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It’s been a frustrating few years for travelers applying to Global Entry, the fast-track airport service that helps passengers speed through passport control after an international flight.
First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which fueled a huge backlog of applicants waiting to schedule an in-person interview — a requirement to join the program, which is operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Then, an unprecedented wave of new travelers applied to join just as international travel demand surged.
But landing an appointment may be getting a little easier.
“The average time to enroll has really decreased across the board,” Matt Davies, CBP executive director for admissibility and passengers programs, told TPG.
How to apply for Global entry
Travelers applying for Global Entry must go through a multi-step process.
First, they apply online through CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs dashboard. Last fall, the program’s enrollment fee rose to $120 for a five-year membership — though some travel credit cards will reimburse the fee. (Keep in mind, a Global Entry membership comes with access to the TSA PreCheck lanes at airport security.)
After applying online, members — usually quite quickly — clear the first approval hurdle, known as “conditional approval.” For four in five applicants, that comes within two weeks, CBP leaders told me last year.
But it’s the second step — an in-person interview with a CBP agent — that’s been the biggest hang-up for travelers hoping to quickly clear the application queue over the last few years.
Read more: Global Entry gets a high-tech, ‘on-the-move’ upgrade at 7 US airports
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A big reason: sheer volume.
In 2019, CBP saw a then-record 3.2 million people join its Trusted Traveler Programs — which include services that expedite trips between the U.S. and Canada and/or Mexico (but a majority of the applications were for Global Entry).
Last year, a whopping 4.5 million travelers applied for those programs.
And this year, CBP tells TPG it’s on pace to see at least 4.2 million more.
That crush of applications has, at times, made landing an interview slot challenging for travelers, especially those with fewer windows in their own calendars.
Global Entry wait times
So what do Global Entry wait times look like today?
If you log on to the CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs website, you’ll see estimated wait times for the agency’s other expedited travel programs. That includes mere days of wait times for a standalone TSA PreCheck membership.
But for Global Entry?
“Times vary,” the site says.
Global Entry application wait times
However, CBP leaders offered some clues, speaking to TPG this month: 52 days to enroll, on average, the agency told TPG.
“We’re seeing that more than 50% of our applicants are getting through within 60 days,” Davies told me, standing inside the passport control facility at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). “Some of that is dependent on the applicant actually scheduling themself for an interview or traveling.”
One thing that could help speed up interview waits: CBP is seeing applicants for some of its non-Global Entry programs “level off” — presumably, that could be tied to a drop-off in travel from Canada to the U.S.
That could potentially free up more agents to do interviews.
What to do if you can’t find a Global Entry interview appointment
In the meantime, what else can travelers do?
Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival
If you’ve been conditionally approved for Global Entry but haven’t been able to get an interview scheduled, there’s another way to skip the longest lines.
CBP offers Enrollment on Arrival, which allows you to conduct your interview after your international flight as you pass through passport control, at dozens of airports that offer Global Entry.
Travelers I’ve heard from who have used this option have routinely said it was a quick and seamless process.
Plus, two major East Coast airports have piloted a new Enrollment on Departure option where applicants can do their Global Entry interview at the airport while waiting for an upcoming flight.
This service is available at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
Check on the first Monday of the month
Historically, CBP has released new tranches of interview appointments on the first Monday of the month at 9 a.m. local time — so set a reminder on your phone to check for a slot then.
We should note, there are also some third-party services that scan for appointment slots that can help you nail down a time, but may charge a fee — so your better bet may be to exhaust your attempts at finding a slot yourself, first.
Visit an interview location while traveling
Sparse options close to home? If you’re a frequent domestic traveler and know you’ll have some downtime while on the road, see if there’s an appointment available wherever you’ll be visiting.
You can search for appointment times using this CBP tool.
Some pockets of the country can have more availability than others.
Another wave coming?
Looking ahead, CBP anticipates another Global Entry application wave — specifically, for renewals.
After historic sign-ups for the program between 2021 and 2025, a never-before-seen wave of travelers will likely look to re-up membership over the next few years, since memberships run on a five-year cycle.
Fortunately, renewals these days are frequently a far more seamless process than a first-time application, and often don’t require an in-person interview.
After submitting for renewal online in the fall of 2023, my full approval visa came within days. My wife had a similar experience this past spring.
CBP is working on new processes to move the vast majority of existing members through the renewal process that fast.
“We want to get to the point where it’s quick, it’s seamless, it’s easy,” Davies told me, “and really only in the most extreme cases does someone have to do something other than submitting an application before they’re able to continue their membership.”
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