How perseverance paid off after three failed attempts to renew my Global Entry membership

I nearly gave up on renewing my Global Entry membership last week.

Last Tuesday, I arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport's Terminal B after my third international flight in three months, only to be denied renewal once again.

But first, let’s go back to early November when I submitted my application to renew Global Entry. Membership in this program is valid for five years, and you can begin the renewal process at any time during the fifth year.

I paid the $100 renewal fee using one of my many credit cards that provide a complimentary Global Entry membership, and my application was conditionally approved a few days later.

While some renewals are handled right away, mine required an interview. I initially attempted to sign up for a remote, Zoom interview.

In June 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency introduced a remote interview pilot program that allows select travelers to conduct their renewal interviews via video instead of visiting an enrollment center in person.

Although I met the criteria for the pilot, I was disheartened to find that there were no available slots for the entire 2022 and 2023 schedules.

With my hopes for a home interview dashed, I shifted my focus to scheduling an in-person appointment.

While a few enrollment centers had some last-minute availability, my three nearest centers — Bowling Green in New York City, New York-JFK, and Newark Liberty International Airport — had no appointments until mid-2022 at the earliest.

During the pandemic, the CBP extended the renewal period to 24 months, which means I could theoretically book an interview anytime before November 2024 without losing my benefits.

While I appreciate the added flexibility, I’m the kind of person who prefers to tackle tasks promptly. With my busy travel schedule, it’s nearly impossible for me to predict where I’ll be next week, let alone six months ahead.

So instead of picking a random date in July for my interview, I decided to explore my third option: the Enrollment on Arrival program. This program allows the interview to take place during the immigration process upon entering the U.S. from abroad.

In fact, the agency's website promotes this as an efficient way to complete the interview without having to search for availability at an enrollment center.

It seemed simple enough, so I thought I’d give it a shot ... or three.

On November 26, I landed at New York-JFK's Terminal 8 at 6 a.m., right when the customs facility opened.

When I reached counter number one (the on-arrival enrollment location indicated on the CBP website), I was informed that no officer was available to process my application. I attributed this to it being Thanksgiving morning and decided to try again later.

Fast forward to December 16, when I arrived at JFK's Terminal 7 after my first flight in British Airways' Club Suite.

Once again, I received the same disappointing news: no officer was available to conduct an interview upon arrival.

Hoping for better luck in the new year, I attempted again in Newark on January 4 after arriving from St. Maarten. Upon reaching the immigration hall, I found no officers available to process my application.

At this point, I didn’t have any upcoming international trips scheduled, and I wasn’t optimistic that a fourth international journey would finally grant me the elusive on-arrival interview.

So, I returned to square one and began searching for an interview slot, either via Zoom or at an enrollment center.

As expected, neither option was available. The earliest appointment I could secure was in Newark in March. I confirmed it, marked my calendar, and hoped I’d be in town.

Then, I started seeing reports of a snowstorm hitting New York last Friday, and I thought there might be a chance for a last-minute cancellation.

And sure enough, that’s precisely what happened. When I logged into the portal on Wednesday morning, I managed to secure a slot at the Bowling Green Center in lower Manhattan for 2 p.m. on Friday.

When Friday arrived and the snow began to melt, I took the subway from my lower Manhattan apartment straight to Bowling Green and was in and out of the facility in under five minutes. The customs officer mentioned that many facilities are dealing with a significant backlog of appointments due to staff shortages.

In summary

Ultimately, it took four attempts, but I finally managed to secure a favorable appointment for my Global Entry renewal.

Although the process wasn’t entirely smooth, it taught me that persistence pays off, particularly when keeping an eye out for last-minute cancellations.

Now, I’ll give it another shot since my wife’s renewal is coming up in just a few weeks.