Post: #1

I just got approved for the Global Entry Program managed by US Customs & Border Patrol.

I recommend anyone here who wants a smooth entry into the US without the hassle of waiting in lines at Passport Control, or filling out the blue entry cards join the program.

According to a close friend of mine, the total time it took him to enter the US from the time he exited the plane, until the time he was outside catching a taxi back home was 15 minutes! There is a special "trusted traveler" entry line that is always empty. Usually it's the same line for diplomats and airline crew.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/truste...bal_entry/

It is open to both US Citizens and Resident Green Card holders who do not have any type of arrest record in the US or abroad.

Mixx

Post: #2

Smooth Mixx.

There is another one called Sentry for the California Mexican border as well. I have a bunch of friends who have that one.

I have thought of this a bunch, but I wonder 1) if I will be accepted and 2) If I want the government to have more Data Sheets on me.

Can you break down the process/hassles/stumbling block/con's a little?

Post: #3

G, I felt the same way you do, but guess what? If you have ever entered any passport control port, the gov't already has your number and can find you regardless, so fuck it.

Here is how the process breaks down:

http://www.globalentry.gov/howtoapply.html

So, the application will be very thorough on the following:

a) All the places you have worked in the past 5 years. ** Even if you were unemployed, you must say so.
b) All the places you have lived.
c) A thorough background check confirming your answers will be done. If you lie for any reason, you will be denied.

d) A face-to-face interview once you are conditionally approved (they will send you an e-mail).


At the face-to-face interview, the CBP officer will go over your answers in you application once again, and ask you to verify you places of formal education, highest degree attained, and a bunch of other stuff you answered on your app. Your picture and fingerprints will be taken at the interview, and if approved, you will be shown how to operate the kiosk machine for Trusted Travelers.


The whole thing took about 3 weeks to finalize (given that you do not have any blemishes on your personal record). If you even have so much as a speeding ticket, you'll likely get denied.

Also, if you get arrested for any reason after you are approved, your membership will be revoked!

Membership last for 5 years, and you are charged 100USD for the term. You can renew after 5 years, so long as you stay arrest-free.

If you have a spotless record (not that you're a saint, just that you have never been caught for anything), then the whole process goes smoothly, and during the face-to-face interview the officers doing this are VERY nice. I was shocked at how polite and nice CBP officers were to me.

Mixx

Post: #4

Quote:A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will ask you questions, take your photo, and collect biometric information, e.g., scan your fingerprints.

Kills it for me.

Post: #5

(02-08-2011 01:41 PM)MiXX Wrote:  I just got approved for the Global Entry Program managed by US Customs & Border Patrol.
I recommend anyone here who wants a smooth entry into the US without the hassle of waiting in lines at Passport Control, or filling out the blue entry cards join the program.

I tried to apply six months ago; filled up the data up to the page 7 or so. Then got bored, and didn't finish the process. Maybe will check it again.

Quote:According to a close friend of mine, the total time it took him to enter the US from the time he exited the plane, until the time he was outside catching a taxi back home was 15 minutes!

This is my typical time as well to clear US customs. It is simple if you follow the basic steps:

- Sit close to the exit in the plane (easy if you have any kind of frequent mile status);
- Once you left the plane - either run, or walk very fast to the immigration. Have your paperwork ready, of course. In most cases I'm the first person from my plane coming to the immigration line. This is extremely important if your plane is something like Boeing 747 or 767-ER.
- Travel only with carry-on, as otherwise you might stuck while waiting for your luggage.

Only once last year it took me longer to get through customs, but it was in JFK.

Post: #6

I don't think there's any way to avoid insanity coming off an international flight to ATL. There's always a line in passport control when I get there from other planes. Then the reentry point to the terminals. Fuck. My bags only make it about half the time. So regardless I probably have to wait to file a missing baggage report. The GEP sounds good but I got a driving record. Damn, always wished I could roll through the dignitary line.

Post: #7

Mixx, I applaud your tolerance of investigation. I don't have anything to hide, but I don't feel totally comfortable with people sniffing through my record that much. As they say, if you shake the tree enough, something's bound to fall out. Maybe it's just years of lying to bitches that has made me this way or maybe it's the whole big-brother thing. When I heard that 24-hour-fitness switched over to biometric entry not long ago, I pretty much scratched it off my list of future gyms. I'm still not completely over the new U.S. passports with RFID chips in them.

I had to go through a pretty high-level security clearance once upon a time and have to say that shit is THOROUGH. They even go to old neighborhoods and ask previous neighbors questions about your-ass. I sort of doubt this is that bad, but still.

Post: #8

(02-08-2011 02:02 PM)MiXX Wrote:  a) All the places you have worked in the past 5 years. ** Even if you were unemployed, you must say so.
b) All the places you have lived.

It also requires you to list all the countries you visited. Fortunately, unlike N-400, you do not have to provide the dates, only the countries.

Quote:The whole thing took about 3 weeks to finalize (given that you do not have any blemishes on your personal record). If you even have so much as a speeding ticket, you'll likely get denied.

Are you sure? They do not even ask for speeding tickets on the application; they ask if you ever been convicted of a criminal offense (including misdemeanor or felony traffic violations) in the United States or any other country. At least here in CA unless you're going over 100mph a speeding ticket is infraction, not misdemeanor.

So your experience pushed me to finish my application, and I finally submitted it. Let's see

Post: #9

(02-08-2011 06:21 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  Mixx, I applaud your tolerance of investigation. I don't have anything to hide, but I don't feel totally comfortable with people sniffing through my record that much. As they say, if you shake the tree enough, something's bound to fall out.

In your case it is reasonable. But I just finished the whole immigration process, and this form asks for much less data than, for example, N-400.
Fingerprints? You have to provide yours when you apply for California DL anyway.

Quote:When I heard that 24-hour-fitness switched over to biometric entry not long ago, I pretty much scratched it off my list of future gyms.

I am a member of 24hour. They did not switch to fingerprints, it is just one of the options for authorization. I am not using it, and still get in by using my membership card. However I do share your concerns and especially amazed that people seem to trust the private business with their data more than the government. At least the gov't does not sell your data to others (like advertisers); private businesses do it all the time.

Quote:I had to go through a pretty high-level security clearance once upon a time and have to say that shit is THOROUGH.

That's different shit.

Post: #10

The CBP officer told me about possibly being denied for speeding ticket, but said you definitely wil be denied for a DUI arrest. My brother has 3 speeding tickets, which is why I asked the CBP officer so my brother is not out 100 bucks if he applies.

Be interesting to see how somebody that does have speeding tickets go through the process.

With that said, so long as you have never been arrested, I think you will be fine, but then again, it's at the discretion of the officer at the in-person interview. They have a lot of power to flat out deny you without an explanation or a refund of your application fee. So, be nice and smile a lot at the meeting. Membership with the trusted travel program seems worth the effort/time invested especially when coming in through MIA, ATL and JFK!

Mixx

Post: #11

I worked on some bio metric stuff here in DC. Scary what they can do with that. Terrorists today, citizens tomorrow kind of feel.

Still great advice Mixx....sounds like a good idea for most people.

Post: #12

(02-08-2011 09:25 PM)MiXX Wrote:  The CBP officer told me about possibly being denied for speeding ticket, but said you definitely wil be denied for a DUI arrest.

Yes, he likely said that because there are different speeding tickets. Doing 80 on a 65 max freeway is infraction, but I'd guess one doing 80 through a school zone is gonna be arrested and charged with reckless driving at least, and this is misdemeanor here in CA.

DUI is misdemeanor or felony (if there was bodily injury), so it is a different story. I've seen people who applied for citizenship being delayed for DUI, and denied for multiple DUIs.

Quote:Be interesting to see how somebody that does have speeding tickets go through the process.

I had one back from Russia, so let's see how it would work. Had two in US, but I got both of them dismissed in court, so I was never convicted (and this form asks about being convicted, while N-400 asks for basically any contacts with police).

Quote:Membership with the trusted travel program seems worth the effort/time invested especially when coming in through MIA, ATL and JFK!

Not to mention that if you travel for business, those $100 is a valid business expense, meaning Uncle Sam would cover roughly half of it

Post: #13

@oldnemesis.

Hey, when you get your face-to-face interview, could you ask the CBP officer what happens when you get a new passort and you still have time left on your 5-year term? I trust you would have to make some sort of appointment to have your new passport number "linked" to the program, but I forgot to ask him what the formal process is. I did not see anything related to that on the website.

Thanks!

Post: #14

They have some kind of explanation here (Q: What should I do if my passport is about to expire?), and I assume it works the same way with us US citizens. But I will ask anyway.

Post: #15

I would do it but having background investigations and polygraphs every 4-5 years and doing a financial disclosure EVERY year takes my patience away to submit to anything else.

Thanks though.

Post: #16

(02-11-2011 09:52 AM)UrbanNerd Wrote:  I would do it but having background investigations and polygraphs every 4-5 years and doing a financial disclosure EVERY year takes my patience away to submit to anything else.

Thanks though.

There is no Poly required for you to join the program. They also don't ask you to disclose your finances. They only ask you to list the places where you have worked, and what dates you worked there, including unemployed dates (if any).

Bummer you don't want to join, from all the reviews I read online, this program is gold. However, it's not for everyone. I normally come in to FLL or MIA and there are at least 4 flights that come in at the same time. Making my passport control line about a 1hr wait!

Mixx

Post: #17

I was thinking about doing this program but since I fly 1st class for all International Flights on Delta Non-Stop to and from ATL I'm always right up front and one of the 1st passengers to arrive into the customs line in the early morning on flights back from Brasil twice per month to Atlanta. It normally doesnt take me any longer than 5-20 minutes for me to clear customs here in Atlanta and many times I'm the first customer in line so It's a breeze.

For flights back from Europe or Central America or The Caribbean that arrive in the Afternoon It's never usually a problem either so It's not worth It for me to give them all that information and deal with that paperwork and grilling since my arrangement is already pretty much hassle free. I even have a few homies I went to school with who I bump into from time to time who are CBP customs officers and they always get me right through. A few times they even yelled my name when I was waiting in line to the dismay of other passengers waiting in line. I walked right up and It was "Welcome Back to The United States".

Post: #18

(02-11-2011 11:39 AM)MiXX Wrote:  

(02-11-2011 09:52 AM)UrbanNerd Wrote:  I would do it but having background investigations and polygraphs every 4-5 years and doing a financial disclosure EVERY year takes my patience away to submit to anything else.

Thanks though.

There is no Poly required for you to join the program. They also don't ask you to disclose your finances. They only ask you to list the places where you have worked, and what dates you worked there, including unemployed dates (if any).

Bummer you don't want to join, from all the reviews I read online, this program is gold. However, it's not for everyone. I normally come in to FLL or MIA and there are at least 4 flights that come in at the same time. Making my passport control line about a 1hr wait!

Mixx

Oh I knew the poly and finance disclosure were not part of it. I was saying that after going through those things...I don't wanna tell anyone anything for awhile, LOL.

I will look into it...and pass it along to a few of my boys.

Post: #19

(02-11-2011 12:42 PM)InternationalSwagger Wrote:  I was thinking about doing this program but since I fly 1st class for all International Flights I'm always right up front and one of the 1st passengers to arrive into the customs line in the early morning on flights back from Brasil twice per month to Atlanta. It normally doesnt take any longer than 5-20 minutes for me to clear customs here in Atlanta and many times I'm the first customer in lie. For Afternoon Flights back from Europe or Central America or The Caribbean It's never usually a problem either so It's not worth It for me to give them all that information and deal with that hassle since my arrangement is already pretty much hassle free. I have a few homies I went to school with who I bump into from time to time who are CBP customs officers and they always get me right through.

Yeah, this is something that I had to learn later on...just pay and/or use miles for a 1st-class seat. It made things so much easier.

Post: #20

I'm all for first class seats on long trips, but sometimes they are just not available to upgrade or buy. =)

Post: #21

@ Mixx - The only times I have been through MIA they always treat me like shit! When I was coming back from Medellin and Cartagena both times on Avianca they sent me through for extra screening. Both times I have come back from Jamaica here to Atlanta they sent me through for extra screening as well. Guess I fit the profile :/ even though I'm extremely clean cut and polished.

One thing I love about coming through Atlanta is that It's alot of brothas who are working as CBF officers and they are always cool and asking me about my trips (Brasil especially lol) and interested and don't ask any stupid question like some of the "others" who always seem more suspicious and can't believe I have all these stamps in my passport and or traveled to Brasil for a "weekend". I always make it a point to try to go to a customs lane where a brotha is working in Atlanta to avoid all BS and normally that Isn't too hard to find.

Post: #22

(02-11-2011 09:52 AM)UrbanNerd Wrote:  I would do it but having background investigations and polygraphs every 4-5 years and doing a financial disclosure EVERY year takes my patience away to submit to anything else.

Background investigation was mentioned in an example of getting a security clearance (I believe it was Top Secret). This program does not require that.

Post: #23

(02-11-2011 03:28 PM)InternationalSwagger Wrote:  @ Mixx - The only times I have been through MIA they always treat me like shit! When I was coming back from Medellin and Cartagena both times on Avianca they sent me through for extra screening. Both times I have come back from Jamaica here to Atlanta they sent me through for extra screening as well. Guess I fit the profile :/ even though I'm extremely clean cut and polished.

One thing I love about coming through Atlanta is that It's a lot of brothas who are working as CBF officers and they are always cool and asking me about my trips (Brasil especially lol) and interested and don't ask any stupid question like some of the "others" who always seem more suspicious and can't believe I have all these stamps in my passport and or traveled to Brasil for a "weekend". I always make it a point to try to go to a customs lane where a brotha is working in Atlanta to avoid all BS and normally that Isn't too hard to find.

Funny, I do the same thing except I look for a latin/spanish officer, which in Miami is not hard to find. Unfortunately, if I get a white officer he is immediately suspicious; that is until I stapled my business card with the logo of a MAJOR Television network on my bio page of my passport - they all ask surprisingly, "you work for <major TV network>?" Then, they let me through and jokingly ask me to make them famous.

However, that is the real reason I got this Global Entry program, I will not have to go through the hassle of explaining my weekend trips in Colombia because it immediately red-flagged as a narco drug lord or mule. Now, I will breeze through no matter where I come from without the suspicions.

Sometimes I wish I could really tell them the truth as to why I take weekend trips to Colombia:

CBP Officer: "Welcome to the United States, what was the purpose of your short visit to Colombia?"
Mixx:" I needed to unload my nuts inside 8 Colombianas in 48hrs"
CBP Officer:" I see you son of a bitch, but did you bring any drugs or illegal contraband or fruits?"
Mixx:"Nope, but I may have to check myself for STD's later this week"
CBP Officer:" Fuck you!, and just because I am filled with envy, off to extra screening you go mofo!"

Damn, typing that felt good!

Mixx

Post: #24

That's good advice Mixx. I will start doing that so I can avoid the "what do you do for a living" question I'm always asked upon arrival. I'm typing this message from customs now and just got cleared when I was waiting in line I saw one of my boys I went to school with who works as a cbf officer was working so I went straight to his line and it was all good! He was like damn boy you were in Brasil again" I was like yup! You need to roll with me one of these days and he stamped me right through no drama...love it. Was seated in 1st class so waited in line for about 15 minutes in line since many nonstops arrive in Atlanta around this time in the am.

Post: #25

I got approved today as well. Passed the interview (which is very similar to what you get through if you arrive into US and go through second inspection - questions like where you live, what do you do, who is your employer, what countries you visited, how long you stayed there and what was the purpose of your trip etc), got a sticker on my passport, and learned how to use the machine. Not very different from any immigration interview either. The whole interview took 15 minutes, including taking my picture, fingerprints and teaching me how to use the machine.

As the timeline, I submitted my application at Feb 8, it was approved at Feb 18, and I scheduled the interview for today, Feb 25th.

Mixx, now regarding your questions, I asked the officers about it and here are their answers:

1. Speeding tickets do not matter and do not disqualify your from the program unless it is a misdemeanor or felony (DUI, illegal racing and so on). You should not list your speeding tickets on the application either unless they were misdemeanors or felonies.

2. When you're issued a new passport, you need to stop by any airport which has Global Entry staff. They will put your new passport info into computer, and put a new sticker on it.

3. In case you lost your passport outside USA and entering the US with a new passport issued by the US consulate, you cannot use Global Entry kiosk until your new passport is registered.