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Global Entry – Skipping the Long Immigration Lines and Improving Your Life

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Have you watched other passengers walk up to a machine and then past the Immigration desks in less than 5 minutes, while you waited for over an hour to have your passport examined after returning to the country from an international trip?

To begin the process, you will need to fill out the application online and provide your personal and passport information.

It is important to note that your special Global Entry number will only be valid until the expiration date on your passport.  If you have less than five years before your passport expires, you might want to renew your passport first.  The fee to process your Global Entry application is $100, which is payable online and is non-refundable.

After completing the online application, you will be instructed to check back frequently to find out if it has been approved.  You can probably wait a week before checking, but then it is important to monitor the site every couple of days.  Be sure to put your login information  where you can find it easily by your computer, as you will need it to check the status of your application and set up the interview time.

Once your application has been approved, you have 30 days to schedule your interview online with the TSA office on the lower level of O’Hare’s Terminal 5 near the train stop.

The online calendar showing available appointments can be confusing, as many time slots appear to be available but will not allow you to schedule them.  There may only be one early date that it will allow you  to schedule and others that are two months away.  Even if you know you cannot be there for the early date, I found that it was better to schedule it.  Then, a couple of days later,  go back in and apply for a change.  You will then be offered some other early dates that may fit your schedule.

I was unable to arrange back to back appointments for two people, even though the calendar showed available times.  Fortunately, when I accompanied my husband to his appointment I took my information as well, and we were able to complete the interviews at the same time.

When you arrive at the TSA office for your appointment, plan on being there 15 minutes early if you are scheduled right after lunch, so you can be the first one taken.  The waiting room fills up quickly after that.

After checking in at the desk, a TSA interviewer will take you back to a cubicle.  You will  give her your paperwork and passport, answer some questions, and be fingerprinted.  She will then show you how to check in on the special airport Immigration machines using your passport and fingerprints.

The entire process takes about 20 minutes for one person or approximately half an hour for two people.  It was efficient and should make returning to the U.S. much quicker and easier for those with Global Entry status.


There are a number of  TSA interview locations  around the country, and not all procedures may be identical to those at the O’Hare office.

If a group or company wants to schedule a TSA interviewer to come to their location and process a number of people at once, they can call 1-877-227-5511 to arrange a convenient time.

An added bonus is that after you have your Global Entry number,  you can call any U.S. airline you are flying on within the country to have the number added to your frequent flyer number profile.  You then, automatically, have TSA PreCheck security status and qualify for expedited screening on domestic flights.  It also seems to give you boarding priority, even if you are a coach passenger and are not a very frequent flyer on that airline.

It is important to note, however, that you will need to notify each U.S. airline individually and have a frequent flyer number with them..

Also, to increase your chances of always being able to use the TSA PreCheck lanes, be sure to print your boarding passes at the airport so the special TSA code will be embedded in them.

Happy Travels!