Why get Global Entry?
Global Entry is a process that expedites travel through customs. When you enter US customs instead of having to fill out the sheet of declaration and stand in a line of 100 or so people you can go to a kiosk to submit the information and cut the line. It also gives access to TSA Precheck which is essentially a security fast pass enabling passengers to keep jacket and shoes on and avoid removing electronics from bags.
Application
To be approved for Global Entry you’ll need the following
- US Passport
- $100 (some credit cards cover this as a benefit including but not limited to American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture, Barclay)
- Eligibility with “low risk status”; a criminal record, trouble with immigration in the past or trouble on an air carrier might be grounds to disqualify. Thankfully babies won’t have any problem!
We submitted the application on August 7 and got approved August 11. The first available interview wasn’t until JANUARY 2019. So I grabbed that slot and then continued to check every day until the third attempt when I found an opening on September 24.
Ways to Interview include
- Finding a slot at your local airport- and checking consistently
- Traveling to a different enrollment center and interviewing
- Enrolling on arrival from an international flight
The “interview” took about 4 minutes and consisted of the agent looking at A’s passport and then snapping a picture of her. Once I got home the approval was complete and received her known traveler number. We don’t need the Global Entry card to travel by air as long as we have the number, but it is necessary to have all family members’ cards traveling by car into the US from Canada. The card does suffice as a form of ID for domestic flights instead of taking a passport or birth certificate so we now will use the card to minimize space!
Using Global Entry
Use the infant boarding pass to start the process of electronically filling out their form. After completion, the kiosk will snap a picture of your baby with little warning so make sure to hold them in front of the camera on time! If you do mess up (like we did!) an agent will help you so it’s not a huge deal.
Remember to not use your phones or even take them out in the customs/immigration area!
