U.S. Travel Association Hails Inclusion of Mexican Nationals And Two More Trusted Traveler Programs in Global Entry
The U.S. Travel Association applauded news that qualified nationals from Mexico are now eligible to participate in the trusted traveler program known as Global Entry, and that the pilot program using automated kiosks has expanded to enable members of two more trusted traveler programs faster clearance when arriving in the United States from Mexico and Canada.
The two trusted traveler programs included in the Global Entry program by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are NEXUS and the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI). NEXUS is a program jointly administered by the United States and Canada that allows certain pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited processing for travel between the United States and Canada. The SENTRI trusted traveler program allows certain pre-approved, low-risk travelers expedited entry at specified land border ports along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We applaud the expansion of Global Entry to include qualified travelers from Mexico and Canada in order to ease the travel process for frequent travelers coming to the United States,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Global Entry is exactly the kind of smart security program our country needs as we seek to maximize security while minimizing the burden on travelers. The continued success of these trusted traveler programs further highlights the need to develop similar programs for domestic travelers.”
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, prior to the inclusion of qualified Mexican nationals, Global Entry eligibility has been limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and certain eligible citizens of the Netherlands. Mexico and Canada have joined Germany and the Netherlands in signing reciprocal agreements with the U.S. that will also allow their nationals to use the Global Entry system.
U.S. Travel continues to urge the Department of Homeland Security to expand bilateral and multilateral trusted traveler agreements to other countries as it continues aggressive efforts to improve aviation security.
“A continued commitment to implementing world-class travel technology, efficiency and customer service will help the United States to attract millions of new visitors,” said Dow.
Global Entry is a CBP travel facilitation program allowing pre-approved members an alternative to regular passport processing lines that reduces average wait times by 70 percent. More than 75 percent of travelers using Global Entry processed in less than five minutes, according to CBP.
At Global Entry kiosks, members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document reader, provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints on file, answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk’s touch-screen, and then present a transaction receipt to CBP officers before leaving the inspection area.
To date, more than 100,000 individuals have enrolled in the program since it was launched in 2008. Global Entry is currently available at 20 major airports in the United States for U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents over 14 years of age who are in possession of a valid machine-readable passport and who consent to a background screening.
The U.S. Travel Association has played a crucial role in advocating for the Global Entry program, including the original legislation authorizing the program in 2007 and obtaining start-up funding for operations in 2008. Expansion of the program to additional locations and to qualified foreign visitors continues to be a top legislative priority for U.S. Travel with the start of the new congressional session.
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $704 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. For more information, visit ">www.ustravel.org
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