There’s plenty of news coming from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) this summer as it has announced a number of changes to its TTPs, including Global Entry. Here’s the latest.
New York residents are again eligible for Global Entry applications and renewals
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delivered a hard line against the Empire State, negatively impacting its travelers. Since January, Global Entry, which allows travelers to bypass the traditional immigration and customs lines at 75 major airports, has precluded New York residents from applying or reenrolling. The reason behind this sweeping change was the “Green Light Law” or the “Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act,” which restricts DHS departments like CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from accessing individuals’ criminal history without a court order.
In late July, DHS lifted its ban on all TTPs for New York residents. This reversal came following an amendment to the new law that “expressly allow[s] for information-sharing of NY DMV records as necessary for an individual seeking acceptance into a trusted traveler program, or to facilitate vehicle imports and/or exports,” according to the DHS.
TTP enrollment centers remain closed until at least September 8
For those seeking first-time membership in any of CBP’s TTPs, the agency has extended the temporary closure of TTP enrollment centers until at least September 8, 2020. These centers have been closed since March, affecting all public access Global Entry enrollment centers, NEXUS enrollment centers, SENTRI enrollment centers, and FAST enrollment locations.
According to the CBP, “Trusted Traveler Programs applicants who scheduled interviews at enrollment centers on or before September 7 must reschedule their appointments. To reschedule, applicants should log into their Trusted Traveler Programs account on or after September 8 and use the online scheduling tool.” In addition, CBP has further extended the period of time that applicants have from conditional approval to finalizing the enrollment process to just about 18 months (545 days to be exact).
Surprisingly, CBP’s Enrollment on Arrival process remains active. After applying online and obtaining conditional approval for Global Entry, conditionally approved applicants can still complete their Global Entry in-person interviews on their international flights back into the United States. Said interviews are available at 42 domestic airports and 15 abroad. We’re not sure who’s taking international flights these days, but, hey, Enrollment on Arrival is ready for those who do! (We recommend looking on the CBP’s official Enrollment on Arrival website to find these centers within your desired airport.)
Global Entry renewal grace period remains in effect
CBP is continuing to extend TTP benefits up to 18 months for members who apply for renewal before their current membership expires. This means that if your Global Entry is due to expire, you can continue to use it for a year and a half after its expiration date. However, you must apply for the renewal before that expiration date, a process that includes an online application providing your personal details and paying the nonrefundable $100 fee.
As a reminder, the following luxury credit cards offer the $100 Global Entry statement credit every four to five years: Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Citi Prestige® Card, Mastercard® Black Card™, Mastercard® Gold Card™, The Platinum Card® from American Express, and U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card. This grace period simply keeps the application active up to 18 months, until it can be formally approved and should keep your existing Global Entry PASS ID active until then.
