Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

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Ego
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Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by Ego »

The wait time to cross from Mexico into California is normally between 90 minutes to 2 hours. Tomorrow morning (Monday) after the holiday it will climb to over three hours... inching forward in bumper to bumper traffic. Pure hell.

The Sentri trusted traveler program has been around for more than 10 years. Sentri provides a special lines that cuts the wait time to a maximum of 15 minutes. There is also the Nexus (Canadian land entry) and Global Entry (most land and airports). These programs also allow access to the new TSA Precheck. Basically you get to cut to the front of the immigration, customs and TSA lines.

http://www.alabamas13.com/story/2420589 ... r-programs

These programs are expanding to include other countries. For instance, Global Entry members can pass Canadian immigration and customs by swiping their passport at a kiosk and walking through without a wait. Just last month Australia and New Zealand expanded reciprocal benefits with their trusted traveler program as well as similar programs in the Netherlands and Korea.

Global Entry costs $100 for five years.
http://www.globalentry.gov/index.html

Back when Sentri was first initiated the wait at the regular non-Sentri line got longer and longer. Before Sentri the wait was rarely over one hour. Now it is almost never under one hour. I wonder if the same will begin happening at every immigration, customs and TSA check. A two tiered system.

Anyone have experience using these?

dan23
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by dan23 »

I have global entry (and through it pre-check), which was paid for by amex when I did a 100K mile bonus. If I flew frequently I would be willing to pay $100 for it out of pocket - jfk arrival it took me 10 minutes from deplaning to train on an international flight. No need to fill out a custom card by hand when returning to the us, which is nice as well.

As I understand it, it is good for incoming international flights if the airport supports it but not outgoing international flights (customs in other countries). I was unaware of reciprocity with other countries, but that would be a nice additional perk.

For pre-check, it is also nice where offered, though plenty of airlines offer you similar line skipping benefits through getting status or their credit cards.

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Ego
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by Ego »

Australia / New Zealand Smartgate just opened to Global Entry holders http://www.globalentry.gov/smartgate.html

Germany's ABG+ program is being extended to the Global Entry participants. http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/ ... Entry.html

mxlr650
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by mxlr650 »

ego wrote:Back when Sentri was first initiated the wait at the regular non-Sentri line got longer and longer. Before Sentri the wait was rarely over one hour. Now it is almost never under one hour. I wonder if the same will begin happening at every immigration, customs and TSA check. A two tiered system.

Anyone have experience using these?
I got Globalentry a while ago (my previous company paid for it) and I like it. TSA-Pre is not automatic even if you register with airlines etc, as it is dependent on frequency of travel – so if someone travels only once in say 4 months, they may never get TSA-Pre. TSA never revealed their criteria to DW since she also has GE, but does not travel as much, so no TSA-pre. Airline FF membership can get you to shorter lines in specific airports, but the main difference is that you still need to remove shoes/laptop - however it is not a big deal really. But in some airports like Denver you can be thru TSA-Pre in under 5 mins and regular lines can be 10x long in times. Airlines need to enroll in TSA–pre, so it is unlikely to be available say on Singapore airlines.

GE shines at times when a bunch of international flights arrive around same time and the immigration lines can be long. It is also helpful when you are entering USA from developing countries -- people from there bring in lots of crazy shit, so the custom lines can be long, and with GE you can be out in no time. There are more kiosks so the lines for GE are not long at all -- just this reason alone GE would be worth it even without TSA-pre.

I did not get Sentri since I do not go there often. Nexus requires that you get GE first then appear for an interview at a Canadian airport, and fortunately I do not go there THAT often. Moreover, there is a bigger hurdle if you start going to Canada on work often – Canada is protective of its labor force, so they may require you to get Inter-company visa like L1 in USA.

Dragline
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by Dragline »

If you do a lot of international air travel, Global Entry is well worth it. You get to go through security where the flight crews go and dispense with filling out that customs form if you don't have anything. If you don't have any checked luggage you can be through immigration and customs in less than 10 minutes.

You will save hours of time and innumerable headaches. Can't speak for the other programs.

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Ego
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by Ego »

We waited 10 minutes in the SENTRI line at the border on Friday afternoon. The regular line was 90 minutes.

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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by jacob »

Here's another trick to get through immigration and customs [no checked in luggage] fast: Run!
Unless you're arriving together with another international aircraft, most passengers will be leisurely strolling/dawdling their way there, so a fast walk/slight jog will bring you close to the head of queue.

mxlr650
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by mxlr650 »

jacob wrote:Here's another trick to get through immigration and customs [no checked in luggage] fast: Run!
Picking front-most seat also helps as you have less contestants to pass. Business class people although exit first, are not in the best of shape :-)

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jennypenny
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by jennypenny »

jacob wrote:Here's another trick to get through immigration and customs [no checked in luggage] fast: Run!
The problem with that trick is that you might get pulled over by an overeager TSA agent. Especially in ATL.

Ask me how I know. :lol:

simplex
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by simplex »

Hi,

I understand that such a program can save lots of hassle. However i see them as treating citizens unequally. Everybody who travels has to pass the government border controls. However when you pay, you can get through fast. This removes the incentive to have an equal, fast cross border transfer check.
I wonder then, are governments introducing this also for e.g. going to the police and complaining about burglary? If you pay, they'll send an officer immediately, otherwise you'll have to wait until no tracks can be found anymore?

mxlr650
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by mxlr650 »

simplex wrote:I understand that such a program can save lots of hassle. However i see them as treating citizens unequally. Everybody who travels has to pass the government border controls. However when you pay, you can get through fast. This removes the incentive to have an equal, fast cross border transfer check.
Candidates who goes thru GE program hand over their entire life history to the government, and those details will be verified with local/federal law enforcement agencies, along with a face to face interview, before GE approval. So it is not like all the citizens in immigration line have been thru that, and consequently, it is debatable if it is inherently an "unequal" treatment.

Besides, whats the point of checking a dude week after week? Kiosk could do the same job for lot cheaper. So I would argue that with less officers needed, GE program is much cheaper for taxpayers. I fully support making GE available for free to everyone, and at that point, if you are mandated to hand out your life history and become a trusted traveller before you travel, even if you rarely travel, would you do it?

The burglary analogy has few bugs in it: First off, rarely a citizen experiences a burglary per month, let alone a week. Second, if you have been to police station already, you should expect to be not lined up with folks being there for the first time reporting (I don't know if there is such thing since I have never been there)

Dragline
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by Dragline »

simplex wrote:Hi,

I understand that such a program can save lots of hassle. However i see them as treating citizens unequally. Everybody who travels has to pass the government border controls. However when you pay, you can get through fast. This removes the incentive to have an equal, fast cross border transfer check.
I wonder then, are governments introducing this also for e.g. going to the police and complaining about burglary? If you pay, they'll send an officer immediately, otherwise you'll have to wait until no tracks can be found anymore?
At $100 every FIVE years and voluntary nature of the program, it's a pretty nominal fee. Heck, I'm going to have to pay a compulsory $50 to license the chihuahua in that period of time (not named Felix. DW and I argue whether its worth it -- but I win because she won't pay for euthanasia.)

Considering the (lack of) magnitude of the actual cost, do you still consider your argument valid? As the next poster observed, it is the reduction of privacy that is more of an issue.

simplex
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by simplex »

may remark was not about cost per se, but about unequal treatment. The GE, Sentri, Nexus (or what its called) is not available to everyone.
The main point is, you pay and get faster (better) access to government service.
If this wasn't legal, it could be called a bribe. In some countries you have to pay a bribe and you get your building permit faster. If you don't pay, you'll have to wait months or years.

This analogy troubles me.

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Ego
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by Ego »

simplex wrote:may remark was not about cost per se, but about unequal treatment. The GE, Sentri, Nexus (or what its called) is not available to everyone.
The main point is, you pay and get faster (better) access to government service.
If this wasn't legal, it could be called a bribe. In some countries you have to pay a bribe and you get your building permit faster. If you don't pay, you'll have to wait months or years.

This analogy troubles me.

simplex
It is available to everyone who is eligible to enter the U.S. Even non-US citizens.
http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-trave ... ligibility

Those I know who have it and use it regularly to get across the US/Mexican border are fanatical about following the rules and laws of the US for fear of losing access to the SENTRI line. A twenty minute morning commute can become a two and a half hour morning ordeal with one infraction.

Is this a nudge?

RealPerson
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus,

Post by RealPerson »

When I go somewhere in Europe and go through immigration, the EU line is usually much shorter than the non-EU line. In fact, there can be a difference of 45 minutes or longer (personal experience). I happen to have dual US-EU citizenship, so I just had to get my EU passport to fix the problem. In essence, paying for the EU passport got me to the short line. Isn't that unequal treatment? At least I have the option. Most do not.

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jennypenny
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by jennypenny »

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a Global Entry card?

Dragline
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by Dragline »

jennypenny wrote:Does anyone know how long it takes to get a Global Entry card?
You will need to fill out an online form and then make an appointment to go in for an appointment/interview and get your fingerprints scanned electronically -- that's what they use to identify you when you come through customs. Probably a month or so these days -- its quicker than what it used to be. There still are not that many places where they do the interviews, but there are a lot more than there used to be.

Note, the foregoing assumes that you already have a passport.

Riggerjack
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by Riggerjack »

@ simplex:
In some countries you have to pay a bribe and you get your building permit faster. If you don't pay, you'll have to wait months or years.
I am assuming you know you are talking about the way things are here in the US. I don't know that a bribe gets the job done faster, having never tried it. However, every city and county code has an executive approval process bypassing all the regular checks and balances. I do know a building permit will take months or years thru normal channels.

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jennypenny
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by jennypenny »

@Dragline--Thanks. I was planning on doing the online application today. We can do the interview at PHL. I'm hoping we get the cards before DD departs in June since she'll use it the most. Gonna be close ...

simplex
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Re: Trusted Traveler Programs - Global Entry, Sentri, Nexus, TSA

Post by simplex »

@riggerjack:
my comment was not specifically about the US. I didn't know that you could bypass the usual process. I was thinking about bribes, and from hearing from it, it works in some countries.
What i was comparing is that some citizens get preferred government treatment by paying money. The government has a monopoly on border control, and I think it should be accountable to all citizens. You can bypass hassle by paying to a private company. Imagine the same with taxes, defence, ... (areas where the government has a monopoly).

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