Is Global Entry still worth Having? My card is going to expire this year, I am wondering if it's still worth using. Thanks.

I renewed my Global Entry in 2018, and it has always been money well spent. My last two trips returning from Namibia I spent less than 5 minutes clearing Customs in Chicago. I simply went to the kiosk, scanned my passport and printed out a receipt and walked through the exit without an inspection or a questioning.

For me, yes. I travel international at least once a year and domestic several time. It come with TSA Pre-check, worth every penny to me, plus my credit card company reimburses me.

Thanks for the info, I'll get it renewed before it expires this summer.

quote:

Originally posted by impala#03:
Is Global Entry still worth Having? My card is going to expire this year, I am wondering if it's still worth using. Thanks.

Best thing since sliced read

I got burned by it. My interview was by a PETA guy. Gave me all kinds of attitude for hunting. After the interview I got an email for approval. Received my card in the mail.

A week later it got canceled. Since then I get searched for "animal parts" after every international trip (at least 4 times a year) they ask me where I have been hunting. Going on six years so far.

I wrote to the ombudsman in DC (supposed discourse) to no avail.

Once on a government list I guess one is on it forever.

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Originally posted by tanks:
I got burned by it. My interview was by a PETA guy. Gave me all kinds of attitude for hunting. After the interview I got an email for approval. Received my card in the mail.

A week later it got canceled. Since then I get searched for "animal parts" after every international trip (at least 4 times a year) they ask me where I have been hunting. Going on six years so far.

I wrote to the ombudsman in DC (supposed discourse) to no avail.

Once on a government list I guess one is on it forever.

Just curious, was stating the purpose of your trips necessary? Or did it just come up casually?

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Originally posted by BaxterB:

Just curious, was stating the purpose of your trips necessary? Or did it just come up casually?

I was asked the purpose of my upcoming trip, so I said hunting. I guess the only bright part is that by the time I get my bag and it gets searched I end up leaving ahead of all the people lined up to exit at LAX.

Is there any benefit to getting Global Entry if you are traveling with rifles? I already have TSA Pre.

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Originally posted by Lhook7:
Is there any benefit to getting Global Entry if you are traveling with rifles? I already have TSA Pre.

Not really as you will have secondary screening for the rifles anyway. However, if you are not traveling with rifles then I believe it helps.

A lot depends on where you clear customs and what time of day you're entering back into the country.

I clear in Atlanta in the afternoon and there is a longer line at Global Entry than the Customs line. In addition, your bags take longer to collect so you're waiting regardless. Global Entry doesn't help get you home any faster.

But TSA PreCheck is worth every penny. Takes just a few minutes and you're through TSA without getting unpacked and undressed. A must have for any frequent traveler.

Thanks for the responses. I think I’ll just stick with TSA Pre.

Good information. When asked why I travel internationally, I'll say business and pleasure, period.

I'll 2nd that. Business and pleasure is a great answer. Hunting can be a red flag. I agree the TSA pre check takes a bunch the angst out of modern air travel.

Mark

If your airport has CLEAR ot would be worth looking st. We do in Washington Dulles. Very fast, faster and easier than TSA pre

Some smart terrorist, don't kid yourself, there is such a person, will inevitably take advantage and all that convenience will go by the way.

Grizz

I think the value of Global Entry is airport specific. For some airport it doesn’t really matter much. Some airports have lots of non-Global Entry kiosk, and not having global entry is not that big of a deal. I accidentally let my GE expire in August. I submitted my renewal in late September, but haven’t heard anything back yet. I really haven’t missed GE much to be honest,..and I travel a lot. I made Global Services on United this year by flying about 240,000 miles. Again not having GE was not a big deal.

What was a BIG FREAKING DEAL, was not having TSA-PRE. My TSA-Pre expired with my GE. Since TSA-Pre comes with GE, I waiting on pursuing TSA-pre on stand alone basis. However, I recently signed up and paid for TSA-Pre separately from GE because I got sick and tired of waiting on the GE.

I have Clear also but that wasn’t really doing anything for me without TSA-Pre. Since the TSA-pre lines can get pretty long, I’m hoping the combination of Clear and TSA-pre will quicken my time in the security lines.

Mine is coming up for renewal in October, as is my passport (well, my passport technically “expires” in April). There was a clerical error for the first few years of my GE where I never got Pre-Check on my tickets. I fixed it, but haven’t had a chance to try it out.

Just having the GE card helped with customs. Most of the time I’m coming in from Argentina and the flights land around 6am. I’m not one to sleep on planes and it’s nice to just buzz through.

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
Mine is coming up for renewal in October, as is my passport (well, my passport technically “expires” in April). There was a clerical error for the first few years of my GE where I never got Pre-Check on my tickets. I fixed it, but haven’t had a chance to try it out.

Just having the GE card helped with customs. Most of the time I’m coming in from Argentina and the flights land around 6am. I’m not one to sleep on planes and it’s nice to just buzz through.

I would definitely renew your GE before it expires. I've heard it will get approved much faster than renewing after it expires.

Like I noted in my previous post, I re-applied for GE in late September and it still hasn't been approved.


Getting TSA-pre on a stand alone basis was real easy and fast. On Friday I received an email with my TSA-pre approval. It was only 5 days after my interview!!!!

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was asked the purpose of my upcoming trip, so I said hunting.

The correct answer to that question is "Business".

I renewed today.

Looks like there is a massive backlog.

If you renew you get a 12 month grace period where your old cards till works.

Mike

I’ll go ahead and get in line.

Thanks.

Rebecca and I started our GE renewal process today, they asked for every country traveled to since 2015 (except Canada and Mexico)and the application stated it may take up to a year for approval to re-interview! Crazy, but definetly still worth it. When we did our initial interiew, we went to Houston (2.5 hour drive from home) rather than wait 6-8 weeks for a slot at DFW. On the way home TSA/CPB called my wife on a phone that is kept for family emergencies and given only to family members to ask a question about one of her responses, just shows you what they are able to access.

I was told today that they are not approving anyone from New York. Not sure if it is true.

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Originally posted by larryshores:
I was told today that they are not approving anyone from New York. Not sure if it is true.

Yes it is. And NY is suing.

I believe it’s got to do with the Green Light law and info sharing ...I think.

I go to Africa and the Caribbean every year via Orlando, Miami, or Atlanta. At least at those ports, the Global Entry lines were the same as the regular lines. The automated kiosks there were super quick. I really do like TSA precheck but see no need for GE.

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Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I was told today that they are not approving anyone from New York. Not sure if it is true.

Yes it is. And NY is suing.

I believe it’s got to do with the Green Light law and info sharing ...I think.

NY is a sanctuary state and refuses to share immigration status with ICE. This is the feds way of forcing compliance.

"Sanctuary" States should be isolated.

They should put a border control on all entry points to that State that one need to prove who he is before moving around!

Honestly, how can these people even function by supporting ILLEGALS??

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I was told today that they are not approving anyone from New York. Not sure if it is true.

Yes it is. And NY is suing.

I believe it’s got to do with the Green Light law and info sharing ...I think.

There is an article about this in today's Wall Street Journal.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
"Sanctuary" States should be isolated.

They should put a border control on all entry points to that State that one need to prove who he is before moving around!

Honestly, how can these people even function by supporting ILLEGALS??

Saeed my friend, MILLIONS of us Americans ask ourselves that question every day. The illogic that is rampant in the USA these days boggles the mind.

Saeed, my friend, your comment about the illegals should answer another question you probably have: how in the world did Donald J. Trump get elected?