Renewing or applying for airport fast pass Global Entry may take long time

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Steve Levy went to renew his Global Entry membership online the second he found that his favourite airport fast pass had expired.

That was in early May. Four months later, the Seattle nonprofit director is still waiting. The $100 fee for the five-year membership showed up on his American Express bill several statements ago, but his Global Entry account still says “pending review’.’

Global Entry, a trusted traveller program from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that provides travellers with a speedier trip through customs when returning from international flights, also includes TSA PreCheck, a sister trusted traveller program. PreCheck allows passengers to go through a dedicated, usually quicker, security lane where they can keep shoes and coats on and leave laptops and approved liquids in their carry-on bags.

Levy’s situation is not unique. Between 30% and 35% of Global Entry applications and renewals are taking 90 days or more to complete, a CBP spokesman said. The rest, he said, are completed within 15 days.

In a hard-to-find statement on its website, the agency warns applicants to expect “significant delays” in processing times – up to 100 days – and limited appointment times at enrolment centres. Travellers applying for Global Entry for the first time are required to do an in-person interview as are some travellers renewing their memberships.

The cited reasons on the website for the backlog: the 35-day government shutdown that ended in late January and the “ongoing humanitarian and security crisis on our southern border”.

To offset the loss of some airport employees to the southwest border, the spokesman said, the agency has moved some workers from its Global Entry enrolment centres to frontline airport operations. CBP officers screen visitors and residents flying into the United States from abroad.

Another factor extending processing times: a spike in renewals due to a high volume of expirations. Global Entry memberships began to spike in late 2013 when PreCheck expanded to the general public and travellers weighed which security fast pass to buy. Global Entry, which also includes expedited customs processing upon arrival from international flights, is $100 for five years; PreCheck is $85.

Given the delays, CBP has extended the amount of time Global Entry members will retain their benefits, including PreCheck, past the expiration date as they await renewal. It is now a year instead of six months. The only caveat: You have to renew your membership before it expires.

Levy jokes that he should get a prize since his wait time is now over the “up to 100 days” estimate on the agency’s website.

But he’s not laughing at the situation. Levy was so frustrated he appealed to his congresswoman, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.) in early August. Her office looked into it and was simply reminded about the extended processing times posted on the agency’s website. The office was also asked by CBP officials to “discontinue inquiries based on extended (Global Entry) processing times,” according to an email sent to Levy.

Political connections might not help. Cindy McCain, wife of late Sen. John McCain of Arizona was caught up in the delays earlier this year. In a post on Twitter, she said she put in her renewal online in late March and was still waiting two months later.

Scott McGrew, an NBC anchor in San Francisco, submitted his Global Entry renewal application and $100 fee in April and hadn’t heard anything by late July. He asked CBP about the delay on Twitter and got no response. McGrew was worried about losing his precious PreCheck benefits when his membership expires in September, so he forked over another $85 to apply for PreCheck in August.

“It’s God’s gift to flying,” he said. “PreCheck and early boarding are the two things that keep me in the air.”

McGrew said he was approved for PreCheck in a week. TSA processing time is running five to seven days, spokeswoman Jenny Burke said.

A few days later, of course, his Global Entry renewal finally went through. But McGrew was only conditionally approved, meaning he has to set up an interview. The next available date in his area: Dec. 15.

How can travellers avoid losing Global Entry benefits, including TSA PreCheck?

Don’t wait until your membership expires to renew: Travellers like Levy who didn’t start the renewal process until their memberships expired are out of luck. Their only option is to pay for a TSA PreCheck membership if that’s the main benefit they’re missing while their Global Entry renewal is held up. (Levy ended up applying for PreCheck separately given his lengthy wait.)

I don’t want to wait anymore for my Global Entry application to process. Can I get a refund?

No. The application fees for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, which cover background checks and other processing costs, are non-refundable.

Should I skip Global Entry and just apply for TSA PreCheck?

It depends on the benefits you’re after. The answer is yes if you don’t do much international travel and mainly want a speedier trip through airport security. The answer is no if you’re looking for quicker entry into the United States after an international flight in addition to the PreCheck benefits.

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