Global Entry has been a game-changer for my international travel. It allows you to skip customs lines that have enabled me to make connections that would never have been possible before it came around. It comes with PreCheck for expedited security, and best of all, many credit cards cover the fee for it.
I flew from Frankfurt to Chicago in December in Lufthansa 747-8 First Class at a bargain 84K Chase points, and loved using the Global Entry mobile app instead of the kiosk. I just took a selfie upon landing and breezed right past the Global Entry kiosks. The customs officer waved us right through upon showing him the receipt on the phone screen.
The Mobile Passport Control app is another great option for expediting clearing customs, and it doesn’t require Global Entry. For non-US citizens, this is a great option and anyone coming from a Visa Waiver country, such as Israel and Europe, can use this app. One downside is that I’ve seen it closed the last few times I’ve cleared customs with Global Entry, so it isn’t as reliable.
But for people without Global Entry, in many locations it can be tough to find an available appointment for the interview needed to get Global Entry after conditional approval.
I have signed up several of our kids for Global Entry on arrival into the US, which is a nice option to have as you don’t need to schedule an interview. However, it’s not always available and can take some time until you are interviewed.
And now you can take a Global Entry interview before departure if you have an international flight departing from Washington/IAD. You can go to gate B41 in Dulles airport’s B concourse for the interview. CBP officers will staff this office from 12pm through 8pm daily.
Unfortunately, you must have a departing international ticket to take the interview, but it’s nice to see this as an option. Hopefully we’ll see it added to more airports. I’d assume nothing would stop you from refunding said ticket either?
Do you have Global Entry?
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29 Comments On "Global Entry Interview Now Available Before Departure, And More Program Tidbits"
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Worth mentioning I just did 2 renewals and they didn’t require another interview
Seems like this is available at YYZ as well for nexus interview after clearing customs.
Because you clear US customs before departing Canada
what was the redemption from JFK to Frankfurt?! How did you book with Chase points?
Transferred 84K Chase to 100K Air Canada with a 20% bonus to fly in F from VIE-FRA-ORD-CLE. Excellent flight and FRA FCT experience.
And got the front 2 seats on the 747-8, what a plane!
The FCT is definitely worth it to try! was incredible! Scotch tasting at 8am (2am my time) isn’t something I do every day but was awesome!
I see the global entry app is not available in all airports
Someones Global entry got revoked for taking in to much $ into Israel (was stopped in Israel not in the USA).
Any chance of getting approved again?
Too much, as in, over 10k? Or less than 10k was also an issue?
I assume over $10K. No clue if they would allow you back.
My aunt asked me to bring $8k cash with me. Are there any risks of doing it?
Other than the risk of getting robbed, it should be OK.
Thank you. Robbed by travelers or TSA/security?
Both are risks, but there’s another: other government agencies may rob it via civil asset forfeiture. Sometimes TSA tips them off and sometimes they bring their own cash sniffing dogs.
What’s the process to get kids global entry? Same as an adult?
Yes
Please add to title just for IAD airport
nice hopefully more to come….
Does infant also need global entry to go with parents thru global entry?
Thanks
They need their own.
Thanks Dan just downloaded the app, seems though that not yet available in any nyc airports
What about nexus for us Canadians?
My renewal went through after a week. Got my card in the mail about 10 days later
My daughter now lives in DC. She got her interview at a building in DC (not at the airport) within a few days of signing up. The process at the interview took 10 minutes.
Fyi I didn’t need interview to renew mine
to clarify the 10k rule is when transferring the money is fully legit, you dont have to declare. however taking 8k or even 1k if the person is trying to send cash and avoid being detected by the banking system, and you cant give answers / prove a legit source is a offense as well. unfortunaley alot of people are unaware of this and think they can “smuggle” 9900 etc and it is fully legal
Mobile passport is just as good and is free. I literally skip the whole line and the agent just scans passport and allows me right through
Hi Dan Any chance we can get the rundown how miles were redeemed in 23?
Just entered MIA this week and the Mobile Passport Control queue took about 15 minutes to get through. While it was much shorter than the general queue for US citizens (which was probably an hour long), there was no queue at all for Global Entry. It’s the first time I’ve had to wait more than 5 minutes at Mobile Passport Control and am considering signing up for Global Entry instead. I’ve just been cheap about it since there was next to no wait with MPC.
I just used mpc the first time last time week it was a 5 minute line