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Global Entry is set to resume operations at 5:00 AM EST tomorrow morning (March 11th) following a temporary suspension during the recent partial government shutdown. The fast-track program, administered by the US Department of Homeland Security, had been paused since February 22nd as the shutdown disrupted several government operations affecting border and security services.
News of the restart was first reported by The New York Times and later confirmed by a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday evening. Global Entry typically continues operating during federal shutdowns because it is largely funded by the $120 application fee paid by members every five years. However, the program was temporarily halted as the shutdown affected staffing and administrative operations tied to the program. The program is run by US Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the screening and approval process for applicants.
The resumption of Global Entry is expected to provide immediate relief for international travelers arriving in the United States. Members of the program will once again be able to bypass standard passport control lines and use automated biometric kiosks upon arrival. The timing is particularly important as spring break travel ramps up. Sunday marked the busiest day at US airports since early January (when holiday travel peaked).
Without Global Entry, travelers had been forced to wait in traditional passport control lines, which led to longer processing times at major international gateways. While the program’s return will ease congestion at customs checkpoints, it will not address growing wait times at airport security checkpoints. Officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), along with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers who staff airport customs facilities have been working without pay during the shutdown. Staffing shortages have contributed to longer lines at security screening areas in recent days.
Global Entry allows preapproved, low-risk travelers to move quickly through passport control after international flights. Members must undergo a background check and in-person interview before being approved. In addition to faster reentry into the United States, Global Entry membership includes access to TSA PreCheck® security lanes, which allow travelers to move more quickly through airport security at participating US airports.
Anthony’s Take: With the service returning Wednesday morning, international travelers will once again be able to take advantage of the expedited entry program just as one of the busiest spring travel periods begins. I’m happy to see this return and think it was ridiculous to pause it in the first place.
(Image Credits: Customs and Border Protection.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
