What is Global Entry?

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Program that lets pre-vetted travelers skip the regular passport-control line when entering the U.S. — use a kiosk or facial-recognition lane instead. Membership is $120 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck for domestic flights at no extra cost.

Does Global Entry include TSA PreCheck?

Yes — every Global Entry approval comes with TSA PreCheck included for the same 5-year membership window. You receive a 9-digit Known Traveler Number (KTN) starting with 15 (your PASSID, doubled as the KTN) that works for both programs.

How long does Global Entry last?

5 years from the month you're approved — your membership expires at the end of your birth month in your fifth year. CBP allows renewal up to 12 months before expiration; the membership extends from the original expiration date, so renewing early doesn't shorten your time.

How to renew Global Entry?

Log in to your Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov, click 'Renew,' answer the same set of background questions, pay $120, and submit. Most renewals are approved without an in-person interview (CBP calls this 'renewal interview waived' — about 70% of cases). If interview is required, you book one through the same portal.

How much is Global Entry?

$120 for 5 years — flat fee, no installments. The fee is the same for new applicants and renewals. Children are charged the same $120 (no discount). Many premium credit cards reimburse the fee as a statement credit once every 4-5 years.

How long is Global Entry good for?

5 years from the month of your approval. CBP membership ends at the end of your birth month in the 5th year — so if you were born in March and were approved in 2026, your membership ends March 31, 2031.

What to bring to Global Entry interview?

Your valid passport (must have 6+ months validity remaining), one additional government-issued photo ID, and your conditional approval letter. Lawful permanent residents bring their green card. If you have an address change since application, bring proof. Don't bring anyone else — interviews are 1-on-1 with a CBP officer.

How long does it take to get Global Entry?

Currently 6-12 months from application to PASSID, mostly waiting on conditional approval. CBP's queue is the bottleneck — there's no expedited tier. Once you have conditional approval, interview slots are typically 1-3 weeks out, and your PASSID is issued within 24 hours of the interview.

Is Global Entry worth it?

If you make even one international trip a year, almost certainly yes. The math: $120 / 5 years = $24/year. International arrivals lines at JFK/LAX/MIA can be 60-90 minutes during peak times; Global Entry kiosks take under 5 minutes. Plus you get TSA PreCheck included for domestic flights — pays for itself instantly.

How does Global Entry work?

When you arrive at a U.S. airport from abroad, look for the 'Global Entry' or 'Trusted Traveler' kiosks (or facial-recognition lanes at major airports). The kiosk reads your passport, takes a photo, asks a few customs questions, prints a receipt. Hand the receipt to the CBP officer at the exit — usually a 30-second interaction vs. 30+ minutes in the regular line.

Is Global Entry the same as TSA PreCheck?

No — they serve different purposes. PreCheck (TSA, $77.95) speeds up domestic-flight security. Global Entry (CBP, $120) speeds up international-arrival passport control AND includes PreCheck. If you fly internationally even occasionally, Global Entry is the better deal — same price-tier, more benefit.

How to apply for Global Entry: complete guide

Q: How to apply for Global Entry?

Five steps: (1) Create a Trusted Traveler account at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. (2) Fill out the Global Entry application — about 30 minutes, includes 5-year address & employment history. (3) Pay the $120 non-refundable fee. (4) Wait for conditional approval (currently 6-12 months). (5) Schedule and attend an in-person interview at a CBP enrollment center.

CBP application, conditional approval, the in-person interview, and how to add your PASSID to airline reservations for PreCheck access.

TL;DR

Global Entry is the U.S. customs-and-border-control fast pass: $120 for 5 years, includes TSA PreCheck. The hard part isn’t the application — it’s the wait. CBP currently takes 6–12 months to issue conditional approval, then you book an in-person interview, then within 24 hours you have your PASSID.

If you fly internationally even once a year, the math works. If you fly internationally and the price feels close to PreCheck-only, Global Entry is the better deal — it includes PreCheck.

What you actually get

When you arrive at a U.S. airport from abroad, instead of standing in the regular passport-control line:

Walk to the Global Entry kiosk (or use the facial-recognition lane at major airports — JFK, LAX, MIA, ORD, SFO, ATL all have them).
Scan your passport, look at the camera, answer a few customs questions on screen.
Get a printed receipt.
Hand it to the CBP officer at the exit.

Total time: under 5 minutes vs. 30–90 minutes peak-times in the regular lane.

You also get TSA PreCheck included for domestic flights — the same KTN works for both. Plus access to:

NEXUS lanes at U.S./Canada border crossings
SENTRI lanes at the U.S./Mexico border (need to request the SENTRI add-on separately, no extra fee)

Are you eligible?

You can apply if you are:

U.S. citizen, OR
U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), OR
A citizen of a Global Entry partner country (currently: Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Germany, India, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom)

You are disqualified or face longer review if you have:

Criminal convictions, especially felony or customs/immigration violations
Pending criminal charges
Past customs violations or seized merchandise at U.S. borders
Outstanding warrants
Failed to meet a residency requirement
A previously revoked Trusted Traveler membership

Note: a single old DUI doesn’t automatically disqualify, but background-review queues are stricter than for PreCheck. If you have any criminal history, our application questionnaire flags it before you pay so you understand the realistic outcome.

What you’ll need

For the application:

Valid passport (must have 6+ months remaining at time of approval)
5-year address history — every address you’ve lived at, with month/year ranges
5-year employment history — every job, employer addresses, supervisor names
5-year international travel history — every country visited (use your passport stamps and email history)
Driver’s license or state ID
For LPRs: permanent resident card

For the interview:

Your passport (the one you used in the application)
A second government-issued photo ID
Conditional approval letter (printed)
Green card (if applicable)
Any updated address documentation if you’ve moved since applying

Step-by-step

1. Create a Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account

Go to ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. The login is gated behind Login.gov — if you don’t have a Login.gov account, create one (5 minutes). Set up multi-factor authentication; you’ll need it every time.

2. Fill out the Global Entry application

About 30 minutes if you have your records ready. Sections:

Personal info — exactly as it appears on your passport
Documents — passport details (book number, issue date, expiration)
Address history — last 5 years, no gaps allowed
Employment history — last 5 years, including unemployment
Travel history — every country you’ve entered in the last 5 years (CBP cross-references)
Background questions — convictions, weapons offenses, customs violations, immigration history
Driver’s license number(s) for last 5 years

Be honest. CBP will find inconsistencies during the background check, and an inconsistency turns a 6-month approval into a 24-month review or outright denial.

3. Pay the $120 fee

Credit/debit card. Non-refundable — even if denied. If your card includes a Global Entry statement credit (Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, etc.), pay with that card and the credit lands in 1–2 billing cycles.

4. Wait for conditional approval

This is the slow part. Current CBP processing: 6–12 months (much slower than the 4-week timeline you’ll see in older blog posts). There is no expedite option — neither the government nor any expediting service can shorten this.

You can check status anytime in your TTP dashboard. Status meanings:

Pending Review — in CBP’s queue
Conditionally Approved — passed background check; book interview
Denied — application rejected; reason posted in the dashboard
More Information Needed — CBP needs a follow-up document

5. Book the in-person interview

Once conditionally approved, return to TTP and book an interview. Two options:

Enrollment Center interview

One of 80+ CBP enrollment centers (mostly at major U.S. airports)
Slot availability varies wildly — major hubs are often 2–3 months out
Book the soonest slot you can; cancel and rebook if a closer one opens

Enrollment on Arrival (EoA)

Available at 60+ airports for international arrivals
The CBP officer who clears you on arrival also conducts the GE interview right there
No appointment needed; ask the officer “I’d like to do Enrollment on Arrival for Global Entry”
Best path for travelers — often saves 2–3 months of wait

6. Attend the interview

The interview is 15–30 minutes. The officer:

Reviews your application + your passport
Takes your fingerprints (10 fingers, electronic)
Takes your photo
Asks 5–10 background questions, often follow-ups on travel or address gaps
Approves or denies on the spot

Most interviews end in approval — the conditional-approval step did the heavy filtering. Officers occasionally deny based on demeanor concerns or a flagged answer; appeal options exist if so.

7. Receive your PASSID / KTN

Within 24 hours of interview approval, your dashboard updates to “Approved” and your PASSID is issued — a 9-digit code starting with 15.

Use it as your Known Traveler Number (KTN) in airline frequent-flyer profiles. The same number drives both Global Entry (international arrivals) and TSA PreCheck (domestic security).

Common pitfalls

Address-history gaps. “Lived with parents from 2022–2023” is fine; just include it. Gaps trigger manual review.
Travel-history omissions. CBP has a record of every U.S. entry/exit. Missing trips = inconsistency = denied.
Forgetting old criminal records. Even a 20-year-old misdemeanor must be disclosed. Non-disclosure is grounds for denial; disclosure rarely is.
Booking interview at the wrong airport. Some “enrollment centers” are landside (anyone can enter); others are airside (only ticketed passengers). Read the listing.
Waiting until the last minute. The 6–12 month conditional-approval queue is real. Apply 12+ months before any international trip you want it for.
Using a passport that expires soon. CBP wants 6+ months validity at interview AND throughout your membership window. Renew first if necessary.
Mismatched name on airline tickets. Same as PreCheck — your KTN won’t apply if the booking name doesn’t exactly match your PASSID record.

Our process — what each tier gets you

Global Entry has 2 tiers:

Smart Choice — $69 + $120 government fee

We pre-fill your CBP application from a guided 5-section intake
5-year address/employment/travel history forms with smart prefill
Eligibility-check questionnaire surfaces any disqualifiers BEFORE you pay
Submit-ready package with everything CBP needs
Document validation (passport photo, ID) via Claude Vision

Priority — $129 + $120 government fee

Everything in Smart, plus:
We book your in-person interview at the closest available enrollment center, or recommend Enrollment on Arrival
Interview-prep call (we tell you exactly what the officer will ask based on your profile)
Status monitoring throughout the 6–12 month wait — we ping you at conditional approval so no time is lost
Direct escalation if your application stalls in extended review

The CBP $120 is collected by us at checkout and remitted to CBP — we never pad it.

Refund policy in plain English

24-hour no-questions-asked refund of our service fee.
After 24 hours, our team has begun work on your file — fee is non-refundable.
The CBP $120 is paid through to CBP at submission. CBP’s policy: the $120 is non-refundable even if you’re denied. We can’t recover it on your behalf.

Full details on the refund policy page.

Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck

Feature	Global Entry	TSA PreCheck
Cost	$120 / 5 yr	$77.95 / 5 yr
Speed at U.S. customs (returning from abroad)	✓	–
Speed at U.S. domestic security	✓ (included)	✓
Renewal can be online	✓ (when waived)	✓
In-person interview	✓ (30 min)	✓ (10 min)
Wait time for approval	6–12 months	3–5 days

If you fly internationally even once a year, Global Entry is the better deal — only $42 more for 5 years, and includes PreCheck. The catch is the 6–12 month wait. If you need PreCheck active in weeks, start with PreCheck and add Global Entry later.

See: How to apply for TSA PreCheck for the PreCheck-only path.