How to Apply for a US Global Entry Card

The U.S Global Entry Card is a security-clearance document issued to selected citizens of the U.S and 13 other countries. This card proves that the holder poses no security risk to the U.S, allowing them to get into the country via Global Entry Kiosks at selected entry points.

Card holders are thus subject to much quicker and less rigorous screening procedures at U.S airports and border entry points.

The Global Entry Card is issued after a thorough background check is conducted to determine your overall security risk.

In some cases, even legal U.S citizens are denied this card due to their past criminal record. The card is fitted with an electronic chip which stores data about the holder, including their travel history.

Once the card has been issued however, the holder doesn’t have to produce it at the airport check, since this data is stored in the airport security systems.

As a holder of the G.E card, only your passport or proof of U.S citizenship will be necessary at the airport G.E kiosk. You will however be required to produce the card at land-entry points such as border crossings.

The Global Entry Card is only valid for 5 years after it has been issued. When this period elapses, the validity of the card expires and you will have to apply for a new card.

The card can also be revoked before the 5 year period if the holder gets involved in a criminal offense, including drunk driving.

How to Apply

To be eligible for a U.S Global Entry Card, you must be either a U.S citizen or a citizen of one of the following countries: U.K, Taiwan, India, Switzerland, Mexico, Panama, Netherlands, Colombia, South Korea, Germany, Singapore, Argentina or Canada.

There is no age restriction and even minors can apply. They however need to have legal consent from their parents or guardians, who must also be present during their interview.

Application procedure

The process of applying for a U.S Global Entry Card begins with creating an account with the U.S Customs and Border Protection Service through their website.

This is a requirement even for children. During this stage, you will be asked to submit your details including your year of birth, nationality I.D card numbers.

It is important to ensure that you provide accurate details. Little errors in your details could cause your whole application to be dismissed. Intentionally submitting false information is a Federal crime and it may lead to criminal charges.

After filling in your details and saving your application, you will be directed to a page where you will be asked to pay a non-refundable fee of $100 through your credit card or bank transfer. This fee has to be paid for all applications, including those for minors.

Your application will then be reviewed and this process will take a few months.

After the review, you will be contacted through the contact details you had provided in your application and booked for a face to face interview at a G.E enrollment center that is nearest to your area of residence.

You will be asked to bring your identification card and passport for this session. During this interview, your biometric data including fingerprints and photo will be taken and saved into a database. Minors must be accompanied by a parent for this interview.

If the interview is successful, the applicant will be issued with a U.S Global Entry Card that will be valid for 5 years through the mailing address provided. If the applicant does not have a mailing address, they will be able to collect the card at the G.E enrollment center where they did their interview.

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