ScousePete

I thought I would share here as i bet there are a fair few of us who have Global Entry, and I wanted to share the process my wife went through to renew hers which had expired.

Short version - it was very easy.

Long version - We have Global Entry for the entire family. My wife and I both have credit cards (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum) that give credit back for the cost of Global Entry. GE includes TSA Pre-check, but the main difference is that every person has to have GE to use the lanes, including children. We got GE about 5 years ago when I started working in the Caribbean and would be making many flights to and from the US. It has been great!

We are planning on moving back to the US in the next few weeks, so I took a cursory glance at our GE cards and realised that although we got all the cards at the same time, mine and the kids expire next year on our birthdays, but my wife's had already expired this year on her birthday. I went onto the government website https://ttp.dhs.gov/ logged in and selected Global Entry. All my wife's previous data was there, but they needed up to date data for the past 5 years. Every address we had lived at, every job she had. No gaps allowed! It took us about 15 minutes to complete. After we had paid ($100) it said her application would be reviewed and an interview might be required.

Within 48 hours (over a weekend!) she received an email to log back into the site, and when we did it said she had been approved for another (almost) 6 years. (April birthday 2028). Same Known Traveller Number. She did not need to go to an interview. Incidentally, if you apply for renewal before the card expires you are automatically granted a 6 month extension will the renewal is being processed. You can apply up to one year before the expiration date.

As an aside, if you don't have GE, you should! At only $15 more than TSA Precheck, you get all the domestic TSA precheck benefits, plus international arrival benefits.

tht

I have yet to convince the Mrs to do GE, but her last experience with no Pre may help get her to do it. Is there a lower age limit for children? Do they have an interview. Both mine already get Pre when they travel with me. I think only 2 of my cards cover the fee now every 4 years, so probably only worth it when regular international travel is back on the cards for them…

ScousePete

Unfortunately, all children have to interview, which seems a bit silly, to be honest. Try taking the fingerprints for my daughter when she was six weeks old!

destone

Similar experience here. Renewal request submitted in March and was approved in May. No interview etc. required.

tht

Wow it took 2 months, I did September 2021, and got the message saying it could take a longer time to approve and then got the approval email the next day… (no interview) do you have anything non standard, travel to ME or somewhere else less vanilla? Maybe it’s the GC vs. USC.

destone

Yes, it could be GC-related. I think they will also issue a physical card for me for the first time (when I originally obtained GE, I was on ESTA) as a GC holder, and so perhaps hence the delay.

postbox134

I thought only USCs get GE cards and they count as proof of citizenship?

destone

USCs, GC holders and Mexican citizens get physical GE cards. They only “count” as proof of citizenship when traveling from Mexico to US using the Nexus/Sentri lanes.

ScousePete

Not sure if that was the case initially, but not any more. From cpv.gov -

destone

Physical GE cards are only issued for USC, GC holders and Mexican nationals. Other nationals (like UK) are eligible for GE but not the physical card.