DH and I applied for Global Entry about a month ago. We thought it might be a great time before international travel comes back with a vengeance. I received my conditional approval within 2 days, allowing me to schedule the interview . He is still waiting for conditional approval! (We’ve traveled together, and there is no citizen or other issue we can think of).
Have any of you applied simultaneously with a spouse or partner and had such different wait times?
Website says if you’re still waiting for a family member’s conditional approval, to go ahead and schedule your appointment anyway. But we were really hoping to do this at the same time, both for convenience and coordination. (You have nearly 2 years after conditional approval to make the appointment).
We don’t know how long the wait for conditional approval is “normal”, or when we should start to be more concerned. And IF it never comes, I did not see any contact information (phone or web) on how to check.
(p.s. This isn’t really a covid & travel question, so I started a new thread, but fine to merge w/ the Travel thread if that is more appropriate.)
W’s conditional approval came through several weeks faster than mine. I think I actually applied 2-3 months before her, but she got her approval just a week or two after me.
Unless you’re really far from the interview location, you should go ahead and book your interview as it will be difficult to get two slots together unless you’re willing to book several months out.
I don’t really have answers to your question but I would proceed as advised.
I recently renewed; all interviews were via videochat; took less than 4 minutes in my own home.
Yes, my H got approval earlier than me. He scheduled his interview at SFO airport but I scheduled mine at EWR since there were more available slots and we visit the east coast very often.
My conditional approval came through quicker than my husband’s.
Video chats would be awesome! We had to drive about 150 miles through a pretty intense snowstorm for our interview. My fingerprinting went fine but DH’s didn’t. They told us to come back in a couple of hours to check on the status. When we returned, they still hadn’t received approval. They said it would probably come through in a few days but if not we would have to drive back!! It was baffling. Fortunately approval came through OK.
How will they handle fingerprinting remotely? Do you have to go to the local law enforcement agency to get it done?
A few years ago when my TSA Pre-check was expiring in 6 months, I decided to apply for Global Entry, since my job included a few international trips a year and it wasn’t much more $. I ended up waiting more than 6 months until my application was approved and I could make an appointment for an interview. My TSA Pre-check lapsed and I had a couple of work trips without it, while I was waiting for approval. I knew of people who applied who had MUCH faster turn-around times. I don’t know if it was because I had traveled so much before I applied? My job (pre-Covid) had me traveling about 36 weeks a year, with 3-4 international trips.
This is a significant simplification of the process. I had let my Nexus expire. However, this comment caused me to look at the web site, and it says that many low-risk renewals might not need an interview at all. If I do not need to travel for an interview, it might be worth it just for TSA precheck.
I recently had to do fingerprint renewal for a volunteer job I do. Failed with the FBI, passed with the Colorado CBI. Back to the place. The machine showed I failed on 3-5 fingers but ended up passing. I guess as you get older your fingerprints just wear out.
My husband had to be fingerprinted for a job, and went to the local police station to have it done. However these are read, he didn’t pass. Went back to the police station, I believe a different locations, with the same results. It wasn’t until the 3rd trip that a complete print was received.
I have no idea if it is the print taker, or the actually fingers that are the problem. I am guessing my father would never pass a fingerprint as his iPad would never read it; finally had to get him a stylus to use!
My sister who does a lot of keyboarding for her job has a hard time getting fingerprinted. H does too after 45 years of working with computers and nearly a decade of playing with them in retirement.
I was asked if I work with a lot of paper (not so much now as I did in the past), if I did a lot of cleaning with harsh products (please!) and if I washed my hands a lot (well, it is a new life with covid…)
Really, I think I do less of this than many other people. I think the machines are just not as good as the old ink and roll method.
I rescanned my fingers for iPhone and it’s better now—don’t have keep inputting my security code.
Hadn’t linked it to recent iOS updates but you’re right—the timing matches up. Maybe the update is pickier and doesn’t like the wrinkles from frequent hand washing.
It was good to have the feedback here. I am no longer able to “scoot through” with my husband’s TSA Pre (he puts both our tickets on is phone, and it used to work). I was trying to decide Pre vs Global entry, but local feedback talked about many months of waiting for Global Entry. So even though they are similar in cost, I’m leaning toward Pre.
