NASSAU, Bahamas — U.S.
Customs and Border Protection announced today the addition of Global
Entry kiosks to the Nassau Preclearance facility at Lynden Pindling
International Airport. Global Entry, a CBP trusted traveler program,
provides expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers and
currently accounts for an average of 9 percent of all international air
arrivals.
“CBP is pleased to expand the Global Entry program to
Nassau,” said Robert Allen Smith, area port director for CBP Nassau
Preclearance. “Global Entry is quick, easy and efficient for travelers
and allows CBP officers to focus on travelers they know less about prior
to reaching the United States.”
Global Entry members bypass the traditional CBP inspection
lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the
United States. Travelers scan their passport and fingerprints, answer
customs declaration questions using the kiosk’s touch screen and proceed
with a receipt to the exit—the whole process takes only about one
minute.
With the addition of the Nassau Preclearance facility,
Global Entry kiosks are now located in 42 U.S airports and 13
Preclearance airports. These locations serve 99 percent of incoming
travelers to the United States. Global Entry members also receive the
added benefit of being pre-eligible to participate in TSAPre✓™, the
Transportation Security Administration’s expedited screening program.
More than 2 million members are enrolled directly in Global
Entry with more than 3.3 million trusted travelers with Global Entry
benefits. The kiosks have been used more than 14 million times since the
program began.
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent
Residents may apply for Global Entry, as well as citizens of certain
countries with which CBP has reciprocal agreements, including Mexico,
the Netherlands, Germany, Panama and the Republic of Korea. Canadian
citizens and residents enrolled in NEXUS may also use Global Entry.
Persons under the age of 18 who meet the general eligibility criteria
and have the consent of a parent or legal guardian are eligible to
participate in Global Entry as well.
Interested individuals may apply online at CBP’s Global Online Enrollment System.
Applicants must possess a machine-readable U.S. passport or permanent
resident card, pay a non-refundable $100 application fee, undergo a
background investigation with fingerprint check, and complete an
in-person interview with a CBP officer at one of the 89 Trusted Traveler enrollment centers. Global Entry membership is good for five years.
CBP Preclearance
operations allow for advance inspection of passengers and special
coordination with law enforcement upon arrival in the United States.
Through preclearance, the same immigration, customs, and agriculture
inspections of international air passengers performed on arrival in the
United States are instead completed before departure at foreign
airports. When pre-cleared passengers arrive in the United States, they
can use domestic terminals and/or connect to a domestic flight without
further processing. Currently, preclearance operations exist at 15
foreign airports in six different countries, benefitting air passengers,
airports, and air carriers, in the United States and abroad.
Global Entry is part of a comprehensive strategy to optimize
CBP’s current resources. CBP continues to explore automation,
innovation, sustainable initiatives and trusted traveler programs to
streamline the traveler inspection process. Automated Passport Control kiosks are located in 34 airports and last August, CBP rolled out Mobile Passport Control
at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and has since
expanded it to travelers arriving at Miami International Airport,
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International
Airport. CBP has enrolled more than 3.5 million travelers in trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI.
These programs allow CBP officers to process travelers safely and
efficiently while enhancing security and reducing operational costs.