Speed Up Your Global Entry Process with This Tip

After a long travel day filled with layovers or cramped seating, the last thing you want is to endure a lengthy customs line.

This is where Global Entry shines. Members enjoy a dedicated line that lets them pass through customs in just minutes, significantly faster than the regular line, which can stretch for hours.

To obtain Global Entry, you need to submit an application, pay a $100 fee (which some credit cards cover), pass a background check, and attend an in-person interview after getting preliminary approval. However, due to increased travel demand and a backlog from a seven-month pandemic pause, processing times for Global Entry are currently up to 18 months, with interview scheduling being a major bottleneck.

Fortunately, if travelers have submitted their application, fee, and background check and received preliminary approval, they can use Global Entry on Arrival for upcoming international trips. This program lets travelers finalize their Global Entry interview with Customs and Border Control at select U.S. airports upon returning from abroad, without needing an appointment. Here’s how it works:

What steps do I need to take to finalize Global Entry on Arrival?

To finalize Global Entry on Arrival, you’ll need several documents, including:

• A valid U.S. passport (if you hold multiple passports, bring those too)
• A document proving your residency (this can be your driver’s license if the address is up to date, a mortgage statement, a rental payment receipt, a utility bill, etc.)

Note: Minors are not required to provide proof of residency.

Upon arriving at an airport that offers Global Entry on Arrival (more details on that below), head to the regular immigration area, where you'll typically find three options for customs: the standard entry kiosk, Mobile Passport, and Global Entry. Look for signs directing you to an Enrollment on Arrival office. If you can't find any signs, ask an agent in the Global Entry line for assistance; they can either help you or summon another agent to complete your interview.

During the interview, the officer will ask a few questions (like which countries you've visited lately and your past addresses) and will take your fingerprints. The entire process should last no more than 10 minutes, and you can expect to receive your Global Entry Card, including your membership number, within about a week.

Which airports provide Global Entry on Arrival?

Numerous international airports across the U.S. offer Global Entry on Arrival, along with some international locations that have preclearance facilities. Here’s the latest list of airports featuring Global Entry on Arrival:

• Austin-Bergstrom (AUS)
• Abu Dhabi (AUH)
• Baltimore/Washington (MWI)
• Bermuda L.F. Wade (BDA)
• Boston Logan (BOS)
• Buffalo Niagara (BUF)
• Calgary (YYC)
• Charlotte Douglas (CLT)
• Chicago Midway (MDW)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG)
• Cleveland Hopkins (CLE)
• Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
• Denver (DEN)
• Detroit Metropolitan (DTW)
• Dublin (DUB)
• Edmonton (YEG)
• Fairbanks (FAI)
• Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood (FLL)
• Fresno Yosemite (FAT)
• George Bush Intercontinental, Houston (IAH)
• Halifax (YHZ)
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL)
• Honolulu (HNL)
• John F. Kennedy, New York (JFK)
• John Glenn Columbus (CMH)
• Kansas City (MCI)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans (MSY)
• Metropolitan Oakland (OAK)
• McCarran, Las Vegas (LAS)
• Miami (MIA)
• Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP)
• Montreal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau (YUL)
• Luis Muñoz Marin, San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
• Lynden Pindling, Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
• Newark Liberty (EWR)
• Norman Y. Mineta San Jose (SJC)
• O’Hare, Chicago (ORD)
• Orlando (MCO)
• Orlando Sanford (SFB)
• Ottawa (YOW)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
• Portland (PDX)
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
• Reina Beatrix, Aruba (AUA)
• Reno-Tahoe (RNO)
• Sacramento (SMF)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• San Antonio (SAT)
• San Diego (SAN)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Seattle Tacoma (SEA)
• Shannon, Ireland (SNN)
• St. Louis Lambert (STL)
• Tampa (TPA)
• Ted Stevens Anchorage (ANC)
• Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
• Vancouver (YVR)
• Washington Dulles (IAD)
• William P. Hobby, Houston (HOU)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong (YWG)

Is it beneficial to pursue Global Entry on Arrival?

If you’ve received conditional approval for Global Entry and have an upcoming international trip, it’s beneficial to utilize the interview on-arrival option. This process is fast, straightforward, requires no appointment, and provides you with Global Entry status for five years.

On the other hand, if you don’t have any international trips planned but have domestic travel coming up, consider scheduling an interview (many are conducted at airports). Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, which offers expedited TSA screening for domestic flights.