Global Entry could get even faster with mobile app in the works

The popular service that makes it faster and easier to reenter the U.S., Global Entry, may soon be even faster and easier for members to use when returning to the U.S. on an international flight.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates passport control and customs facilities at U.S. airports, is planning to roll out a new Global Entry mobile app in the near future. The technology will allow Global Entry members to verify their identity on their smartphones before even arriving at customs facilities.

The news was first reported by PaxEx's Seth Miller, who noted additional forthcoming technological improvements that will mean a mobile verification option for travelers arriving in the U.S. from visa-waiver countries using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA.

These tech-oriented changes should speed up the arrivals process for travelers at U.S. airport passport control facilities, and come on the heels of a record-breaking summer travel season and a surge in Global Entry membership.

Global Entry app on the way

The change on the way for Global Entry members is a new mobile app that should make the customs experience even easier than it already is.

On its Global Entry informational page, CBP describes this as an "upcoming processing technology option" for members.

The app will allow passengers "to validate their arrival to the U.S." using a photo on their smartphone. This would all be done before entering the passport control facilities.

These changes should make the Global Entry arrivals process even smoother for travelers than it already is. To that end, CBP has already deployed touchless kiosks at dozens of airports nationwide, which identify travelers through a biometric image. Oftentimes, you can speed through the process without taking out your passport or picking up a single slip of paper.

In my last two international Global Entry arrivals experiences — one at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and another at Dulles International Airport (IAD) — the experience was so fast I barely ever stopped walking. I only paused long enough to get my photo taken at a kiosk.

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Related: These are the best credit cards for getting Global Entry

Global Entry growth

CBP's upgraded technology for Global Entry comes as the agency deals with a rapidly increasing number of members in the program.

With more than 12.3 million members today, the agency says it "continuously seeks opportunities to help more travelers streamline their international arrivals processes."

Over the last year, CBP has enrolled an average of 317,000 applicants per month, compared to 139,000 per month in the fiscal year 2019, before the pandemic.

The agency expects to process more than 4 million applications this fiscal year — up from a record 2.95 million last year.

The crush of applications has taken its toll, with a continued backlog of members waiting for a new interview. On its Trusted Traveler Programs dashboard, CBP warns of four-to-six-month processing times for new applications.

For new applicants who have been waiting awhile for an interview appointment, the program's Enrollment on Arrival option may be your best bet to enroll quickly.

Bottom line

As Global Entry continues to grow quickly, the agency's deployment of new technology should make the arrival process even more seamless for members landing in the U.S. after an international trip.

Already a convenient and, in many places, touchless option for travelers, the new app may help travelers avoid even a modest line during peak arrival periods.