I love traveling to new places and seeing new things.  While I enjoy places in the good old USA, I made my first trip “across the pond” in December 2017. I visited Amsterdam, Brussels, and London.

I was “hooked” and couldn’t wait to see more of this great, big, beautiful world.

Apparently, a lot of other people like traveling too, and airports with long security and customs lines can be time-consuming.  I decided to see if I could fast-track this process by applying for Global Entry (which includes TSA Pre-check).  Global Entry allows expedited clearance for pre-approved low-risk travelers upon arrival into the US.  TSA Pre-check offers a shorter security line, and you don’t need to remove your shoes, etc.

In early June 2023, I filled out the application and paid the $100 fee.  This fee is good for 5 years.   On June 7, 2023, I received an email notifying me that my “status” had changed and I could proceed with scheduling my interview.  It took a long time for me to find an open scheduling date, but in Sept. 2023, I was finally able to schedule my interview for Jan. 16, 2024.

I drove to BWI and located the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) interview office.  The CBP officer asked my name, wanted to see my passport, fingerprinted me, and told me I should receive my card in 10 days. The total time of the interview was approximately 5 minutes.  It took me longer to find a parking space in the airport garage!

I received my Global Entry card in the mail on January 27, 2024.

I don’t have any air travel plans until July 2024 but hope this was worth the money and the wait!