How the program works that allows travelers to avoid lines and enter the United States faster

Crossing the border and entering a new country usually causes a lot of nervousness. We pray that the documentation is correct and that the Immigration officer stamps our passport as quickly as possible.

These emotions multiply if the income is USA, a place where there are exhaustive controls, especially for Latinos, and where the language difference can be a barrier. Even if we have everything in order, being relaxed seems impossible.

However, it is possible avoid lines.

The United States has a program called Global Entry designed to make visitor access less cumbersome and faster. The good news? We Argentines can request this benefit.

Let’s see how to apply, how much it costs and what benefits it has.

It is a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited entry by air, land and sea of pre-approved travelers and low risk. Global Entry members do not wait in line at Immigrations.

It is recommended for frequent travelers and has a validity of 5 years.

All US citizens and citizens of the countries included in the program, including Argentina, can apply for this special permit. To do this it is necessary to have a valid passport and a visa to travel to the United States.

There is no requirement for minimum age. Minors under 18 years of age must have the consent of their parents or legal guardian to participate in the program.

They will not be approved who is it:

• have lied during the application process;
• those who have a criminal record, or are facing criminal proceedings (including for driving while intoxicated);
• those who have violated customs laws or agricultural regulations in any country in the world;
• those under investigation by a federal, state, or local agency in the United States;
• and those who do not meet the standards to be considered a low-risk visitor by immigration authorities.

The first step is to enter ttp.cbp.dhs.gov and select the program we want to apply to. Then you must create an account with CBP Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) and complete the corresponding form. The page goes guiding the user through all these steps.

Then you have to pay for the procedure: it comes out US$ 100 (starting in October the price will increase to US$ 120).

Once the application has been reviewed, it takes between 4 and 6 months, a message is received in the TTP account indicating that it is time to continue with the next step: schedule an interview at one of the Global Entry Enrollment Centers.

In Argentina these interviews are not carried out. Therefore, Argentines who reside in the country must opt ​​for the Enrollment On Arrival (EoA) option, which is available to enter the United States from an international country.

It is a face-to-face interview at the airport of entry (check which airports it can be done at). No appointment necessary.

The candidate’s eligibility is determined at the interview. Personal questions are asked, a photograph and fingerprints are taken.

For this instance you must have ID. A valid passport, driver’s license if you have one, or an identification card is required.

Program members, upon arriving at authorized airports, must go to the Global Entry lanes. Instead of doing Immigration in a traditional way, travelers are taken to the automatic kioskswhere there are machines with cameras that identify them in a few seconds.

Afterwards, you have to go to the officerswho may request the passport, but generally only tell the traveler to continue toward the exit.

And if this process doesn’t seem to be quick, there is an option more agile still.

Program members can download the Global Entry applicationupload your travel documentation and a photo there and thus avoid going through these machines.

Attention: Not all airports in the United States allow entry through the app.

To consider: Although the objective of Global Entry is to streamline the admission process, its members may eventually be interviewed upon entry to the United States.

Once an Argentine citizen is enrolled in Global Entry, they will also be eligible to apply for the TSA Prechecka benefit that allows you to go through security control without having to take off your shoes, belt or jacket and without having to place laptops, among other electronics, on a tray.

Approximately 99% of TSA PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes at this checkpoint.