Learn About Global Entry and How It Works

What Is Global Entry and Its Basic Purpose

Global Entry is a U.S. government program that allows travelers to move through customs and immigration lines more quickly when returning to the United States from international travel. The program is administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency responsible for protecting U.S. borders. When you participate in Global Entry, you receive a trusted traveler card and enrollment in a database that identifies you as a low-risk traveler.

The program works by giving participants access to dedicated Global Entry kiosks at major U.S. airports. Instead of waiting in standard customs lines, participants can use these automated kiosks to process their entry back into the country. The kiosks scan your passport, take your photograph, and ask questions about what you're bringing back from your trip. This process typically takes just a few minutes, whereas standard customs lines can take 30 minutes to over an hour during busy travel periods.

Global Entry currently has approximately 13 million members enrolled in the program. The program has been operating since 2008 and has processed hundreds of millions of traveler entries. Major U.S. airports including those in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and San Francisco all have Global Entry kiosks available.

The program is part of a larger initiative called Trusted Traveler Programs, which includes several other programs like TSA PreCheck, which focuses on expedited security screening at airport checkpoints. Understanding how Global Entry functions is the first step toward determining whether the program might be useful for your travel patterns.

Practical Takeaway: Global Entry is a time-saving program for U.S. citizens and certain permanent residents who travel internationally and want to move through customs more quickly upon return to the United States.

Who Can Participate in Global Entry

Global Entry is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents (green card holders). The program also extends to some visa holders from trusted countries and individuals with specific work permits. Participation requires that you meet character and security requirements established by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

To participate, you must be at least 18 years old, or between 16 and 17 with parental consent and sponsorship. There is no upper age limit for participation. The program does not have restrictions based on employment status, income level, or travel frequency, though it is most beneficial for people who travel internationally several times per year.

Minors can be included on a parent or guardian's account through a derivative enrollment process. This allows families to have all members enrolled and able to use the Global Entry kiosks together. Derivatives remain on the account until they turn 21.

There are some situations where you may not be able to participate. The CBP conducts background checks and considers factors such as criminal history, immigration violations, and certain financial crimes. Dishonesty during the enrollment process or in interviews can also result in disqualification. Anyone with a felony conviction, drug offense, or crime involving moral turpitude should know that these factors are examined carefully during the review process.

Your immigration status must be lawful and current. If you have an expired green card or are on a visa that does not authorize Global Entry participation, you would need to resolve that status first. Some visa categories, such as certain employment-based visas, do authorize participation.

Practical Takeaway: Most U.S. citizens and permanent residents can potentially participate in Global Entry, but you must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, and maintain lawful status in the United States.

How to Enroll in the Global Entry Program

The enrollment process for Global Entry involves several steps spread over several months. First, you create an account on the CBP's official website for the Trusted Traveler Programs. During account creation, you provide basic information such as your name, date of birth, passport number, and contact information. This initial step is free and does not obligate you to continue with enrollment.

After creating your account, you submit a detailed questionnaire that asks about your background, residence history, travel patterns, employment, and whether you have any criminal history or immigration issues. This questionnaire is thorough and requires you to account for your residence for the past five years. You must answer all questions honestly and accurately.

Once you submit the questionnaire, you receive a conditional approval notice if your initial background check appears satisfactory. At this point, you need to pay the enrollment fee, which is currently $100 for a five-year membership. This fee is non-refundable if you are denied later in the process.

After paying the fee, you schedule an in-person appointment at an enrollment center. These centers are located at major airports and some other facilities across the United States. During your appointment, a CBP officer reviews your submitted information with you, takes your photograph and fingerprints, and asks questions about your background and intended use of the program. The officer may ask detailed questions about any items in your questionnaire that require clarification.

The appointment typically lasts 15 to 30 minutes. Bring your valid passport, government-issued ID, proof of citizenship or residency, and any documentation related to your background that was mentioned in your questionnaire. After the appointment, CBP conducts a final background check. If you are approved, you receive your Global Entry card within one to two weeks.

Practical Takeaway: Enrollment requires an online application, background check, in-person interview, and a $100 fee, with the entire process taking one to three months from start to finish.

How Global Entry Works at Airports and When You Return

Using Global Entry at airports is straightforward once you are enrolled and have received your card. When you return to the United States at an airport with Global Entry kiosks, you proceed to the dedicated Global Entry area instead of the standard customs line. You insert your passport into the automated kiosk, which scans your travel documents and passport.

The kiosk prompts you to answer a series of questions about your trip. These questions are similar to those asked by customs officers and include questions such as: Where did you travel? What is the purpose of your trip? Are you bringing any prohibited items? Did anyone ask you to bring items back for them? Have you been arrested or convicted of any crimes since enrollment? The kiosk also captures your photograph and compares it to your enrollment photo.

After you answer the questions and the kiosk processes your information, it generates a receipt. The entire kiosk process typically takes two to five minutes. You then proceed to baggage claim and exit. In most cases, you do not need to interact with a customs officer at all.

There are situations where a customs officer may still need to speak with you. If the kiosk flags something for manual review—such as prohibited items you've declared, unusually large amounts of goods, or information that requires clarification—a customs officer will direct you to secondary inspection. This happens in a small percentage of entries, usually fewer than five percent of Global Entry users.

Global Entry is available at over 50 U.S. airports, including major hubs such as Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK and Newark), Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO), Boston (BOS), and Dallas (DFW). The program also works at certain U.S. preclearance locations in foreign airports, including facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and several Caribbean countries. At these preclearance locations, you process customs and immigration before boarding your flight to the United States, which means you arrive as a domestic passenger.

Practical Takeaway: Using Global Entry at airport kiosks takes just a few minutes and allows you to bypass standard customs lines by answering questions at an automated machine instead of to a customs officer.

Benefits and Practical Advantages of Global Entry Membership

The primary benefit of Global Entry is time savings. During peak travel periods such as holidays, summer vacation, and spring break, standard customs lines can extend 45 minutes to over two hours. Global Entry users typically spend five to ten minutes total processing their entry. For someone who takes four international trips per year, this could save anywhere from 120 to 480 minutes annually—roughly two to eight hours per year.

Global Entry membership also includes TSA PreCheck benefits at no additional cost. TSA PreCheck allows you to go through expedited security screening at domestic airport checkpoints. With TSA