Global Entry

Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States. As of December 2014, Global Entry was available at 42 US airports and 12 preclearance locations. More than 1.8 million people are enrolled in Global Entry and approximately 50,000 new applications for the program are filed monthly.

To enroll in Global Entry, applicants must first file an application with Customs and Border Protection, and then submit to an interview and background check. The wait for an interview may be months. There is a $100 non-refundable fee for the application, even for infants and children (some credit cards reimburse this fee). During the interview, the applicant's fingerprints are captured and a digital photo is taken. Applicants are also given instructions on how to use the automated kiosk. Once an application is approved, the applicant may use the Global Entry kiosk at any participating airport for a duration of five years past one's next birthday following approval. Renewal requires an additional fee.

Enrolled users must present their machine-readable passport or permanent residency card, and submit their fingerprints to establish identity. Users then complete a computerized Customs declaration, and are issued a receipt instructing them to either proceed to baggage claim, or to a normal inspection booth for an interview.

Countries currently participating in Global Entry include the following:

It is possible for any type of criminal conviction to disqualify a traveler from the Global Entry program. Three to five percent of travelers who sign up for the program are rejected; in such cases, they are generally told the reason for the rejection. For example, paying a fine for having a prohibited or undeclared item at a port of entry generally will disqualify a traveler.

Those whose Global Entry applications are denied have three ways to appeal: making an appointment to speak with a supervisor at a trusted traveler enrollment center, e-mailing the agency's ombudsman, or filing a complaint through the Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program.

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Wikipedia