SENTRI Card & the GLOBAL Entry / Trusted Traveler Programs

After reading what Av8tr posted on the Mexico chat board, I decided to apply for a SENTRY card myself

The first thing you will want to do is read this PDF http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/sentri/goes_process.ctt/goes_process.pdf It gives you the step by step instructions on how to register as a new user in the GOES system https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/pkmslogout Once you have registered you can enroll in the SENTRI program or any of the other Trusted Traveler Programs.

There are about 30 pages of questions broken up into 16 sections. I would suggest that you pre read the PDF example so that you can collect various bits of information like address and employers for the past 5 years, have your passport handy, and if you want to get a SENTRY pass for your car the vehicle registration. You WILL need to have both plates on the car.

If you are going to apply for both the SENTRY Card and the GLOBAL entry programs I would STRONGLY SUGGEST that you do the SENTRY card first or you will end up spending $222.25 instead of $122.25 You pay an initial $25.00 when you fill out the questioner for the SENTRI Card, and the rest of the fee's after your interview. If you request the GLOBAL Entry you have to pay the $100 first, so if you think there is anything in your background that may disqualify you, your only going to be out $25 with the SENTRI Card.

They say it will take between 4 to 6 weeks for you to get an a response from CBT on your application. Mine took 3 weeks to get a conditional approval notification.

After that you sign back in and set up your appointment, I could have made one within 2 days, but waited for a week to get the day and time that worked best for me. For the SENTRI program you will have to do your interview at one of the ports of entry on the border with Mexico http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/sentri/sentri_centers.xml They are open Monday - Friday 6am to 10pm for interviews at the Otay Mesa port of entry. The GLOBAL entry interview can be done at one of these locations http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/global_entry/ge_centers_kiosks.xml

The interview process went smooth, and took about 1/2 an hour. I had two agents that did the interview together, the first question was why I wanted a SENTRY Card, they wanted to look at my passport, so have an answer on why you visited each country, it was funny the first entry on my passport was for Brazil, and I told him the beaches had some great views, he gave me a little shit about the Philippines stamp, and I don't think he was too bright because when he looked at the Colombian stamp he said "I see you visit an Arab country" It's been over 15 years since I had visited an Arab country, so I did not know if he was going off my past history in the computer or what. Turns out he mistook the Colombian entry stamp as an Arab one because the stamp has the initials U.A.E.A.C. if you do a google search you will see it stands for the airport authority in Colombia, after I told him why I had been in an "ARAB" country they followed up with some general questions that I had answered on the questioner, and they want to see ALL the documents that you referenced, along with proof of income from your job, etc. So save your last bank statement as it will show your direct deposit, or your pay stubs if you don't use direct deposit. Your utility bill as it will prove your address, etc. They will tell you at the end of the interview whether or not you passed the interview. I have no idea what happens if you fail the interview other than you will be out whatever money you had paid up to that point. For the SENTRI card you pay $97.25 after the interview if you pass.

They told me that it would take 7 to 10 days to get my SENTRI card in the mail, but I guess my timing was good as I got mine in 5 days. Interviewed on a Monday morning and got the card in Fridays mail. Total time from filling out the online form to activating the card was exactly 5 weeks.

After activating the card I enrolled in the GLOBAL Entry program. I got a response in less than 2 hours that told me I could use the GLOBAL Entry kiosk's immediately.

RG.

Here is how to find the SENTRI lanes in San Ysidro. http://www.bajagringo.com/MapSENTRIAccessSanYsidro.htm

Did the same thing based on Av8tr's post, but did mine in Texas.

The procedure that RG posted above is almost exactly similar to mine except that my interview was much more relaxed. (Of course, I currently live in Mexico and that may have made a difference.) We spent the majority of the interview talking about my job, the advantages/disadvantages of living in Mexico, etc. The time we spent looking at the stamps on my passport was minimal.

After the interview, I had to take my vehicle to the border crossing station to get it x-rayed. They said they would do an FBI check while I was gone. The x-ray took less than 30 minutes. By the time I got back, I was approved. The agents did a cursory check of my vehicle and slapped the sticker on it.

I, too, got my card within 5 business days. Unfortunately, they wouldn't mail it to me in Mexico so I had to send it to an address in the States and get it forwarded to me here. The agent did offer to have the card sent to where they were and I could come up and pick it up, but it was cheaper for me (time, gas, etc.) to have the card FedExed to me.

One issue if you live in S. Texas is that the bridge authority in Reynosa requires that you prepay for all your bridge tolls to use the Sentri lane. The cost is about 250 dollars for the year. If your a daily crosser that's about a 50% savings. If you cross one a month or so - like me - that's just stupid. There is a new bridge at Mission that allows you to get into the Sentri land after you pay the fare, but it's not heavily used yet so there isn't really a need for a Sentri pass. I'm not sure about crossings in Matamoros or Pharr. I'll check them out in the future. The crossing south of Harlingen is typically VERY lightly used and I doubt they have a special Sentri lane.

For me, the primary purpose of doing this was for Global Entry as I fly in the U.S. MUCH more than I drive. This is definitely the cheapest way to be approved for Global Entry.

FYI, the Sentri card is good for 5 years. So the cost is a little over 20 bucks a year.

EA

I just applied for Global Entry today. The only reason why I did was because I found out that the $100 application fee would be refunded back if I put the charge on my American Express Platinum Card.

I have been secondaried before, but not recently. It was like 6 or 7 years ago when coming back from Central and South America.

So I guess I will see in a few days what they really think of my travel record.

On another note, the American Express Platinum card is awesome. I still mostly use my AMEX Starwood because of the 5000 bonus miles they throw in each time I transfer 20000 Starwood points to AA.

But I have recently started to travel domestically a lot more. So the lounge access and priority pass programs they just added were great.

Also Gold in Starwood Preferred Guest program and the membership in Hertz #1 Club Gold, Avis Preferred, and National.

The $200 airline fee credit is also nice. I just purchased two AA electronic upgrades and they were promptly refunded back.

The ohter stuff on the card really isn't that valuable to me. But the lounge access. SPG Gold, rental car memberships (especially Hertz Gold, which is normally $60 to join), the $200 airline fee credit, and now the Global Entry application fee rebate), it is really worth it.

But only since I am traveling domestically a lot now. If I weren't, I don't think it would be as valuable to me.

AA sells admirals club memberships at $400 for Platinum members. But when I fly AA I get in for free each time. I can also use Delta and US Airways lounge. I can use US Air lounge even if I don't fly them. And now with Priority Pass, I can use even more lounges.

It is not a bad deal for the AMEX Platinum card, even though it has a rather hefty $450 annual fee.

XENONO, Your AMEX and airport lounge review seems a bit out of place here.

I got Global Entry and SENTRI cards last August. it was a bit of a hassle having to schedule interview three months in advance at border station 60 miles away. Interview was just a friendly chat with one agent, not the interrogation described by Roadglide. They popped my Ford Ranger hood, used mirrors to glance under and let dogs sniff around before slapping on the SENTRI sticker, no xray.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/

Only used Global Entry once so far in Honolulu and I have never been to secondary.

The nice thing about SENTRI is that the little card serves in place of large paper passport when coming home from Mexico. I carried both, but only showed SENTRI. May leave passport in car next time I walk across.

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(Message edited by Hot4ass2 on April 10, 2011)

posted by Allover at 8:21:31 08/31/12

The Global entry program now works at the TJ border. You get a separate card that you can show for entrance from TJ into the US.

If you signed up for global entry more than a few months ago it will not work for TJ. The program recently changed to include an extra card for use at Mexico land crossings.

Actually, if you are a Global Entry program member and didn't get a card, you can log into the GOES website, enter your PASSID # and password, and you can order the card for $15. I did so and received mine a few weeks ago.

I have had SENTRI and GLOBAL ENTRY for 20 months now and use SENTRI as ID for just about every domestic airplane flight that I take. When I first began to use it several TSA agents did not know what it was. Now they seem better educated.

Today I used SENTRI to take the express line through security at Portland Oregon airport. Regular folks were stuck in line for about 40 minutes, but I was through in 10 minutes.

Nogales Arizona border crossing also has SENTRI pedestrian line now and that can easily save 90 minutes at peak traffic time, but I usually come back around midnight when there are not any lines.

Global Entry also got me through Houston Airport immigration and customs in about 5 minutes while the regular queues were at least 30 minutes.

This does not have much to do with the TJ topic, but it sure is nice to have the cards if you do not have any disqualifying or criminal issues in your background.

What kind of "disqualifying or criminal issues" would prevent someone from getting into the program?

Hunterman, you should probably check the Global Entry website for that info. Felonies and firearm crimes come to mind. They probably have a long list of dissident and militia organizations too. h4a2

(Message edited by Hot4ass2 on December 29, 2012)

If you have an arrest record, even if it happened to be when you were in high school, your probably better off saving your time and money, and NOT applying for the program.

Got through Miami yesterday in less than 6 minuets with a GOES card.

Global entry has saved my ass a couple of times while connecting on flights through Dallas. Last time I was able to make a 45 minute connection due to a delayed flight from Japan to DFW, connecting to Miami. There was a huge line in both Immigration and customs....if I had missed my flight, I would have had to spend a night in Dallas.

Coming into Miami saves quite a bit as well, but is somewhat of a wash if you checked luggage (it sometimes takes forever for the luggage so having extra time to wait for luggage or standing in line for immigration is about a wash). Now, if you only have carry-on then it is a breeze!