ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—More and more people are starting to take advantage of one of the fastest and easiest ways to get through U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing at airports nationwide. CBP's Albuquerque enrollment center is helping having recently processed its 1,000th applicant.
Opened in early June, the Albuquerque enrollment center provides a convenient location for those living or working in northern New Mexico to complete their interview. The center has helped bring the total number of trusted travelers with Global Entry benefits to more than 1.8 million.
"CBP officers at the Albuquerque airport are scheduling appointments Monday through Friday and on some days we are filling all available slots," said CBP Albuquerque Port Director Tracy Thorpe. "We are pleased at the positive response from the community."
Global Entry allows for pre-approved, low-risk travelers to bypass the traditional CBP inspection process when arriving into the U.S. from abroad. Interested individuals must apply online, undergo a background investigation and complete an in-person interview with a CBP officer. If no disqualifying information is found, travelers receive the benefit of expedited processing. The $100 application fee allows for five years of membership and travelers can use nearly 300 total kiosks located at 34 U.S. airports and 10 preclearance locations in Canada and Ireland.
In addition to the security benefits of knowing more about travelers, Global Entry affords CBP the ability to better allocate its resources. While members are still subject to the same rules, regulations and requirements as the general traveling public, allowing them to use an automated kiosk for routine processing, frees up CBP officers to focus on those individuals the agency knows less about.
Global Entry also provides access to the TSA PreCheck initiative which offers expedited screening through domestic security checkpoints. Benefits of TSA Pre include being able to leave shoes, light outerwear and belts on, keeping laptops in its cases and keeping 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in carry-ons.
Utilizing technology and automation, Global Entry is an important element to CBP's Resource Optimization Strategy which intends to maximize existing resources, identify staffing needs, and explore funding sources to support identified staffing needs.
For more information on CBP's Global Entry Program, or to enroll please visit the website: GlobalEntry.gov
Please view the following video: Video: Travelers using Global Entry