Global entry woes

[mmsmom]

Mostly a bitch but wondering if anyone else has had the same experience or figure out a solution:
We got conditional approval for Global Entry for our kids in June 2019. If anyone remembers, there was a government shut down earlier that year (or maybe even the previous Fall?) so they were backed up and appointments were hard to get. I tried for a couple months and could not get one. The apparently realized there was an issue so they started allowing people to do their interviews when you returned from an international trip at most airports. We had one coming up so decided to go that route. They send an email at least once a month touting the “interview upon entry” option and tell you where it is available. What they don’t tell you is that it is only staffed certain hours, which does not correspond to arrival hours. So we arrived in Honolulu expecting for kids to complete process only to be told we would have to wait for 2 hours for office to open. So we decided not to wait and hope for interview appt soon. Well then Covid and they shut down again. They opening date kept getting pushed back and I think they finally reopened in the Fall for interviews but of course no appointments. I have checked 20+ times and there is never anything close by or even in our region. They did extend the deadline which is usually a year to 2 years but our window expires soon and we won’t get appointment in time. Also, DD’s passport is now expired so even if we got appt we won’t be able to do interview. I called and got an actual person but her only solution was for us to drive 5 hours for an appointment on a weekday so I would have to take off work. So we lose that $200 and have to start over and wait time now for conditional approval is 7-10 months. In the meantime I will pay $85 x2 to at least get them TSA Precheck which I just found out you can do at some Staples locations but of course no appointments available locally before our trip in July.

Pre-Covid I was told that if you call ahead our airport would let you drop in for Global Entry interviews and wait for availability but I called airport and was told I could not do that now.

[AnnieW625]

Hmm. Both dh and I got our global entry stuff done in March or April, 2019 for our European trip in June, 2019. I think we had to wait about 3 weeks for our appointments once we paid the fee and we’re notified we could make the appointment, but the process was pretty painless. We were luck as we lived very close to a large port authority so we just went to the customs office there. My sister had to drive 2 hours each way to the San Francisco airport to have hers done so driving might be necessary.

Do your kids really need TSA precheck? If they are 13-14 and under they can go through with a parent. Also if they are 13+ and are familiar with airports and security they are fine going alone. Dd1 is 15 and had gone alone twice now in mid size airports and been fine.

Dh and I also got passports in August, 2018 and we turned in the paperwork in late July and had them back in no more than two weeks later. I was honestly surprised.

My mom did her global entry interview coming back from Spain in the summer of 2017 (I think) and I think she said she had to wait an hour but they had something like 4 or 5 hour layover at LAX or JFK (I can’t remember) before getting back home to NorCal though so no time crunch there.

If you really think you need assistance contact your congressman’s office; this what their field staff do….coordinate constituents complaints….maybe they can help you find an appt. closer to your home.

ETA: some business credit cards offer free TSA pre so maybe look into one of those and then see if they have a discount or free option for a dependent.

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[mmsmom]

Hmm. Both dh and I got our global entry stuff done in March or April, 2019 for our European trip in June, 2019. I think we had to wait about 3 weeks for our appointments once we paid the fee and we’re notified we could make the appointment, but the process was pretty painless. We were luck as we lived very close to a large port authority so we just went to the customs office there. My sister had to drive 2 hours each way to the San Francisco airport to have hers done so driving might be necessary.

Do your kids really need TSA precheck? If they are 13-14 and under they can go through with a parent. Also if they are 13+ and are familiar with airports and security they are fine going alone. Dd1 is 15 and had gone alone twice now in mid size airports and been fine.

Dh and I also got passports in August, 2018 and we turned in the paperwork in late July and had them back in no more than two weeks later. I was honestly surprised.

My mom did her global entry interview coming back from Spain in the summer of 2017 (I think) and I think she said she had to wait an hour but they had something like 4 or 5 hour layover at LAX or JFK (I can’t remember) before getting back home to NorCal though so no time crunch there.

If you really think you need assistance contact your congressman’s office; this what their field staff do….coordinate constituents complaints….maybe they can help you find an appt. closer to your home.

ETA: some business credit cards offer free TSA pre so maybe look into one of those and then see if they have a discount or free option for a dependent.

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The official rule is only 12 and under can go in TSA with parent. Over 12 they need their own. We were stopped and asked age on our last pre-Covid trip when DS was 13. The agent really wanted to send us all to back of non TSA line but only let us through because we had a tight connection from an Int’l flight. It’s not a matter of them going in another line but the length of the regular line. Apparently with staff shortages lines are crazy right now and there are stories of people getting to airport 3 hours ahead and still missing flight. The TSA line is long too but a little faster.

I was wondering if congressman could do anything. We don’t need Global Entry yet but I don’t think I should have to pay fee again.

Passports are also crazy wait times right now and you need an appointment at most places (for kids when you have to go in) and they are hard to find. We do have a passport appt for DD next week but wait time to get it back is 20 weeks unless you expedite.

After several tries I was able to get DS an appt at Staples in our town for PreCheck before our trip. And I remembered DD is just 12 �� so we should be set.

We get free TSA on one of our cards but DH has used it and it doesn’t help with the process- they just cover fee. I will reapply for Global Entry and hope to have approval by our next international trip so they can do interview at airport on our return. We did one trip without Global Entry for everyone and after waiting in Miami for 3 hours we said never again!

[SnuggleBuggles]

My friend expedited her passport a few months ago and it’s really late now. She enlisted the help of her congress person and it has really helped. So worth a try!


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[AnnieW625]

We are hoping for the best on Saturday when we leave. We planning on being at LAX by 6:30 am for our 9:10 am flight.


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[mmsmom]

My friend expedited her passport a few months ago and it’s really late now. She enlisted the help of her congress person and it has really helped. So worth a try!


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We don’t have any int’l trips planned so don’t need the passport and will just do regular service (I know you can call later and pay for expedite service but also even expedite is 4 - 6 weeks right now). It was just that we need to show the passport at Global Entry interview and I’m assuming they wouldn’t take it expired and we won’t have it in hand anyway since they send it with renewal.

It’s just more the principal of paying for Global Entry and not being able to complete it because of issues on their end and now we have to pay again and start the process over.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We don’t have any int’l trips planned so don’t need the passport and will just do regular service (I know you can call later and pay for expedite service but also even expedite is 4 - 6 weeks right now). It was just that we need to show the passport at Global Entry interview and I’m assuming they wouldn’t take it expired and we won’t have it in hand anyway since they send it with renewal.

It’s just more the principal of paying for Global Entry and not being able to complete it because of issues on their end and now we have to pay again and start the process over.

Right. I was just saying to reach out because they might have some solutions.


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[AnnieW625]

Yes definitely call your congressman about your global entry issues. Maybe they will be able to get you an extension so you don’t have to pay the fees twice.


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[NCGrandma]

Yes definitely call your congressman about your global entry issues. Maybe they will be able to get you an extension so you don’t have to pay the fees twice.

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Years ago, I had never heard of contacting congressmen to help with issues like this until I moved to NC. Longtime NC senator Jesse Helms was *extremely* conservative. No one I knew agreed with his politics, but his office's constituent services were second to none. I remember a number of situations when people facing passport etc problems overcame their reluctance and contacted Jesse Helms' office.


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[marinkitty]

I just renewed all three DC and my passports - made an appointment at our local post office for two days' from the time I booked, paid to expedite and had all four passports back in 5-6 weeks.

For global - my neighbor applied for two of her kids two weeks ago, had her interview at O'Hare yesterday and they are all set. Where are you guys? I was honestly a bit shocked at how fast she got conditional approval and the appointment. Last time I renewed in 2019 it took me four months to get conditional approval for a renewal and I had to call in a favor with DH's office to get it through in time for a trip. I didn't need to re-interview so I was lucky there.