Today I wanted to write a quick post on Global Entry and why I love it. I haven’t talked about Global Entry in the past but if you don’t have it, you need to get it. This only applies to American citizens and for a few other countries, but essentially if you’re arriving internationally into the United States, this program is for you.
What is Global Entry?
Global Entry is an American system to streamline the process of immigration when arriving into the United States from international destinations. It’s different from TSA PreCheck, which only applies domestically and lets you get into the TSA PreCheck line. However, and this is the good part, when you apply for Global Entry you also get TSA PreCheck included and that’s amazing.
Now Global Entry costs $100 currently and that non-refundable and you have to send in an application. You may not always get approved once you send your application in by the way. You have to wait a couple of weeks and then you’ll go into an office and be interviewed. From there they will decide if you get Global Entry or not.
By the way, it doesn’t apply just to Americans. As of 2018, citizens of Argentina, India, Colombia, United Kingdom, Germany, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan. Canadians can get access to Global Entry through the NEXUS program. These countries would benefit greatly, arriving into the United States by skipping the slow immigration lines.
Why I Love Global Entry
Having Global Entry allows you to be on a low-risk list for the United States essentially, meaning they trust you. So when you arrive in the United States you no longer have to wait in long wait times for immigration. You simply go to a kiosk, type in your passport, and then you should be cleared through immigration. It saves a lot of time.
On top of that, if you fly into the United States domestically, you’ll get the TSA PreCheck for that $100, and let me tell you it’s worth it. No longer do you have to open your bag, or take off your shoes or wait in long TSA lines. You get to streamline right through the whole system.
For me it’s been one of the smartest decisions I’ve made and it will last for 5 years. If you travel a lot, then you’ll want to do this. And for $100 it really is a pretty good bargain. And I know that European readers will say that the American system is terrible and that you’re essentially paying to get out of a bad situation. I agree on all of that, but for me, it’s worth the money. This is the system we have in the United States, and I’d rather be on an expedited list every time I come home to the United States.
Where to Apply?
Please go to this link to start the steps of applying online.
Remember that you may not get approved and they are looking for low-risk people. I know people who travel often that have not been approved and you will not get the 100 dollars back. So you do have to think about before you apply.
