Member-only story
How I got a Global Entry interview appointment in 2 days
Anyone who travels internationally frequently from the US, must know the pains of the long immigration lines while returning. Luckily, Indians (even on H1B) have the option to enroll in Global Entry [1]. Global Entry also comes with TSA PreCheck® so that’s a huge advantage.
I used Global Entry to enter the US this summer and it was a game changer! It took me less than 5 mins to enter and leave the immigration area even on a visa.
Motivated from my experience, we applied and got conditional approval for my husband too. However, the challenge these days is to find an interview time to get the final approval — this is the last step in the Global Entry process. There is a huge backlog of applications and even the TTP website recommends opting for TSA PreCheck if not traveling internationally in the next 6 months. But we were determined to get the Global Entry appointment, and here are the options I explored and what I did to secure an appointment in San Francisco for my husband’s interview for later this month:
- Look for state-wide options. For example, California has centers in SF, San Diego, LA. Sometimes, it’s not too long of a drive to a different Global Entry center.
- Search using the earliest appointment field and make a domestic (or international!) trip out of it. I was…
