Global Entry enrollment arriving for one day experiment at HPN

June 19, 2024 at 11:56 p.m.

Sample Global Entry Card as supplied by the Department of Homeland Security via Wikipedia.

For the first time ever, “conditionally approved” applicants for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry program will be able to have their final in-person interview for approval at Westchester County Airport (HPN) on Friday, June 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the third-floor conference room of the main terminal.

For the moment, this is a one-time-only event and the first of its kind in New York State.

Previously, all final interviews for the New York area had to be conducted at either JFK, Newark International Airport, or at the Customs House at Bowling Green in lower Manhattan.

In an exclusive interview with the Westmore News, Anthony L. Bucci, the Public Affairs Specialist for the CBP’s New York regional office, said that CBP “hopes that this will help alleviate the high demand from our enrollment centers” and “provide an alternate, more convenient location.”

If you’ve already been conditionally accepted and are still waiting for a chance to get a slot for your final in-person interview, Bucci said there is a good possibility that if you show up at HPN’s main terminal on June 28, the CBP staff on site on the third floor will be able to process you. Given the frustration of the many who are waiting to be fully processed, it may be worth taking a chance for a potential interview slot.

Local travelers who want or need Global Entry status will be rooting for the success of the CBP program at HPN and hope it becomes an ongoing scheduled event.

Acceptance in the Global Entry program results in an official government issued photo ID card that also allows you to use the TSA pre-check line at all domestic airport terminals and avoid the often-lengthy screening lines. The final interview includes not only the taking of your photo but also your fingerprints. With Global Entry acceptance, members can use special kiosks at international entry point airports like JFK, and with a passport scan they can “cut the line” and get quick clearance back into the U.S.

Bucci also advised that “another upcoming processing technology option for travelers will be the Global Entry Mobile App. This app will enable members to validate their arrival to the U.S. on their iOS or Android device prior to entering the Federal Inspection Services area.”

For those who are unfamiliar with Global Entry and would like to enroll, you should go to https://ttp.dhs.gov/, create an account, and pay (with credit card) a $100 fee. Once accepted into the program, your membership must be renewed every five years.

There are over 15 credit cards with an annual fee of $100 or less that offer a statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees. The odds are if you hold one of these cards, your Global Entry $100 fee will be reimbursed. Check with your credit card company to make sure you are eligible.