle
Now it is basically : It takes as long as it takes…whatever that is…unfortunately.
Don’t fall for the “Enrollment on Arrival” trick. It’s made to sound easy and convenient but it is neither. I tried this when re-entering through MIA and found myself waiting in a holding tank for an hour & a half with my passport taken away. I finally asked for my passport back and canceled the interview in order to catch my connecting flight back to CLE. There is no special EoA line as stated (at least not anymore). As near as I could tell, I was at the end of the line of people waiting for SCHEDULED interviews w/o any deference to my travel schedule or ready availability to be interviewed. I’m conditionally approved now, out $150, and scheduled for an interview, spring of next year. Global Entry is a gov’t cash grab scam.
Kyle, My iphone and case were stolen. I had my global entry card in the pocket of the case. I cannot figure out on the website on how to order a replacement. Can you help me walk through this process please? Thank you sir.
Mark, you can log into your Global Entry account through the Trusted Traveler Program site: https://ttp.dhs.gov/
Go to manage membership and request a replacement card. It costs $25. On that front, it’s worth noting that you don’t need your physical Global Entry card – just be sure to enter your corresponding Global Entry/Known Travel Number in your travel reservations. That said, Global Entry cards will function as a replacement for Real ID for domestic flights starting October 2020, so these cards will be nice to have.
I currently have TSA pre check expiring in May 2020. I decided to go with global entry and the first available appointment is the end of July. How can I ensure my pre check status stays active while completing the global entry process? I do not want to pay the $85 on top of paying the $100.
There is no way to extend your current PreCheck membership until you finish Global Entry enrollment, unfortunately. Your best bet is just to keep checking the interview schedule to see if you can slide in earlier, or try out some of the other tips from this post.
My Precheck expires January 2024 but we want to apply for Global Entry now. Will the new KTN given on approval override our existing number or will we then have two different KTNs?
Also, how long will the Global Entry last…5 years from date of paying fee? Or 5 years from date of approval after interview?
You would have two separate KTNs – no issues there, just be sure to update your airline profile(s) with the new number.
Global Entry lasts five years from date of final approval.
Have preapproval for Global Entry since Feb. 6, 2020.
Can’t get interview appointment online.?
Boston won’t accept appointments with no explanation. Filed a complaint it says reply in few days?
It’s over 20 days no response.?
A message said you’ve 365 days from 2/6/2020 to come for interview.?! It seems the $100 fee is gone. LOL….
You cannot reach anyone at the 877 number. That may have been the case in the past, but no longer. There is no option to wait to speak with a representative.
Yea it’s possible. Just keep saying info pass.
If my husband & I have Global Entry, are our kids allowed to come through with us?
They are not. They would need their own membership.
12 and under are allowed
Not for Global Entry.
Only for the TSA part…as noted…NOT for Global Entry.
Nick, Your idea about trying an international border for the interview is “spot on.” There was no wait in Calais Maine, and I was able to schedule an interview with a relaxing visit to Acadia National Park.
Can you explain a bit more about what you did or how you were able to get an appointment/interview at this International Border? Did you make it beforehand or just go there?
I have global entry that expired June of 2021. I have applied for renewal in February of 2022. It is now July 2022 and I have not heard anything. Does the 2 year grace period apply if so do I need a new card? Thx
Unfortunately, because your Global Entry expired before you applied for renewal the grace period will not apply in your case.
I was planning to use Enrollment on Arrival at JFK when coming back from an international trip and the process is worse than being hard to find. Eventually I was just told no one is here to do the interview today.
That is very common…or they are just too busy to do it…another common complaint….especially if you are arriving with 6-8,000+ other people when all the flights from Europe land at about the same time .
happens all up and down the coast… mid-afternoon…crunch time.
There is a compliment/complaint place on the CBP website if you do a search.
You can find an address and phone number if you search for CBP Port of Entry as well.
I was turned away for enrollemt on arrival at ATL in January and February 2022. FInally paid for Global entry now to text me alerts for my local airport. Worth every dollar! GlobalEntryNow!
@ GlobalEntryNow on twitter – I signed up for SMS text alerts.
I would want to apply for the global entry, but I have a trip to the Philippines in October. Will the trip hinder or affect the application?
I see no potential problem there.
Once you get an appt is the approval / global entry immediate? How long does it take after everything goes well with the appt?
You’ll get formal approval within minutes, giving you access to your KTN online immediately which you can enter with airlines for TSA PreCheck benefits. The physical card (which, in most cases, you never need) should arrive within a week or two.
Right now, it shows “No Appointments Available” for DFW Airport. Does that just mean I need to keep checking back, or does that mean there won’t be any at all? I applied Saturday and got Conditional Approval today.
Just keep checking back – it changes constantly.
Successfully booked a next day appointment for Los Angeles! I saw at least 10 time slots open at 7:30PM PST. Hope someone finds this useful.
My husband & I were Conditionally Approved in May 2022. We carried all sorts of documents with us when we travelled to Europe. We arrived back from Europe via JFK in June 2022 & asked to do Global Entry interview upon arrival…nope. It was a no go! They said that there was no one available to do it & that we had to schedule an interview.
It’s now August & we’re back in our home state, I have been looking daily to try to schedule an interview at MSP with no appointments, not even a calendar, showing up.
We don’t want to have to attempt to travel again in “hopes” to get Global Entry Upon Arrival when it didn’t work at JFK which is a huge travel hub.
Anyone else have tricks for getting an appointment at MSP by May 2023? TY!
Just keep checking MSP for interview appointments, something is sure to open up.
same for us when we landed in Atlanta and cleared customs. the global entry personnel told us we needed to have scheduled an appt. crazy, because that is not what is instructed on the paperwork I printed from the DHS website. This process is…..unamerican.
You must do EoA IN Customs…not after you clear Customs.
apps:Global Interview…ttp alerts…Appointment Scanner
My Global Entry is pending. Can I go to appointment scanner anyway?
Is there a trick to seeing the appointments for a specific airport? My 2 closest are PHL and EWR. When I select them, they say there are no available appointments. But when I played with the dates, EWR came up with a date in Nov. Unfortunately my app was still pending. Now I’m good to go, but can’t find a date.
Keep checking…look for the apps…Global Interview…ttp alerts…Appointment Scanner
We checked remote virtual interviews a few times and they show nothing available for years.
Keep checking or follow some of the other tips in this story to track down an interview.
Virtual are only available for renewals…unless you are/were a member of another Trusted Traveler program (Nexus/Sentri/Fast).
For renewal, I was struggling to find a remote appointment as well but I stuck with it for a few days. I just paginated between this month and next month, then back, and I saw the white availability on today’s date. There were 19 slots available today, and I tried to grab the first one available, which is in 40 minutes from now. The system said it encountered an error, so I went back to my dashboard, selected the other next available and voila. I’m scheduled for a remote interview in less than an hour from now. I had been using the next available button for a week or so with no luck. I think you just need to keep a browser open and be persistent, going between the current month and the next month, then back, in order to see the availabilities come up for the current week.
Also, for first timers, I had my mom tag along on my dad’s appointment and they were both able to attend the interview together in Denver. Hope this helps someone trying to get in soon!
Careful…each person needs their own interview slot in most centers…if you do not have your own appointment, there is NO guarantee of being interviewed.
It has been a success, thanks for making it easy.
I signed up for the TTP account and applied for the global entry program. The application status is in the pending review stage. I see the Membership # / PASSID at top right of the TTP my account page. This ID is different than application ID? What is this PASSID? I thought it will be assigned after the approval.
Note – I already have TSA Precheck Known traveler number.
Folks…please check the FAQs for the program from time to time.At: https://ttp.dhs.gov
Click on FAQs…then click on All FAQs…lots of good information.
For TSA information : ww.tsa.gov
Keep your account information up to date…apply early for renewal (up to 1 year)…stay in the program.
I would be careful with Miami. We had a trip at the end of the month to go for our interviews and they got cancelled on us. Something about staffing shortages.
Not sure why they keep deleting posts about the apps that help people find appointments…like Global Interview..ttp alerts…globalentrynow…Appointment Scanner
these things work…people get alerts and interviews with them…get the word out
We will be arriving at JFK 3 hours prior to our flight to Dublin. Would it be possible to do our global entry interview before leaving for Dublin or must it be upon return ?
If you’re very lucky and vigilant, you might be able to schedule an interview during your layover at JFK … but that wouldn’t be through the walk-up Enrollment on Arrival process. That is only possible upon return – or, in the case of Dublin, while clearing customs in Dublin before returning to the US.
JFK told me that they release the new spots at the beginning of the month for the month following next. For example, at the beginning of October, they open up the December spots, and in November they open up the January spots.
Watching like a hawk is how I was able to get an appointment within a week. I randomly decided to look one day and a spot happened to open so I took it and luckily I could rearrange my day to go.
The calendar for Zoom appointments for renewals is all booked until at least 2033, i.e. 11 years from now. I didn’t check any further out.
Get the “Global Interview” app, it costs $5, input locations nearest you and wait for the alerts. Have Google Chrome open and ready so when an alert come in you can jump on it and reserve an interview time slot. Best $5 i ever spent!
I had been waiting for months to see an openings, nada, then i got the info on this app from this website. Got an interview two days out within 8hrs of buying the app. Bag the closest interview you can get then keep trying to rescheduling to a closer date. Thanks triftytraveler.
No they are not. You are seeing that there asre none available because they have not been listed yet.
It is NOT because they have all ben taken.
I was watching the schedule for one to open up locally and I did see one just appear. I went through the process, selected the day and time and when I hit done it took me to the main screen explaining the different programs. It never asked me for my name. I have since tried the same thing for an appointment somewhere else next summer and the same thing happened. Is this a glitch on their website or did I actually get an appointment?
Just to be clear…you already went on line and applied and paid…and are now conditionally approved?
You signed in to your account to do the appointment?
Hi Ian, did you find the reason why this was happening because I am experiencing the same issue? I signed up for alerts and every time one pops up I go to select the date and time however I am unable to select the time slots because it’s grayed out. I select Done and it just takes me to the screen to select a program so I figured I just need to sign into my account but there is no option on my dashboard to select an appointment.
I am curious to know how to get interviews for 6 family members… I had been watching like a hawk, only to find the month of January open up and every single appt was already taken (each time slot was greyed out). I called the center and was told that was the case; if the time slots were greyed out, it was already taken. It has been three months already. Every hear of anyone with this situation? Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks.
Have to have an appointment for each person. Have to sign in to each individual account to make an appointment for that person.
They no longer to Global entry at the Montreal airport.
The CBP agent told me it hasn’t been open since Covid smh
The Appointment Scanner is great! Thank you for that information!
I enrolled in the program yesterday and started receiving alerts for appointments right away. In less than 24 hours, I now have an appointment NEXT WEEK at my preferred location. I was skeptical and now I am delighted!
How long have you been waiting for your application approval? I’m only on month 9, but yes it feels like forever, I want to be in the appointment scheduler game!
That’s pretty long…have you called an enrollment center to check on your status?
Is it common for people within the same household to have different waiting times for conditional approval? My boyfriend was approved in a day and it’s almost been a month for me – I even submitted my application before he did.
If you read the FAQs it says :
My entire family has been conditionally approved except for one. How much longer will this take so we can come in as a family?
Each application is processed individually. We strongly encourage applicants to schedule appointments once conditionally approved rather than waiting on a family member.
Hallo!
I don’t speak English. I was conditionally approved, one week after my application. It was very fast. I will go to JFK in December. Is there the possibility of doing the interview in Portuguese?
They may be able to do it if they have an interpreter or an Officer that speaks Portuguese.
Renewing my Global Entry after my previous membership expired. I have an appointment for 12/22 but will I be able to use Global Entry privileges immediately after my appointment? Or do I need to wait for the card to be delivered? I cant tell if my KTN will change or stay the same….
Number stays the same when renewing.
You can start renewal one year before it expires.
I’m just curious… we, three family members, got conditionally approved. I believe it’s time to schedule for interview. I wonder if I can make ONE appointment for my family members. Or do I have to make an appointment individually? PLEASE HELP!
You need separate appointments for each family member, but you can show up with everyone at one appointment and try – you might succeed, especially for kids. You will likely fail for any adults, and who knows if the kids will be allowed. We had to wait for a new day to open far in the future where all the appointments were open to book 4 in a row, it took over a year to get an open day, then they cancelled our appointment the week before due to a COVID spike and the border closed (idiots, that’s when the border was mostly closed and they had the time to really get through the back log) and then it took over a year to get our new interviews. They act like they want everyone to sign up to make the process faster for everyone, then they understaff the interviews and many choose to not every try. Typical bureaucratic genius.
Many people cancelled their interviews during Covid…because of Covid.
CBP shut down enrollment centers for 6 months (March 2020-Sept. 2020).
The silliness was that they kept accepting new applications during that time…adding to the backlog already in place.
But…it did result in some renewals now being done via ZOOM.
When it was just for US citizens and green card holders it was fine.
Now available for over a dozen countries. Overwhelming the systems.
This is where Enrollment on Arrival is great…no need for appointment slots.
From application, conditional approval, interview and approval, 4-5 days!! MSP
Have seen it done in 2 days. Renewal in 4 hours. But you were really lucky. Congrats!
Question: I am conditionally approved. Logistically how does the process work for completing the interview at the airport? If I do it during a layover, will I have to exit security and re-enter? Or if I book an appointment at the airport nearest me without a flight, do I need to pass through security even though I won’t have a boarding pass? Where does this all take place?
At MSP the office is just outside customs entry by the baggage claim so no need to go through security.
Can someone use the enrollment on arrival option if they aren’t “arriving”? Could we just go to the said enrollment location and sign up, or is it only accessible beyond the security gates?
Enrollment on Arrival is located inside customs, which means you can only access it after landing from an international flight.
I applied 9 months ago , and I just checked on the website and it shows as
“ Wait for conditional approval” but it doesn’t have a check mark next to it yet .
Can take up to a year in very rare cases.
If only people would go to the FAQs at the CBP page and actually read through the questions and answers.
Thanks for the Scheduler tip!! I got an appointment in about 30 minutes. Have to drive a little ways…but it is nice to know the process is almost complete after 9 months! I got approved right away, but couldn’t reschedule the appointment. I also flew international last year…but the office was closed when we landed. So frustrating.
I have a pending Global Entry Application. I see some available times just by chance at local airport tomorrow. But when I try to click on the times slots they do not “activate” there are numerous for tomorrow and none until July. I also purchased the Global Interview APP that shows the same times for tomorrow. QUESTION: do I have to have an approved Global Entry Application to secure one of the appointment times? this would assume the system knows I am logged in and not approved yet. Thanks
Your status must show “Conditionally Approved” before you can successfully schedule an interview appointment.
I’ve been waiting 10 months on an application for renewal, but YMMV.
How to check on the status of application?
You have to login to your account at https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov.
Reading Jim’s comment from above, I downloaded the Global Interview app two hours ago and have already received 6 notifications for appts. near me. I was able to snag an appt. this Sunday, best $5 I ever spent! Thanks Jim!!!!
Secret to getting Conditionally Approved faster? Contact your congressperson.
My wife and I applied for Global Entry at the same time. She was conditionally approved a few days later… I was not. Six months went by and I still had not been conditionally approved. I finally contacted my Congressperson’s office and asked them to look into it. About 10 days later, I was conditionally approved!
Contact your Congressperson!
I did not know that this was even an option. Thank you for the tip!
We did enrollment on arrival when coming back from Aruba and are surprised it has not shown that we completed our interview on our account login with Global Entry. I reached out and they said if we haven’t gotten anything in mail, etc in 30 days then contact the enrollment center we interviewed at. Any other advice? Is the process still slow even after completing an interview?
Thanks all the info on Global Entry. My daughter and I recently got both of ours in less than 2 weeks in Los Angeles which was our closest one. About and hour and a half of travel. At first I couldn’t find anything for several months to a year, but I kept checking and all of a sudden appointments opened up within a few days. We’re ready to travel overseas!
My renewal was conditionally approved in October 2021. I had no luck booking an in person interview for over a year. On my way back from an international trip in February 2023 I went through regular customs because I have not submitted a GE application for my infant son yet. The customs officer realized I was conditionally approved and did my interview right there on the spot. Fyi, I was conditionally approved because I forgot I had a grapefruit with me from Asia and I now I have an agricultural penalty on my record. The officer scolded me for it and said they would take away my GE status if something like that happens again. Anyway, they approved me and I’m good to go for now.
Me and my spouse used https://www.ttptracker.com/ when we needed an interview in preparation for our mini vacation. It was being shared on the reddit board. It’s a great way to snag a global entry appointment and works for nexus and sentri too. If you don’t mind staying glued to your computer, it’s totally free. But if you wanna get quicker updates through your phone, you can sign up for their SMS option which is still cheaper than these other sites.
I have Global Entry but got married this year, changed my name, and as a result got a new passport. I read online that you can just show up at any Global Enrollment Center without an appointment to show them your new passport and have them update your documents. Is this true? Seems too good to be true and I don’t want to go to an enrollment center just to be turned away.
The officer is simply trying to verify the information that you provided on your application, so it’s important to be truthful. Finally, it’s important to remember that the Global Entry program is a privilege and not a right. Be respectful to the officer and follow all instructions given during the interview process.
My husband and I are conditionally approved….and hoping our three kiddos will be as well before we leave for Bermuda in a few weeks. Bermuda is one of the international locations that has an EOA designation.
Question: Should we seek out a CBP agent when we arrive at Bermuda, or should we arrive early for our departing flight to attempt the EOA? I called Global Entry, but spoke to someone who I am sure was subcontracted to answer questions, and she told me we would have to do the latter, on our way out of Bermuda. But what I read leads me to believe that we seek CBP agents upon arrival to Bermuda. ?? Upon entry into the US, we have a 2 1/2 hour layover at Charlotte, and I am nervous that the five of us won’t have time to complete the interview in time to catch our last flight home. My next connecting flight option (if still available) is an almost 6 hour layover at Philadelphia.
Things seem to be improving a lot! I applied on 7/13, received conditional approval early this morning, 7/15. Went to book an appointment and was able to book same day. Just left my appointment where I was approved right away. Less than 48 hours between application and approval. Got lucky but I think shorter processing times are back.
What state are you in? I’m in California and it has been 11.5 months and waiting.
Applied about 9 months ago. Waiting on conditional approval still.
I’ve been waiting for 11.5 months and I’m still in the wait for conditional approval. The U.S. has turned in a third-world country!
I agree that wait times may be getting better. I applied last week and was conditionally approved in days. Monday morning, I went to schedule an appointment in Denver and nothing was open. The website said appointments full through Dec 29, 2023 with no option to even schedule beyond that. I happened to look later in the morning, and three full days of appointments were available this week, so I snagged one for Thursday. By Tuesday, all appointments were gone again, so I glad I grabbed it when I could. It all appears to be can you snag an appointment when they open the slots. I’ll probably use the TTP alerts website when I apply for my kids Global Entry. Still waiting on passports before I can apply for their Global Entry.
I got denied at an interview for a DWI that I admitted to. The charges were dropped to lesser charges but they must go deep into records. (Under legal limit alcohol) I would like to apply again.
Is it worth wasting another 100.00? How do I best handle this?
Wait time for conditional approval: 354 days
I just wanted to thank you for writing this article. The interview was available in August 2024 but I paid for Appointment Scanner and have my interview tomorrow. BTW I applied for Global Entry on Wednesday and was conditionally approved on Friday. I know, sounds unbelievable but it’s true. My daughter is still waiting 8 months.