Aloha Everyone,
This is a program offered by the Department of Homeland Security for frequent travelers returning from foreign destinations.
Today J.J. spent at least four hours trying to apply for Global Entry membership. The main feature is using a special kiosk upon arrival for both immigration and customs processing. The kiosk has biometric equipment to scan your face. That’s it. No long lines. The two of us see other advantages including TSA Pre-check when departing.
For unknown reasons, when J.J. applied for his Global Entry membership using his laptop, it was tedious but easy enough to follow the prompts. But when it came to my turn, using my iPhone, the process quickly became challenging. To make sure I was using the secure pass code temporarily issued by the Department of Homeland Security, we kept on receiving text messages with secured code which expires in 10 minutes.
We are pleased to pay $100 each when both applications were finally accepted. This does not mean that we will automatically get our Global Entry Membership. A personal interview is required plus fingerprints and a facial scan. At least, the initial hurdle is over.
Aloha -- Cathi