USA Global Entry - Schedule Interview

[bad company]

Bit of a long shot but someone might know.

I have conditional approval so need to arrange an interview. I’m arriving in Miami on a cruise ship next month but won’t have too much time if the ship docks a long way from the interview location. The alternative is to call into the GE facility at Tampa or Orlando airports as I’m due to pass a few days later. My question is I won’t be flying on those days so can I still access the GE interview centre or is it on the other side of security/passport control?

[w1bbles]

I guess it varies by location. I did mine in Boston airport and it was on the air side of immigration. I left the immigration queue and went to a holding area. On completion of the interview I was free to pass through immigration and go to the baggage hall.

[Mahalo]

Global Entry on arrival is normally airside however most airports that have Global Entry on arrival also have a Global Entry Center and this is the case for both Tampa and Orlando. Tampa is in the baggage hall on the Red side, Orlando is in Terminal C ground floor next to the Orlando Police Dept office.

Details and opening times here.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-progra...

[bad company]

Mahalo said:

Global Entry on arrival is normally airside however most airports that have Global Entry on arrival also have a Global Entry Center and this is the case for both Tampa and Orlando. Tampa is in the baggage hall on the Red side, Orlando is in Terminal C ground floor next to the Orlando Police Dept office.

Details and opening times here.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-progra...

Thanks. As long as I can get to the baggage hall (I’d assumed that was in the arrivals area), I’ll go for Tampa.

[adamstreeter]

I did mine last year on entry into New York, had to go through normal entry and then there was a room which you could go to where you could wait for your interview.

One tip, at New York could of got luggage off the belt, and then came back for the interview....would recommend if the same at your entry point to collect luggage first as it took me so long to get through the queue and interview they had chucked my bag into lost property!

Once done though - game changer, if you can travel with a carry-on you can reliably fly through entry on USA and layover worry becomes a thing of the past! Last time I flew into Orlando I was off my plane and sitting in the hire car within 20-30mins of stepping off the plane.

TSA pre-check security on way out is also far quicker - just remember when booking/checking in to enter your traveller reference to take advantage of tsa pre check as not automatic!

[bad company]

OK so now I have Global Entry all approved. I haven’t used it yet but flying to LAX next week. As I understand it I just arrive and go to the Global Entry checkpoints, do I have to use the GE app first?

Any help appreciated .

[random_username]

bad company said:

OK so now I have Global Entry all approved. I haven t used it yet but flying to LAX next week. As I understand it I just arrive and go to the Global Entry checkpoints, do I have to use the GE app first?

Any help appreciated .

Yes - you can just follow the different line to the GE machine, and use the kiosks to answer the immigration questions, which gives you a receipt with your face on it which you give to the customs agent at the desk. I've never seen much of a queue for these machines.

Using the app bypasses the need to stop at the kiosk, from what I understand.

[Nic-nfr74]

walk to machine - photo of face - proceed to officer, normally confirms your name and pass without stopping no passport needed, or a quick check of your passport and a question then through. Never bothered with the app, never been a line!!!!

[bad company]

Arrived at LAX last Friday. No global entry facility, all closed so I had to join the queue. Wasn’t too bad, about 20 minutes but disappointed.

[Mahalo]

bad company said:

Arrived at LAX last Friday. No global entry facility, all closed so I had to join the queue. Wasn t too bad, about 20 minutes but disappointed.

Yep Global Entry was suspended for two weeks due to the Government funding, it was restored as of March 11th.

[bad company]

Mahalo said:

bad company said:

Arrived at LAX last Friday. No global entry facility, all closed so I had to join the queue. Wasn t too bad, about 20 minutes but disappointed.

Yep Global Entry was suspended for two weeks due to the Government funding, it was restored as of March 11th.

Thanks, that makes sense. Mrs BC only has conditional approval so needed an interview on arrival which also couldn’t happen. When we fly home I’ll have the TSA pre check thing but she won’t .

We’re flying back into the USA in May, hopefully we can sort it all then.