Compare
Global Entry and the other programs for non-US citizens
Choose your nationality and your trips: the chooser lists the programs you can join and what they would cost you.
Which one should I get?
Best fit for the way you fly
Global Entry
| Cost per year, after card credits | $24 |
| Per round trip | $6 |
- Citizens of the partner countries listed by CBP can apply for Global Entry, with extra vetting by their own country; members get TSA PreCheck.
| Program | 5 years, you pay | Gives |
|---|---|---|
| TSA PreCheck | not eligible | faster US security lane |
| Global Entry | $120 | customs kiosks on return + PreCheck |
| NEXUS | not eligible | Canada and US lanes + kiosks + PreCheck |
| SENTRI | $120 | Mexico land lanes + PreCheck |
| CLEAR+ | $1,095 | skips the ID check line only |
Fees read on tsa.gov, cbp.gov and CLEAR’s price page. You apply only on the official sites: this page is not TSA, CBP or CLEAR.
Global Entry is not only for US citizens. CBP opens it to lawful permanent residents of the United States, to Mexican nationals and to citizens of 21 partner countries: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. Citizens of a partner country usually go through an extra check by their own government, sometimes with its own fee, before or after the CBP application, and the fee to CBP is the same $120 for five years. Canada is not on the list because Canadians have NEXUS, run jointly by both countries, which gives the Global Entry kiosks and TSA PreCheck. Travelers of every other nationality cannot join Global Entry, but SENTRI has no citizenship requirement and covers the land border from Mexico. TSA PreCheck itself is open only to US citizens, US nationals and permanent residents; partner-country citizens get it as Global Entry members. Each program still requires admissibility to the United States and a clean customs and immigration record.
Global Entry: the dates CBP’s figures give
80% of applications approved by
November 11, 2026
| Some take up to | October 28, 2027 or longer |
| Card, if approved by the 2-week mark | by December 9, 2026 |
CBP figure: 80% approved within 2 weeks, some 12 months or more. Approval here means conditional approval, before the interview.
Fees and rules read on tsa.gov and cbp.gov by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Who can join what
| You are | TSA PreCheck | Global Entry | NEXUS | SENTRI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US citizen or national | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| US permanent resident | yes | yes | yes (3 years of residence) | yes |
| Canadian citizen | through NEXUS | no (use NEXUS) | yes | yes |
| Mexican national | through Global Entry | yes | Viajero Confiable members | yes |
| Partner-country citizen | through Global Entry | yes, with extra vetting | no | yes |
| Any other nationality | no | no | no | yes |
The partner countries
CBP's eligibility page lists 22 countries whose citizens may apply, Mexico included: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. The list changes as arrangements are signed, and CBP notes that additional requirements may apply depending on the country. For South Korea, for example, CBP's FAQ says applicants first enroll in their government's Smart Entry Service and then create their account in the CBP system. The CBP fee and the interview, at an enrollment center or on arrival, are the same as for a US applicant.
Some arrangements also work the other way: CBP mentions that Global Entry members may be eligible for the fast lanes of some partner countries, for example Germany's EasyPASS gates or Taiwan's e-Gate, under each country's own rules and fees. That is a separate enrollment and is not included in the US membership.
How long it takes
For every applicant, CBP says 80% of applications are approved within 2 weeks while some take 12 months or longer. A partner-country check can add its own delay. The tool below gives the dates those figures imply from the day you applied; it cannot predict your own case.
Global Entry: the dates CBP’s figures give
80% of applications approved by
November 11, 2026
| Some take up to | October 28, 2027 or longer |
| Card, if approved by the 2-week mark | by December 9, 2026 |
CBP figure: 80% approved within 2 weeks, some 12 months or more. Approval here means conditional approval, before the interview.
Children and families
There is no minimum age for Global Entry in the CBP rules, though some partner arrangements set one. A child under 18 needs a parent or guardian's consent, a separate application and an interview with a parent present, and pays nothing when the parent is a member or applies at the same time.
If you cannot join any program
Travelers who cannot join any program use the regular arrival lanes for their passport type. Be wary of sites that offer a "Global Entry application service" for a fee: the only place to apply is ttp.dhs.gov, and the only fee is CBP's $120.
The card question
CBP issues Global Entry cards only to US citizens, lawful permanent residents and Mexican nationals. Members from partner countries use the airport kiosks with their passport, which is all they need for arrivals by air, but they get no card for the SENTRI or NEXUS land lanes. That matters only to those who also cross land borders often.
Check the CBP page for your own country before paying: each arrangement sets its own eligibility and steps.