Breezing through US customs

ESTA, Global Entry and Trusted Traveler Programs explained

The US doesn’t make it easy for overseas visitors, especially if you happen to have a passport from Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, North Korea or Somalia, in which case you are effectively banned from entering the US (although some Iranian students are permitted in to study). But even those of us who are fortunate enough to have a favoured passport, the experience of US customs and immigration can create a memorably unfavourable impression. New York’s JFK airport in particular does not have a good reputation for staff politeness, and the queues at many US airports can make an already long journey seem even longer. However, there are various things that can smooth your entry, and being prepared can make your trip much easier.

ESTA

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) can be used by passport holders of 38 countries, including the UK, most of Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan and so on (although not India, China or Russia, among many others). This is part of the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of these countries to visit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. Numerous third-party websites appear in online searches for ESTA applications; ignore these middlemen who charge for their services, and go straight to the official US Customs and Border Protection website at esta.cbp. dhs.gov/esta. Applications only cost US$14, but don’t leave it until the last minute as it takes at least 72 hours to process. Each ESTA lasts two years and needs to be renewed for a further US$14 charge. Make sure your ESTA covers the entirety of your trip – if your ESTA expires while you are in the US, you may be refused re-entry next time.

TRUSTED TRAVELER PROGRAMS

Frequent travellers can have a thorough background check once every few years to speed up their entry at US customs. For non-US citizens this TSA Precheck, as it is known, is done through a scheme called Global Entry, which you can find here: cbp.gov/travel/ trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry. Global Entry identifies lowrisk travellers and lets them pass through customs via a quicker, more automated queue with an electronic check-in upon arrival in the US.

GLOBAL ENTRY

To apply for Global Entry is not as straightforward as you might hope. The fee for the application is US$100, plus you have to pay a fee on top of this to your own country’s authorities for the background check. In the UK, for example, this check costs £42 (US$54); you can apply for it here: gov.uk/global-entry-usa.

Once both sets of fees are paid, you then have to appear for interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center in the US, or at one of the few dates on which interviews are held overseas. In the case of Hong Kong, the last set of interviews were held at the American Chamber of Commerce over just two days back in January; no further interview dates are scheduled at the time of going to press.

However, once you are part of the Global Entry scheme, it makes entry to the US faster, and does so for five years until you have to renew it; it can be renewed up to one year prior to its expiry date. Take note that not all US airports participate in the Global Entry scheme, so you may be wasting your time and money if you’re not arriving at one of the major airports. However, it currently operates at 46 US airports and 13 pre-clearance locations. You can find a full list of participating airports here: cbp.gov/travel/ trusted-traveler-programs/globalentry/locations.

USING GLOBAL ENTRY

When you book your airline ticket, enter your Global Entry number. At the entry airport in the US, there is a separate line for Global Entry visitors – and a very short queue. Your passport is scanned electronically, you obtain a small printout, then you proceed to the customs officer who will check your details and let you through. I have used both methods of entry, and Global Entry has been anything up to an hour faster than the conventional method; on two recent occasions, I have been through customs faster than the US citizen I was travelling with. Guy Dimond