Global Entry Documents: What to Bring and What a Miss Costs

Bring three global entry documents to your interview: your conditional approval letter, a valid passport (every passport you hold) or a machine-readable permanent resident card, and proof of residency, such as a driver's license showing your current address. Your approval notice lists anything extra for your case, such as court papers for a past arrest or conviction.

Forgetting one of them costs more than an hour. At a busy center, a missed interview can put you back in a queue that is months long.

Which global entry documents to bring

Bring these to an enrollment center interview:

1. Conditional approval letter. The notice in your Trusted Traveler Program account. It also lists any extra paperwork your case needs.
2. Valid passport. Bring all of them if you have more than one. Lawful permanent residents bring a machine-readable permanent resident card (I-551) instead.
3. Proof of residency. A driver's license with your current address, a mortgage or rental payment statement, or a utility bill.
4. Case-specific papers. Court disposition documents for any past arrest or conviction, or a change-of-address notification, if your notice says so.

CBP's own list asks for proof of residency. NerdWallet's guide also lists a second government-issued ID. A driver's license with your current address can cover both, so bring one.

Minors: CBP says minors don't need proof of residency. A parent or legal guardian must give permission and be present at the interview.

Worked example: one missing document, weeks lost

Say you are conditionally approved today and you live near a busy center. Open /global-entry-appointment-availability and read your center's next bookable date (not whether a slot is open right now).

The numbers below are an illustration, not a live figure. Replace the 90 with the number of days you see on publish day.

One forgotten utility bill used 180 of your 730 days and doubled the wait. If the queue has grown by then, the second leg is longer. You have 730 days from conditional approval to finish the interview, or the application is canceled.

Sources disagree on how strict the consequence is. Chase says leaving out required documentation will cancel a first-time application. Other guidance says a forgotten document usually means rescheduling. Both outcomes cost you time, and the first could mean starting over.

Enrollment on Arrival: same core documents, no appointment

Enrollment on Arrival (EoA) lets you finish the interview after an international arrival, with no appointment. Bring the same core set:

• A valid passport (all of them if you have more than one)
• Proof of residency (not needed for minors)
• Your permanent resident card, if you have one

If you already booked an interview, it is canceled automatically once you finish EoA. EoA only works if you are returning from abroad, so it fits travelers who already have a trip planned. The same documents rule applies: arrive without proof of residency and you lose the shortcut.

Green card holders and air entry

Lawful permanent residents use their I-551 card with Global Entry processing technology. Global Entry and SENTRI cards don't work for air entry. Use a passport or green card at the kiosk.

Renewing: fewer documents, sometimes no interview

• You can renew up to 1 year before your membership expires.
• If you renewed in time, benefits continue up to 24 months past expiration.
• An interview may not be required. NerdWallet also mentions a CBP pilot of roughly 15-minute remote interviews for some renewals.
• To update passport details, use "Update Documents" in your TTP account. A name change requires a visit to an enrollment center.

Numbers to have straight

• Fee: $120 for Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI alike, since October 1, 2024 (it was $100 before). Each membership lasts 5 years.
• Interview length: about 15 minutes. NerdWallet gives a range of 5 to 30 minutes.
• Card: arrives 2 to 4 weeks after approval, must be activated within 30 days, and costs $25 to replace.
• Window: 730 days from conditional approval to finish the interview.

NEXUS and SENTRI readers

NEXUS members, and US citizen or lawful permanent resident SENTRI members, can use Global Entry once CBP has their fingerprints and document information on file, at no extra cost. If you are still choosing a program, see Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck vs NEXUS vs SENTRI. For current waits, see /nexus-wait-times or /sentri-wait-times.

Printable checklist

• Conditional approval letter
• Every valid passport you hold (or machine-readable permanent resident card)
• Proof of residency: driver's license with current address, mortgage or rental statement, or utility bill
• Anything else named in your approval notice (court papers, change-of-address notice)
• For a minor: parent or legal guardian present, with permission
• For Enrollment on Arrival: passport, proof of residency, permanent resident card if you have one

Compare centers on /global-entry-wait-times before you book. A shorter queue also shrinks the cost of any mistake.

Getting an earlier slot

If the next bookable date at your center is far out, GlobalEntryTexts texts you when a Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI interview appointment opens at the enrollment centers you choose. It costs $25, paid once, for 30 days of monitoring. You book the appointment yourself on ttp.dhs.gov; GlobalEntryTexts never books for you, because auto-booking would break the Trusted Traveler Program's terms.