5 Real Downsides Of Getting Global Entry

Global Entry speeds low-risk travelers through U.S. customs, but the program asks for your time, money, and patience up front.

Nearly 13 million people are enrolled and the appeal is clear: skip the customs paperwork, use a dedicated lane, and get TSA PreCheck thrown in. For frequent international flyers, the math usually works.

But before you pay the fee and book an interview, it helps to know what the program can't do and where it can slow you down. Here are five disadvantages worth weighing against your actual travel plans.

1. The Interview Can Take Months To Schedule

Getting conditionally approved is the easy part. Most applications are reviewed within two weeks, but scheduling the required in-person interview is the real bottleneck.

Many applicants wait months, and some wait as long as a year. Availability swings with the season, your nearest enrollment center, and outside events like government shutdowns.

First-time enrollment requires that interview, so there's no way around it. If you're counting on Global Entry for a trip in the next couple of months, the timeline may not cooperate.

2. The Fee Is Non-Refundable, Even If You're Denied

Global Entry costs $120 for five years, up from the $100 fee that held since the program launched in 2008. That increase took effect on October 1, 2024.

You don't get that money back, even if CBP turns you down. You pay before you know whether you'll clear the background check every applicant must pass.

A history of customs trouble, charges still pending, or an open investigation can sink an application. None of those guarantee a denial, but if your record is complicated, you're gambling $120 to find out.

3. It Only Covers You, Not Your Travel Companions

Global Entry is tied to the individual, not the household. Each adult traveling with you needs their own membership, and the benefit doesn't extend to a spouse or friend who isn't enrolled.

That matters at the customs lane. If one person in your group has Global Entry and the others don't, you'll split up, since they still go through the standard line.

Children under 18 can enroll for free when a parent or legal guardian is already a member or applying at the same time. But a parent still has to accompany each minor to their individually scheduled interview.

4. Approval Isn't Guaranteed, And Neither Is Keeping It

Conditional approval usually lands within two weeks, but CBP says it can stretch to 12 months or longer when an application needs manual review, often tied to criminal history.

The interview itself is short, usually under 15 minutes. Officers ask about your travel history and criminal record. If you carry more than one passport or your travel record is complicated, be ready to walk them through it.

Lying or shading the truth during the interview can disqualify you outright. And approval isn't permanent: membership can be revoked after the fact, and any violation of the terms ends your privileges.

Even members in good standing can still be pulled aside for additional examination when entering the country.

5. You Still Have To Manage Renewals And Appointments

Membership lasts five years, with the clock starting on your birthday after you receive your card. Renewal can require another in-person interview, which drops you back into the same scheduling scramble.

Miss your interview and you may have to start over from scratch and pay again, or wait a long time for the next opening.

There is one cushion. If you apply to renew before your membership expires but approval hasn't come through, you can keep using Global Entry for 24 months past the expiration date.