*** MINOR UPDATE *** It's been suggested that having a trip booked may accelerate the receipt of the conditional approval... Not something I can validate but it would certainly explain the odd timing of my notification. I talk about it more in this update video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-l6ZGjitEnkM.html
Here's an additional data point for Matt and anyone else interested: Completed UK clearance process on 17 April 2024. Received UK access code and approval on 18 April 2024, and completed the US application process same day. Received Conditional Approval on 19 April 2024. End to end process took 58 hours total. I do not have a trip to the US booked at this time either.
I’m also a UK citizen. I applied for mine in Feb 2022, got my conditional approval in March and got it full in April when I visited BOS. At BOS immigration, I arrived in the usual visitors queue and once the agent processed me, I politely asked where I could go for the global entry interview and he just processed it all himself there and then within minutes and I was on my way 🎉
My friend failed her UK background check and never had a conviction or anything in her life - utterly bizarre. She did apply with a new passport though so maybe her previous visits weren’t recorded and it was assumed she had never visited before? It put me off risking an application. Glad you secured it though; must be brilliant to board a plane and not have to worry about long queues or questions on the other side.
It's not unknown for people with similar names to get confused in the database - if there's genuinely no reason for refusal I'm sure you can appeal.... And it is a great benefit on arrival if you can secure it
Very informative Matt, thank you. My wife and I applied for Global Entry Tuesday and just received Conditional Approval today, that’s 2 days. Gobsmacked tbh I was expecting it to be so much long 😅
After watching your video on Wednesday afternoon I applied for Global Entry, almost on a whim. Despite the website stating a 4-6 month processing time, I received my conditional approval on Saturday morning of the same week! I'm now looking forward to using your advice of opting for the Enrollment on Arrival interview. A very practical and helpful video. Thanks.
Thought it was just me. Applied to UK on Monday and got code same day. By Thursday , i was conditionally approved. Had a pre-booked flight on Friday morning and by evening, i completed EoA (bliss)
Massive thanks Matt. Applied for UK bit on Friday, received code Monday and GE approved subject to interview today. So hopefully I can get this granted when I land at SFO later this week
Thanks for the very informative & excellent video 👍. My GE ran out early last year but didn't renew as I wasn't back travelling then. But I am now & applied this May. Although I travelled to the US in August, am still waiting for conditional approval. I'm returning back again in 3 weeks. I really missed not having GE when I had to queue for over 2 hours at JFK passport chech! Fingers crossed I hear back from them soon. 🙏
Thanks Gwen. Lots of reports that an imminent trip does push through the application. You'd hope it would be easier too as you've previously had the status...
Matt. thanks again for the advanced link. Once again very informative. I remember the first time I applied for this. It was when it was 2016/17. I was very apprehensive as I know Americans can be quite anal about this sort of thing, security and all. I didn't like the idea of having to book an interview in the USA and as you stated they were not easy to come by. I did get a Global Entry Pass, but it was rather weird how I got it. I had done all the pre checks in the Uk you mentioned payed my money, but when I went to book an interview they were few and far between. To cut a long story short I was going to book one whilst I was in the USA, but I arrived into America (can't recall which airport) but it was quiet. As I approached the security desk I had all my docs to hand and just asked the officer how I went about gaining Global Entry for fast track. Much to my surprise He did it for me there and then. No hassle, no major questions. It has since run out and as I don't travel to the USA as often as I did (sometimes 3 trips a year) I won't look to apply again. But it was an excellent work around for those long queues. Thanks again. Steve.C. YNWA
Cheers Steve... You missed the delights of the "special" rooms out back of somewhere like Miami where the real screening takes place!!! I've actually been thinking... If there were 8 people processed in the hour or so I was at Miami, and that happen 10 hours a day, that's 29k a year being processed. And that's just Miami.... I can see in a few years that so many people have GE that its quicker to go through the regular channel!!!
Good info Matt. and GE is a good thing to have. I had a good example of this in January when I flew into SFO with my sister (who doesn't have GE). We were at the pointy end of our BA flight, so were nearly the first off but it looked like an EVA flight had arrived a few minutes earlier, so there was already a queue at immigration. Being a good brother, I joined the regular queue, while all the time watching the empty GE lane! Although it was probably only a 20 mins delay, the CBP agent raised his eyebrows and said 'you've got GE haven't you, why are you here, should I fail you!' as a joke! My interview experience was different. When I applied in 2019, there was great annoyance the the waiting time was around 70 days. As it happened, I was flying into JFK almost exactly 70 days after my application. I found out that there was a CBP office in T4 there, so I headed over before my next flight. I explained the I hadn't been able to access emails since I left and that I was expecting approval shortly. My passport was taken and I was dumped into a waiting room and called 30 minutes later where two agents asked me a few questions and took my photo and fingerprints and then said 'you're good to go'. I had to ask them if that was it! Another tip is that your GE expires 5 years after your next birthday (not when it was approved) - and you can apply for renewal 12 months before the exipiry date. As I understand it, if your renewal is approved, the extra 5 years is sdded to the original expiry date.
Very handy video. I’m British and live in Doha , qatar. The whole process from start to approval post interview took less than a week. Fortunately we have an interview centre in the local airport.
The heavy lifting is done through the approval process so the interview at the end is just a formality... But it is a good way of skipping those awful immigration lines!
Very informative video, Matt. TSA Pre is huge if you travel to the US. Lets say you take a holiday to Las Vegas but your port of entry is DFW or JFK - with your GE, you speed through immigration at DFW or JFK. With TSA Pre, you speed through security to make your onward connecting flight. You'll also speed through security for your flight home. With flight delays what they are these days, not having to unpack your carry-on or remove shoes is a godsend when you are trying to connect off an international flight.
Wonderful job Matt, very thoroughly produced. One thing I should warn you from past experience is that some airports' staff are not aware that UK citizens don't have Global Entry cards and therefore refuse them access to the GE lane. I had such an incident at Toronto Pearson where the lady guarding the GE gateway would constantly categorically refuse to acknowledge the notion that I didn't have a physical card for GE and that it was "no card, no global entry". So just be aware that some ports of entry might still cause grief because their staff aren't trained to deal with somewhat edge cases like us Brits using Global Entry
Good to know that. I have it very straight forward process and at LAX where I used to queue for a minimum of 40 minutes to get in front of the Border Force person now takes me about 10 seconds through GE channel and a few minutes when going through the TSA pre approved line I recommend it to any frequent traveller to the US
That's an interesting point Matt - thanks.... Hopefully the major ports will have good training - I wonder whether this might be a particular problem for US preclearance locations?
@@MattsPlanet It probably is. Especially as this only ever happened at Toronto for me thus far where they're pretty much programmed to only ever see people who are either US or Canadian citizens.
@@MattNav think you may have been unlucky with that particular agent, they can be quite officious there. I’ve gone through YYZ using GE a few times with out a problem.
Worth noting that when you renew Global Entry, you CAN use the machines and then go to the global entry interview afterwards. At least, that's what happened when I renewed last year. It was conducted by one of the staff at the immigration desks within a couple of minutes.
Thanks Nick - I don't have to think about renewing for a few years! I think GLA_Fly might be right that its easier to renew than gain for the first time...
I was coincidentally in the US when my conditional approval came through. So on the offchance I went on to the DHS/CBP website and found they release appointment slots where a previous booking has been cancelled. I was in Chicago Loop and the local field office had a slot the following afternoon, which I was able to take and got approval right away, rather than having to wait until the next time I came through an international airport. I understand the airport offices aren't always open to do interviews in unsocial hours or at weekends. BTW, when booking flights via travel agents like Egencia, don't assume your Known Traveller Number and TSA Pre-check get associated automatically with your flight booking. Always best to check your passenger info on the airline booking via their own website.
Great video Matt, I had been waiting to hear your experience on this for some months now. I have had a great experience from my GE and was inspired by watching your previous videos ☺️
I love your videos, thanks for them. Got Global Entry last year and it is amazing, so quick. The interview on arrival was a bit of a wait while the queue died down but no matter, worth the wait. It is a great scheme AND the added TSA pre check is a great bonus. The process from start to finish took a while though, about 4 months.
I must have been lucky, I had conditional approval and turned up at LAX and requested the interview, was directed to another desk where a CBP officer took my details and asked a few questions then said it’s approved, you’ll get an email confirmation, it took about 10mins. I did shortly after get the email and it’s worked perfectly well ever since
My initial application was back in 2015. My interview was at Nashville Airport and I remember having a long chat with the officer about the previous night's country music concert at the Grand Old Opry! I have since renewed my application on-line which was a really straightforward and quick process. Been a couple of years since I have last entered the US and am looking forward to a quick and easy entry when I finally return in May with a trp to Madison WI. Not habing to worry about potentially huge immigration lines makes the trip so much less stressful.
I've held GE for about 4 years now. Booked my (and my wife's) interview on arrival into DEN. After ID's were confirmed we were asked 1 single question - "Have you robbed any banks?" Obviously the agent was joking with us but shows it's more about confirming who you are rather than a vetting interview. TSA Pre has been more useful than GE in recent years.
I first applied for GE in 2018 and my ‘interview’ was with a TSA agent at one of the passport/immigration desks at arrival in EWR, very simple and easy. I was due to renew this year but it’s been extended thru to September 2024 due to Covid. I travel regularly to the US and also domestically once there, so GE is money well spent. Also, when my wife travels with me she has also been given TSA Pre despite not having GE or TSA.
Thanks - the TSA pre for the missus is a nice bonus. Must be annoying to have to queue with her at immigration when you travel together... Or do you use GE and see her later???
@@MattsPlanet It depends on how busy immigration is. If it's busy then I'll use the GE lane and head to baggage to collect the bags, so by the time she is through I'll have (hopefully) collected them. If immigration is quiet then I'll queue up with her and get my passport stamped! The only drawback of GE = no stamp in the passport
Thanks Matt, really useful video. I applied for Global Entry for the first time in early February. My Home Office check took just under seven hours from submission to receiving my access code. I received my Global Entry conditional approval about 36 hours after I submitted my application. It seems that processing times can be much quicker than stated. I just hope that I can get my Enrolment on Arrival interview completed in the 3 hours I have between flights when I travel via Seattle in April.
Really useful, Matt! I'm hoping to complete my GE interview when I arrive in LA at the end of the month - but not sure if it will be too late in the day, since the flight is due to arrive at around 8pm LA time. I guess time will tell, but really helpful to have a better understanding of the "interview on arrival" process, since that's all that is left to be carried out.
Thanks - I think experiences vary but mine was really nothing to worry about... Might need to be fleet of Scottish foot with an 8pm landing if Ian P is right...
Thank you so much for these videos Matt! It would seem that I need to travel a lot in and out of the US in future so I just applied for Global Entry myself. Let's see how long the process takes for German citizens... It does seem to be a bit different from the process you lot in the UK go through, as I need to be given a PassID/membership number before I can go to our federal police to get the German background checks done.
I'd be fascinated to know - lots of reports of getting it back in days and if not, as soon as you're within 48/72 hours of a trip to the US that kicks out an approval. Hopefully its the same for German citizens...
@@MattsPlanet My PassID number came through within the first 4 hours of me paying the 100USD. Getting the check from German Federal police was easy enough: It literally just entailed me going to the airport with my passport and entering the police service station there asking to get the process started. They had done all of the required steps within 20 mins. Now the background check is being run for about 48-72hrs and if they don't find anything that then goes to the US agencies. And then - I guess - it's the actual wait.
@@MattsPlanet Update - with no US-trips immediately booked and travelled on the conditional approval arrived this evening. If I can trust YT to do its maths it took 3 months for me. Now for the fun part - planning a trip to the US.
I was already thinking about global entry, but after seeing this video I finally applied. I was very surprised though that I received conditional approval within 48 hours! I am Dutch, so the process is slightly different
Thanks Koen - the response to this video has been unexpected in 2 ways... Most comments are from people who'd already got GE - you're one of the first to comment who didn't until they watched the video - I'd expected that people who had GE already wouldn't be interested.... And almost everyone seems to have got their conditional approval radically quicker than I did!!! I assume there was a domestic Dutch clearance process before the US application?
@@MattsPlanet For Dutch citizens you first apply for GE, then you get contacted by the Dutch border police and you need to give approval for them to do the check and share the results with the US. This comes at no extra cost.
I did my application in early July of last year and got conditional approval on August 1st. Luckily, the Dutch government doesn't charge you for the background check, so for me it was just the $100 application fee 🙂 I tried for the enrollment on arrival thing on November 9th, but as it was damn busy at Tampa airport with Orlando being closed because of hurricane Nicole, the expected wait time was about 5 hours! Of course, I wasn't going to wait that long, so I just went through without doing the interview. Then I got an e-mail from CBP in early February, informing me that they were doing interviews at Schiphol airport this month, which happens to be just 45 minutes from where I live. I made the appointment, which took all of 2 minutes and made sure I got there on time. I managed to take one sip of my cup of coffee before I was called in, one sip during the 'interview', which basically just consisted of my mugshot being taken as well as my fingerprints. And as you said, my female officer did a lot of tapping on the keyboard and clicking and then informed me I was good to go. I then received a voucher, so even the cup of coffee I had was free. I could have hugged her, but thought better of it and just went home a very happy camper. I'll be going back to the US on June 14th and it'll be a nice, new experience using the Global Entry kiosk when I get to Atlanta 🙂
@@MattsPlanet Sure, but I had planned for the 'enrollment on arrival' interview in Atlanta, so now I've got a 4 hour layover there 🙂 Luckily, Atlanta is pretty big and the walkways between the different terminals are supposed to be pretty. I'm sure I can do the walking tour as well as the sky train tour while I'm there 🙂
@@MattsPlanet One thing I only found out about just last week is that you may want to apply for a new ESTA, too. One of the questions on there is whether or not you have a KTN / PASSID. Since you can't 'update' it on your existing ESTA, you'll have to apply for a new one and enter the correct information. I'm not sure if it has any bearing on using the GE kiosk, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
@@MattsPlanet With my travel date coming closer, I'm still a happy camper. I've got my PassId and renewed my ESTA, so I should be good to go 🙂 I'll just need to make sure I get the TSA Pre mark on my boarding pass for Atlanta to Tampa 🙂
Great info but why do we allow USA citizens access to UK via our E-gates without any Visa or Waiver. We should remove it until they allow us the same pleasantries
I think I know the answer to this one!!! If we make it easy for Americans to get in, they'll come and spend their lovely dollars in the UK.... Didn't say it was a good reason!!!
I would imagine that you have an extensive travel history with the USA over the years, even living there for some years, and during that time, you caused no immigration offences, so when they came to do their immigration interview with you, it was just a formality.
Applied for one at the weekend and got conditionally approved today (so like 3 days). That said I do travel to the US a lot. Next trip planned in April so going to do the interview when I arrive then...
@@MattsPlanet I think that several factors probably helped - lived in the same place for last 10 years, only visited Ireland apart from US since 2018 (really been concentrating on US travel), so guess the checking was easy to do. Probably the more countries the more records they need to check.
I can now tell you that at JFK they have a separate desk after normal immigration in the customs area where you go for your interview after going through normal immigration. No signage or indication of this before immigration, naturally.
for me it took me less than 24hrs for the UK goverment to send me my code and less than 48hrs to get my conditional approval in July 2023 so will do my "enrollment of arrival" in a couple of weeks when i land at Orlando :-)
Matt, I don't believe it is a coincidence you received your conditional approval just before arriving in he US. As I understand it when they have a backlog of applications CBP somehow cross references pending GE applications against advance passenger information forwarded by the airlines around 48 hours before travel and this prioritises the granting of conditional approval just before arrival in the US if not already granted. Certainly happened in my case and as I understand it is common to receive conditional approval 24/48hrs before a planned US arrival. Last year I went form application to conditional approval in 6 weeks (at the time estimated conditional approval timescale was 3 to 9 months) with the conditional approval coming through just after midnight the day before I was next due to fly into the US. The interview on arrival procedure seems to be inconsistent between airports, at JFK T8 interviews are conducted at the main customs point (no separate office) after baggage reclaim and most of the time as you say is taken up with the CBP officer typing at a keyboard with minimal "interview". Used it half a dozen times since final approval and it makes entry to the US quick and easy plus the additional benefit of TSA pre clearance makes passing through US airport security so much easier. The nominal fee is money well spent even for occasional travellers to the US.
That's fantastic Justin! Hard to believe US systems are so joined up, but its a fantastic explanation! May explain why others seemed to get their approvals through so quickly if they had bookings in place... I now find myself trying to find reasons to travel to the US to get value out of it now I have it!!!
Good video, Matt - but the process is a complete faff, overly-expensive, and would send this operations manager looking for his stopwatch and clipboard. The ESTA development suppressed my desire to visit the States again - I'm lucky, I've already done most of it - and the GE kills off the rest of my motivation. I'll limit my further world travels to those countries that want my tourist pound and can get a passport-holder through a Border Control post quickly. (Singapore leads, currently.) P.S. I guess this rant is enough to get me on a watch-list!
Thanks as always. Europe just delayed it's esta again so that stays on the list! Went through Singapore a couple of weeks back and it was actually the slowest entry ever - there's a sort of locator process you need to do currently that took ages then the automated gate system seemed to have the same 75% failure rate as the UK ones do. Exaggerating a bit for emphasis but it took about 25 minutes to get through... Delayed me from getting into the £21 pints so was probably a good thing on reflection!!!
Hi Matt, Thought I'd let you know I applied for TTP via the Global Entry system at the beginning of Feb and by the 15th Feb I have received aproved status, awaiting interview now! Also, Have you looked at Mobile Passport Control and what are your thoughts on that? I feel another video coming on! Keep up the great work.
Thanks... The mobile thing is not available at JFK which is where my next 2 entries will be - they may extend it to cover JFK before I go but right now I'll not have an opportunity. It seems daft that they need to invest money in making something that's already really quick even quicker!!! Shaves a good few seconds off the time it takes!
Yes, MPC is completely different to global entry. It’s almost as if CBP and the Fed dont talk and they are two completely different systems. MPC is also open to visa waver program eligible travellers….. ie brits! I’d be interested on your take.
Matt - great channel keep up the good work. Just for the record, I'm UK based just got conditional approval after 4 days! I do visit the US a lot, at least 5 times a year - maybe that was something to do with it?
Thanks Ian - another commented said 36 hours so you're not the record holder but you did way better than me!!!! I didn't mention it in the video but for about 5 years I was always asked whether I'd ever been to Austin.... Every time I arrived at the border I was asked the same question... I never had, so they waved me through then about 10 years ago they stopped asking... Perhaps my name is a little more common so the checks were more demanding... I got there though!
I applied last May. The questionnaire was less comprehensive than yours, but I suspect that was due to being a US citizen. From the time I filled out the form, it took three days to get the approval, at which time I could choose where and when I did my interview. I was going up to our place in Canada in June, so I had my pick of days and times at the airport in International Falls, Mn. If I had picked my interview somewhere else, it would have been about a two-month wait. International Falls is a small town with one flight a day. I was sure[raised they held interviews in such an out-of-the-way airport. But since that is where we cross over into Canada, it was lucky for me they do. The interview took seven minutes, and yes, we in the US get a small card. So the most important question of the day is, do you have your beard, or are you clean-shaven?
Thanks Mikie. I'd imagine the guy at International Falls was grateful for the distraction!!!! I am currently clean shaven but there's a lot of comments that the winter beard should become a year round feature... I can't call it the winter beard if I do that though!!!
I still haven’t got my TSA card… pain in the backside…. I still cannot find in the pages how to apply for a new card as I have not yet received the card. Can you have a look and see if you can find a solution for me… it would really help…
Living outside the USA - you don't get one.... Inside the US - I'd check your CBP account... Heard reports that some places don't believe non-US citizens can have GE but as the number is loaded into flight records I don't think you really need a card
Ah ok, I didn’t realise that… I saw on my last BA flight in manage my booking, but thought I needed . Mind you when I got through immigration I was surprised not be be asked questions or to do my fingerprints so must be on recited somehow. Got lucky on my trip to. NYC got to upgrade to first for a good price which I was happy about.. It was strange to see that the seats in first had not been updated but the business class ones have… thank you for the help though I appreciate it
@@MattsPlanet not quite as long as yourself. I applied on the 15th of March 2023 but I’m sure booking that U.S. trip after the application bumped it up the queue 🥳
Technically Global Entry itself isn't available to Canadians as we have our own arrangement with the US called Nexus which in addition to providing Global Entry clearance to the US and TSA pre-check also provides Nexus immigration entry and security clearance in Canada. Oh and it's only $50 Canadian every 5 years!
Question for anyone: I’m a Canadian citizen but live in the U.K. Canadians can’t apply for the global entry program but CAN use global entry kiosks at Canadian airports with US pre-clearance if they’re members of the NEXUS scheme. Since most of my entries into the US are now on direct flights from Europe, my question is does NEXUS also give me access to global entry when, say, arriving directly into JFK from Heathrow? Obscure question but I can’t find a definitive answer online. Thanks!
They're global entry branded kiosks so if nexus works in them through other locations there seems to be no reason why they wouldn't work for you inbound from Europe... I'll see if I can get a better answer...
@@MattsPlanet thanks Matt and thanks also to your friend. It looks a lot cheaper than GE - c$50 for the lot and gets you rapid entry to Canada and the US. The downside seems to be you need to be interviewed by border officials from both countries. I may apply as I’m going into Canada and the US more than once this year and will report back if I do.
@@derekbryce2632 I'm the mate he asked! If you are eligible for Nexus and can manage the interviews it's strictly better. It's much cheaper and gets you all of the GE benefits plus the Nexus ones too. There's a bit that you have to do after you get your Nexus (you need to enrol your fingerprints in the GE programme) but there's no cost for that, just another step to do. I got my Nexus at YYZ some time back in 2010 I think, and then at a later date, swung by the GE enrolment centre at IAH (no appointment necessary) to get the necessary fingerprint enrolment.
@@oldtbayvideos fantastic! Thanks very much for the info. Appreciate it. I’ll be flying into YVR from the U.K. in May and into SEA from there a few days later with long connections in both so will see if I can get everything organised by then. Worth a shot!
Its not permission. The US government asks for confirmation from your home government that there's nothing in your past which they should know about when it comes to giving you clearance to enter their country
@@MattsPlanet that makes sense. I've heard of fellow Brazilians that were denied Global Entry because our gvmt failed to give the CBP the go ahead. I hope that does not happen to me.
Not really - its an American site so can struggle with international phone numbers.... Drop the leading zero after the international code and if you can't get the whole number in, I don't think it matters as its not a primary means of communication with the US government anyway....
Indeed - good question. It will depend on how you value your time and how much you hate queuing .. the price covers 5 years, plus TSA pre if you travel domestically, so it probably doesn't take many trips to generate a payback
@@MattsPlanet it's hard to collect the biometric data without physically being there... I started my 2nd renewal application and my wife's initial application on Friday. UK access codes received Saturday morning, Conditional approval on both applications came through overnight Saturday. Looks like the reported 4 month backlog is a thing of the past. Interviews being held in Schiphol Sheraton at the end of this week.