Global Entry Saves the Day!

tim

Moderator
We connected through CLT on the way home from St. Barth last night, and we'd have never made the connection without Global Entry. Immigration hall was completely filled, and we were on a really tight schedule. GE allowed us to bypass the hundreds of poor souls waiting to be allowed entry into the USA. Even still, our checked bags beat us out to the carousel. Since Global Entry includes TSA pre-check, we zoomed right through that obstacle without removing articles of clothing, computers, liquids, etc.. Our gate was all the way at the end of C concourse, so we jumped on a cart which delivered us right there before boarding had even started.

Global Entry is sweet!
 
Indeed it is sweet! I'm renewing my passport and wonder if I have to relink GE to the new number?
 
The Google has the answer!

[h=2]Updating passports or making changes to your GOES membership[/h][h=3]I received a new passport do I need to apply again for a new Global Entry?
[/h]Global Entry members may update their passport through their GOES account. This applies only to passports that do not include a name change. If you do not have a GOES account, please visit the website and create an account.
A Global Entry sticker is not required to use the Global Entry kiosks; however, you may visit any Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRIenrollment center and speak to a CBP officer if you have any questions or to verify your program membership. Please note that CBP no longer issues stickers for passports, so you do not need to get a new sticker for a new passport.
Name change - If your name changes, you will need to visit an enrollment center to update your information, and you will need to bring with you a proof of your legal name change, such as a court document or marriage certificate.
Address change - If any information that you originally submitted for the NEXUS/SENTRI/Global Entry program has changed, login to your GOES account. Select UPDATE Documents on the welcome screen. Complete the available fields on the Update screen. Click Next. A confirmation page will display with your updated document.
If you wish to receive automatic updates to this Q&A, select "Subscribe to Updates" on the left side of this screen.

 
A tight connection and long wait in CLT a couple years ago was what compelled me to look closely into Global Entry. We had just less than two hours, landed at the same time as two or three other big jets, and Immigration Hall was very lightly staffed. Lots of people missed their connections, judging by chatter in the line. We got through after a long wait, ran through the airport and right onto the plane as the agents were calling our names for final boarding. So well worth the money and we've been lucky enough to get TSA PreCheck on every flight since, even when traveling on airlines that we're not a part of their frequent flier programs. Wish I'd done it sooner!
 
I saw several people with GE just waive their passes at immigration. I had TSA precheck last time and 2 people in line. Is that the difference?
 
They just opened a GE office in Philly all the way at the north end of the city. If that's the only difference it's not worth the ride for me if I have Precheck every time.
 
The GE kiosk reads your biometrics, asks about items to declare and prints off a document that you show to the the immigration booth and then on exiting customs. Precheck lines are starting to grow as more people get it, but the shoes, laptop, belt and jacket passes still makes up for it.
 
They just opened a GE office in Philly all the way at the north end of the city. If that's the only difference it's not worth the ride for me if I have Precheck every time.

Precheck doesn't help when you return from abroad -- need GE for that.
 
Indeed it is sweet! I'm renewing my passport and wonder if I have to relink GE to the new number?

We have first hand experience with new passports. When they arrived I assumed that everything would be seamlessly updated, but that is not the case. You not only have to update your GE profile but also the info in your FF account. We went around in circles at SJU this November because I did not have that info updated.

Phil
 
No- they put us in a separate line for Immigration

Boy this is tough with you today! You still had to fill out this form right?

declarationformfront.jpg
 
I didn't say I did- just the opposite. I said with Precheck we breezed thru CLT last month. Immigration had a special line for precheck.
 
Here's a link to a handy dandy chart that shows the differences among TSA Pre-Check, GE, Nexus ((which I have as a Canadian and gives me access to GE). GE and Nexus are obviously geared toward those whom do cross-border or international travel. TSA Pre-Check would seem to make sense for someone doing domestic travel within the US only. I think Andy may have benefitted from having TSA Pre-Check and being whisked through Immigration but I don't think that would always be the case at all points of US entry nor even in all instances where you've been expedited in the past.

Selfishly, I am happy to keep the number of new GE / Nexus members to a minimum so all is good!

http://www.dhs.gov/comparison-chart
 
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