My husband and I applied for Global Entry at the same time. Back in November. He got his interview and all clear in two weeks. I’m STILL waiting! It’s been 6 months! I am thinking I should head to the airport to get this interview scheduled as it doesn’t seem as if I will ever be getting an interview. So just wondering how long other’s have had to wait?
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7054 posts
I don't think you'll be able to speed it up due to COVID delays (see below link). Plus, the value of Global Entry will go way down in at least the short-term since airports will not experience the kinds of crowds that would make Global Entry worthwhile (they are almost totally devoid of passengers right now). And who knows how things at airports will operate in the "new normal"?
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-extends-temporary-closure-trusted-traveler-program-enrollment
Posted by
171 posts
My wife was able to schedule her appointment in about a month as she went to a smaller airport in Long Beach C.A. She’s good. However, my appointment and my daughters appointment was scheduled at LAX a few weeks later and we were cancelled due to COVID.
We now receive weekly emails from G.E. telling us to interview upon arrival from Europe. Who wants to come blearily-eyed off a transcontinental flight and sit for an interview? Defeats the whole purpose.
Posted by
Houston
3522 posts
If you have not received notification you are qualified to do the interview, heading to the airport will do nothing for the process. The interviewers have no control over who is labeled qualified and will not be able to talk to you.
If you have been told you qualified and are just having difficulty finding an appointment time, you used to be able to just show up and they would fit you in if they had an opening. I do not believe that is possible now due to various things being temporarily suspended due to the virus.
Posted by
Arcadia, CA
592 posts
Tammy, I applied in September and still have not heard anything! And with all this that's going on, you might as well just forget it.
Posted by
Anchorage, Alaska
108 posts
Yep, I would visit their office on the second floor of the North Terminal at ANC and ask them. I have been there several times with questions and they have been very helpful although I did get the impression that not many people do so.
In general I think Anchorage is a good place to apply and get your interview. After I first applied I was able to easily schedule an interview fairly quickly. My renewal, in December, went even faster - about a week.
Posted by
Freedonia
16420 posts
Check before heading to the airport as Global Entry offices were closed and I'm not sure if they are open again.
Interview on arrival isn't bad. I did my renewal that way. Took less than 15 minutes which is how long the initial Global Entry interview gets alloted.
Posted by
Southeast US
4050 posts
Who wants to come blearily-eyed off a transcontinental flight and sit
for an interview? Defeats the whole purpose.
It's not much of an interview. It's more an explanation of the program and finger printing.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
We were in and out of Global Entry interview-on-arrival at SFO in maybe 15 mInutes (mid-January) No fuss, no muss even after a 12-hour flight. Way easier for us than making a special trip to the airport. (SFO was not scheduling appointments at that time.)
Posted by
DFW TX, USA
457 posts
Tammy, I applied in September and still have not heard anything! And with all this that's going on, you might as well just forget it.
My wife applied last June and got her approval and interview in about 2 weeks time ... I applied 9/11/19 and just received my conditional approval last Friday (so a little less than 8 months later) ... was going to schedule my interview but DFW is closed until at least 6/1 and not showing any appointment dates for the rest of this year ... not that I'm going anywhere anytime soon ...