What Happens If I Don’t Print My Global Entry Approval Letter? And other concerns…

Applying for Global Entry can be a confusing process. I had a lot of questions before my interview that I felt the Interwebs did not fully answer for me. Here I will hopefully answer some questions for you based on my experience! Trust me, you’re not alone and your questions are not stupid.

1. Can I reschedule my Global Entry interview?

Yes! And I did multiple times. You do not have to contact anyone, which I first tried to do via email. Never got a response. To reschedule, sign in to your GOES account and click reschedule your appointment. You can’t reschedule online if it’s within 24 hours of your appointment. If you miss your appointment, your GOES account status will just change to “Reschedule Interview.”

I wanted to do my interview at either JFK or Newark Airports and found the interview times to be at least a month away. Try refreshing the page and checking back daily. When people reschedule, their interview times are put back into the system and are up for grabs. Trust me, you’ll want to grab those suckers if you need your Global Entry fast!

2. Do I actually have to bring my letter to my Global Entry interview?

This was the #1 question I wanted answered before my interview. I do not have a printer and don’t work at an office with a printer. I tried going to Staples and due to pop up blockers, ended up freezing my account!

I was FREAKING OUT on my way to Newark sans letter.  There may have been some tears. But no fear, at both JFK and Newark you do not need to bring your letter with you. If you show up for your interview time, they have your name and info ready to go. The officer actually laughed at me when I told her I was so sorry for not bringing the letter.

So no, you do NOT have to bring your letter with you. Yes, it is recommended and hey, it never hurts to follow the rules. (Don’t hate me TSA!) But if you’re stuck without a printer, don’t worry.

3. How long does the Global Entry interview take?

Five minutes once you’re inside. I had a 9:30 a.m. appointment at Newark. I arrived right at 9:30 and sat outside the office with other applicants until a little after 9:45 a.m. when we were called.

First the officer collected our passports and driver’s license. These are essential to bring with you! No one asked for proof of my address or current employer (which I was prepared with!).

There were four officers interviewing people. I was approved and out by 10:00 a.m.

There didn’t seem to be an order to when people were called to interview. Someone with a 9:45 a.m. interview time was called up before me. Seemed like whoever’s passport was next in the stack.

4. What will they ask at my Global Entry interview?

In no particular order…
Name
Date of birth
Current employer
What will you use your Global Entry for? Business or vacation?
Been arrested?
Ever had an issue with customs?
Been to Mexico or Canada in the last 5 years?
Ever gone by another name?
Ever had dual citizenship?

You will take fingerprints of your four fingers and thumb and you’re done! There were no follow up questions to any of my answers.

5. When can I start using my Global Entry?

Your Global Entry is effective immediately. Once you log in to your GOES account, your Known Traveler Number will be there. This is also your TSA Precheck number.

6. How do I use TSA Precheck with my Global Entry?

In order to get your TSA Precheck, enter your Known Traveler Number when booking your flights or add it to your frequent flier profiles. Then it’s saved forever! Yay! Thank you Internet. I knew I loved you for making my life easy.

One note, I had a flight 24 hours after my Global Entry status was granted and my TSA Precheck did NOT work. I put the Known Traveler number into my Delta account, called Delta to give them the number for the flight directly and went to the desk at JFK to ask about it. None of it worked. The Delta rep said it can take a couple days for TSA to “kick in.”

I did fly six days later and my TSA Precheck granted.

7. What if I locked my GOES account?

Trying to call customer support for GOES was nearly impossible for me. I ended up emailing them and got an answer within about 8 hours. So if you’re dumb like me and lock your account, contact them here.

Bonus Tips!

Do not use your cell phone inside the office during the interviewing process. You WILL be screamed at, even if you’re not currently being interviewed.

If you’re doing your interview at Newark, the Global Entry office is in Terminal B in the International Arrivals Area on the FIRST floor. I walked around aimlessly before finally asking someone and realizing it was moved to the ground floor.

What was your Global Entry experience like? Have other questions I might be able to answer? Leave a comment!