With the school year quickly coming to a close, thousands of Americans and foreign nationals alike will begin booking their summer getaways. Whether you will be flying to a popular international destination like Britain or France, or perhaps visiting the U.S. from Canada or Mexico, CBP offers the Global Entry Program to help shorten U.S. entry wait times at certain airports.
Global Entry is a Customs and Border Protection program that provides expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers who are arriving into the U.S. via select airports. Global Entry is available to all U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, Canadian citizens who are members of NEXUS, Mexican nationals and citizens of the Netherlands. To enroll in this program, interested travelers must complete a rigorous background check and an in-person interview. Once the travelers obtain pre-approval, they can successfully enroll in the program.
Upon entering the U.S., program participants are able to approach automated kiosks and present their machine-readable government documents (i.e. passport, U.S. Permanent Resident card) to begin the process. Participants are then directed to place their fingertips on a scanner for fingerprint verification and complete a customs declaration. Next, the kiosk will issue the traveler a receipt for the transaction. The kiosk will then direct the traveler to the baggage claim area to exit.
Customs and Border Protection created this program with a view of speeding travelers along the customs process, which can be timely during heavy travel seasons. However, the agency indicates that even program participants can be selected for further examination upon U.S. entry. Violations of Global Entry’s terms and conditions will result in appropriate enforcement action and revocation of the traveler’s membership privileges.
If you have questions about the impact of your summer travel on your immigration status, please call our office today to schedule a consult with one of our attorneys. We are happy to help you cross the border with confidence.
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