Everything you need to know about Global Entry walk-in interviews
If you’re reading this right now, there’s a good chance that you made it all the way to the final step of the Global Entry application, the in-person interview, and you can't find an interview slot. You go to the official Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) website, head to your Dashboard, and when you try to schedule the appointment it says “No appointments available.” Or, you live near a busy airport and the only appointment available is one year from now. It can require checking the website for weeks before you are able to get an appointment at all, let alone one that fits your schedule.
If this sounds familiar, the Enrollment on Arrival program by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) might be helpful for you as it lets you avoid the interview scheduling step of the application process. Instead of scheduling your interview at an enrollment center, you can do your interview at an enrollment center directly at the airport after arriving in the U.S. from an international destination. This is only possible at certain airports and requires that you have completed every step of the application up until the interview (you must be conditionally approved).
Keep in mind though that this can extend your international travel by another hour or two. Also, you won’t be able to use Global Entry until you have returned from your international trip. If you were to schedule the interview regularly (and can find an interview!) then you can already use Global Entry right away so Enrollment on Arrival may not always be as convenient as it seems.
Here is everything you need to know about the Enrollment on Arrival Program and some tips on how to get an interview scheduled faster in case you want to give it another go!
What is Global Entry?
Global Entry is a Trusted Traveler Program created by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency which enables members to access a special automated kiosk during the customs and immigration process when arriving in the U.S. from an international destination. Instead of using the regular customs and immigration line which can sometimes take hours, you can instead just scan your passport in the Global Entry kiosk and head to baggage claim.
Because Global Entry allows you to skip a step in the national security process, becoming a Global Entry member requires several bureaucratic steps to prove you are a ‘low-risk’ traveler. You start on the official Trusted Traveler Program website where you are asked a series of questions, pay a $100 (at the time of writing this) fee, and then wait to be conditionally approved.
Once you are conditionally approved, you are able to schedule your in-person interview. This is where things can get challenging. On the TTP scheduling page you may see the message “No appointments available” or the earliest appointment could be months or even a year in the future.
Why is it so hard to get an interview?
The reason it can be so difficult to get an interview appointment is simply because there is too much demand for the supply. The CBP is attempting to mitigate this by creating new enrollment centers and with initiatives like remote (Zoom) interview appointments for existing members who are re-enrolling.
Due to this, the only way to schedule an interview at a busier center is to keep checking the official TTP scheduling page and hope that there is a cancellation or new opening made available within a reasonable timeframe.
How to get an appointment before you travel?
Instead of constantly refreshing the TTP scheduling page and hoping that someone cancelled their interview, you can also use AppointmentScanner.com which will send you up to 25 alerts per day via text message, email, or web browser for any appointments that match your criteria. For example, you can set a max date 1 month away and you will only receive alerts for appointment openings in the next month that become available. Then, if someone cancels their appointment, you are alerted and you can hop onto the TTP website to schedule the appointment if it is still available.
What are walk-in interviews?
Walk-in interviews are possible due to the Enrollment on Arrival program from the CBP. This enables you to complete your interview without scheduling an appointment. Instead, you can complete your interview when you arrive at select airports from an international destination. You will have to follow the signs that direct you to CBP officers who can complete your interviews. Below we go over what airports allow walk-in interviews!
Who is eligible for walk-in interviews?
You must be conditionally approved for Global Entry to be eligible for walk-in interviews. This means that you must have an account on the official TTP website, must have paid the fee, submitted your personal info, and received a notification that you have been conditionally approved.
If you are unsure, head to dhs.ttp.gov and login. On your Dashboard, you should have the option to schedule your Global Entry interview. If your application is not in-progress then you need to start it there!
Where can you do walk-in interviews?
There are 65 locations at this time where you can complete your walk-in interview (15 of which are international in Aruba, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, The Bahamas, United Arab Emirates, and Puerto Rico). Check the official Enrollment on Arrival website to see if there is a location near you.
What do you need for your interview?
To do your walk-in interview you need to bring:
- Your valid passport. If you have multiple, bring all so they can be added to your file which enables you to use any passport at the Global Entry kiosk when going through customs and immigration.
- Documents the prove your U.S. residency. For example, one of the following: your driver’s license if the address is accurate, rental payment statement, utility bill, bank statement, mortgage statement…
- If you are not a U.S. citizen you may need to bring a Permanent Resident card or other documentation. Check the official CBP page about this as requirements vary based on citizenship!