San Diego - Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority unveiled new Global Entry kiosks at the international arrivals area of the San Diego International Airport on July 31.
San Diego International Airport is the newest of 27 airports nationwide with Global Entry technology.
Frequent international travelers enrolled in Global Entry who are returning to the U.S. through the San Diego airport can bypass passport and baggage control lines by using an automated self-service kiosk. Most members of the Global Entry program are processed for arrival into the U.S. in about five minutes.
"The Global Entry program is truly a force multiplier," said Chris Maston, director of CBP's San Diego Field Office. "It allows low-risk travelers to complete the customs declaration forms and verify their entry documents and identity at the kiosks while our officers focus on those passengers we know less about."
"We are pleased to be one of the first airports in the nation to offer this customer convenience," said Thella F. Bowens, President/CEO of the Airport Authority. "Now, thanks to the Global Entry program, travelers will spend less time in our customs facility and more time enjoying San Diego. This is a great addition to the high level of service that allows SDIA to exceed customer expectations."
The kiosk features a camera, touch-screen monitor, fingerprint reader, document reader, receipt printer, and keypad.
Participants in Global Entry bypass the regular passport control line and proceed directly to the Global Entry kiosk. At the kiosk, Global Entry travelers will activate the system by inserting their passports or U.S. permanent resident cards into a document reader. The kiosk will direct travelers to provide digital fingerprints and will compare that biometric data with the fingerprints on file.
Global Entry travelers will be photographed and prompted to answer declaration questions on the kiosk's touch-screen. A transaction receipt will be issued upon completion which must be presented to CBP officers prior to leaving the inspection area.
There is no frequent flyer requirement to apply for the Global Entry program. Applicants submit a non-refundable $100 application fee and provide information for CBP use in background vetting. Applicants also complete an interview with a CBP officer, and provide fingerprints and a photo. Upon approval, membership lasts for five years. Global Entry is open to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, and is also available to citizens of the Netherlands who are enrolled in Privium, Canadian NEXUS members and Korean SES members. Global Entry is also available to Mexican nationals.
Members of the CBP Trusted Traveler program along the southwest land border, SENTRI, who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents can also use the Global Entry kiosks, provided their fingerprints and documents are on file. Locally in the San Diego area, there are about 131,000 people enrolled in the SENTRI program.
The Global Entry program began June 06, 2008 as a pilot program at John F. Kennedy International, George Bush Intercontinental and Washington Dulles International airports. It became a permanent voluntary program on February 6, 2012. As of July 23, 2012, travelers have used Global Entry kiosks nearly 2.7 million times at the existing locations. More than 375,796 members have enrolled in the program nationwide.
More information about the Global Entry program is available on their site. (www.globalentry.gov)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.