Global Entry Question

We just made our appointments for global entry. It is only a week before we leave for St. Maarten. Will we have global entry for our trip this year? We are going to a wedding in the Bahamas in May so it won't be a total loss if we don't have it for St. Maarten.

Just ask the interviewer.

You will have it. I have GE, but I find it is quicker to use the Mobile App that US customs has. It eliminates the scan of finger prints and passport. Just show your phone as you leave.

Not a problem. Took our interview 6 hours before our flight to SXM. Drove back home to finish packing for our redeye flight. Put GE in our profile and checked in online. Given TSAPRE and on our return to the states we processed through with GE.

We drove into JFK for our interview and had our GE almost immediately so I'm betting you'll be okay for both trips but don't forget to enter it into your airline profile so it's there when you do your early check-in.

And with regard to the mobile ap, I don't have it (for no good reason....) but my daughter also says it's quicker than using GE since you answer all the entry questions on your phone and scan it and you're done and you get to go to the head of the lines. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Your GE will be "ready to use" as soon as you complete your interview.

And, like Pat says don't forget to enter your GE Trusted Traveler Number in your profile on your airline's website.

How do you get that app. We have been approved for TSA and Global Entry. What is the best one to use when returning into the states?

just go to your app store and type in 'mobile passport' It's a blue and white logo of a digital man

According to my daughter and others, mobile passport is faster and easier to use. No waiting in lines at the point of entry. Just scan and go......

Global Entry will work for you. But if you purchased your airfare prior to getting TSA Pre then you may not get it, and randomly you may not get it on some flights anyway. Update your travel profile as previously stated and then good luck with the Pre.
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I have never waited in line for a GE kiosk...ok..maybe 15 seconds...once

I have seen decent lines at the mobile passport entry point but can't compare because I never used them...

..and for "go to the front of the line"...after the GE kiosk there I have never seen a line..just the agent that sends you through to baggage claim

I.E.. in BOS there is at least 10-15 kiosks for GE and I always find one to be empty.

Again, I don't have the mobile ap and I appreciate my GE membership but I have it on pretty good authority the mobil ap is usually faster at JFK than using GE. Maybe there aren't enough kiosks in relationship to the number of international arrivals often all seemingly landing in bunches, or perhaps it depends on the arrival days and times but we do sometimes have lines of people waiting for a free kiosk in T5. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

While we have just gotten it last year and haven't yet used it for SXM, we are coming back in three weeks time from a riverboat cruise after three weeks and do not want to wait in lines. We have Global Entry especially for this trip, so hoping we won't have any issues.

Why the app is faster is you get the work done in advance instead of standing at a Kiosk, you can do all the work on the plane within 4 hours of hitting immigration. Never had an issue with Kiosk availability for GE, but getting the passport read, finger prints done and answering questions slows you down. Plus if traveling with the family you just do the APP once where all have to stop and do the GE.

With 2 travelers you can time compare, one do GE the other do the APP. Other huge plus is you don't have the hassle of doing GE, which is huge when you don't live in a gateway city.

Like the others I never had to wait for a GE kiosks at any airport, including JFK (which I've flown into many times - most recently about 6 months ago). As far as scanning finger prints and answering the few questions that only takes a minute or so - effectively negating any "real" time saving you might get using the mobile app and filling out your info prior to landing. As far as I'm concerned it is a non-issue.

I was told you had to put in your numbers when you booked your flight...I guess that's not correct. and I didn't think PJIA did global entry.

We have used both in ATL and I do think Mobil Passport is a bit quicker if there isn't a line. Plus for some reason Don will get the X on Global Passport but we've never had a problem with Mobil Passport. But I think Mobil Passport is still only in limited airports. I just know it works in ATL,

The "X" on the GE form usually means one of two things:
1) The facial recognition program doesn't register because is not looking at the camera lens when first inserting his passport.

2) His fingerprints are not scanning properly. This is the most common reason for getting an "X". He is probably separating his fingers when placing them on the scanner. Tell him to try it with the sides of all 4 fingers touching. This use to happen to my spouse often until an Immigration Agent taught her the proper way to scan her fingerprints.

"and I didn't think PJIA did global entry."

They don't. GE is used to clear customs/immigration in the first US port you enter.

As stated earlier you DO NOT have to enter your Trusted Traveler number when you purchase your tickets. You can enter it in your airline profile anytime prior to printing out your boarding pass. If done very close to your travel date you may not get TSA PreCheck.

Just to clarify your other point GE is used to clear US Immigration/Customs when coming back to the US from a foreign country. It is of no use when entering SXM via PJIA or other in other foreign countries

That statement is not entirely true. While it is of no use when entering SXM, there are several countries who have extended Global Entry members expedited entry into their countries, including South Korea, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. There are more countries as well, I just didn't have time to research to confirm.

I said "other foreign countries" not "all other foreign countries". Regardless OP was asking about PJIA.

Dial back many years (or land at a foreign airport today) and remember the huge serpentine lines that EVERYONE had to stand in. Now we are discussing which one, GE or Mobile Passport, may be a few seconds quicker than the other.

Both are major improvements.