U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has opened a new Global Entry Enrollment Center at Boise Airport.
Global Entry, a CBP trusted traveler program, allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved, low-risk passengers upon arrival in the United States.
The enrollment center is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. CBP officers will only interview Global Entry applicants with appointments.
Global Entry members bypass the traditional CBP inspection lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the United States. Passengers scan their passport and fingerprints, answer customs declaration questions using the kiosk’s touch screen and proceed with a receipt to the exit—the whole process takes only about one minute.
Currently available at 47 U.S. airports and 13 preclearance locations, Global Entry streamlines the arrival process at airports for trusted travelers. The program has more than 2.8 million members enrolled, and CBP receives approximately 90,000 new applications for Global Entry each month. As an added benefit, Global Entry members are also eligible to participate in the TSA Pre✓™, the Transportation Security Administration’s expedited security program.
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents may apply for Global Entry as well as citizens of certain countries with which CBP has reciprocal agreements, including Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. Canadian citizens and residents enrolled in NEXUS may also use Global Entry. Persons under the age of 18 who meet the general eligibility criteria must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian in order to apply.
Interested individuals may apply online at CBP’s Global Online Enrollment System. Applicants must possess a machine-readable U.S. passport or permanent resident card, pay a non-refundable $100 application fee, undergo a background investigation with fingerprint check, and complete an in-person interview with a CBP officer. Global Entry membership is good for five years.
While the goal of Global Entry is to speed trusted travelers through the process, members may be selected for further examination when entering the United States. Any violation of the program’s terms and conditions will result in appropriate enforcement action and revocation of the traveler’s membership privileges.
N.B. Image credit: wikipedia.org
