In preparation for my upcoming journey, I got a credit card (I haven’t had one, or even felt the need to have one, for at least the last twenty years). When that card arrived, I read through the literature and noticed that one of the “perks” of the card was that the $100 application fee (which, incidentally, also includes enrollment in TSA Precheck) for the Global Entry program would be reimbursed. Since I have a clean background (no driving or criminal convictions), a valid passport, and am a US citizen, I figured I’d apply and try to get enrolled in the program prior to my departure for France. Considering that the program is good for five years, it seemed like a good thing in which to enroll.
In March of this year, I applied for the TSA Precheck Program when I traveled down to Florida. For $85 for five years, I would be allowed to keep my jacket and shoes on and leave my laptop in its bag whenever I flew. The program was SUPER easy to apply for; I submitted an online application, made an appointment for later that same day at an enrollment center about ten minutes from my house, paid the fee, went to the appointment (where fingerprints and a photo were taken), and three days later I found out I had been approved and received my Known Traveler Number (KTN). I guess I, somewhat naïvely, expected the Global Entry program to happen as quickly.
On 20 April, I submitted my online application for the Global Entry program. Unlike TSA Precheck, which is administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) (duh), Global Entry is administered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Because the Global Entry program allows expedited clearance through customs when re-entering the United States, the vetting is much more thorough and involves a background check, so therefore takes longer. It wasn’t until 11 May that I found out I had been “conditionally approved” and needed to schedule my interview at a CBP enrollment center. Upon checking the website, I found out that the closest center (incidentally, the only center in Maine) was two hours away in a small town near the Canadian border. I scheduled my interview for the following week, took the day off from work, and drove nearly two hours to get to the center. Since I had allowed plenty of time to get there, I arrived about an hour prior to my appointment and went in to ask if they could see me earlier than my appointment time (I had brought a book with me just in case they couldn’t). Other than the two CBP employees, there was no one else in the postage-stamp-sized office and they seemed more than happy to break the monotony and do my “interview” early. I gave them my passport and driver’s license, answered a few quick questions, had my fingerprints and photo taken, was handed a pamphlet on how to use the Global Entry kiosks, and was told that my ID card would arrive within a couple of weeks. As I was walking out of the building, I received an email from CBP that I had been approved for the program (which struck me as funny since it took almost three weeks just to get an email that I could schedule my interview).
Since I had spent almost two hours driving to the center and would spend almost two hours driving home, I decided to pop into St Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada and have lunch. I made a quick trip to the grocery store for some Canadian tea and Yop drink, ran over to Dollarama for a couple of small items to take on my upcoming move, and then went to Pizza Delight for a Big Crave donair. I took a little post-lunch stroll along the river, then headed back into the US and picked up the highway home. All in all, it was a good day.
Bottom line (or TL:DR):
– Apply at least six to eight weeks prior to your anticipated departure;
– Submit your application and pay $100 for Global Entry and TSA Precheck;
– Once conditionally approved, make your interview appointment at your nearest CBP enrollment center;
– Attend your interview (with your passport, driver’s license, and proof of residence)
– Receive your approval and ID card (obviously, if approved)
As always, thank you for reading! Please let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything I can answer for you.
À la prochaine,
The Expat Maineiac
#expatmaineiac #intlteflacademy #movingtofrance
UPDATE: My Global Entry ID card arrived six days after my interview appointment. I don’t know whether they always arrive this fast, but I was pleasantly surprised. I logged on to my Trusted Traveler Program profile this morning and activated my card, which completed my Global Entry enrollment (incidentally, the card is not required to be presented for air travel, just at land border crossings {i.e., Canada to the US or Mexico to the US}).
The Expat Maineiac 