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Update: A few days after I applied for free renewals, my kids’ membership renewals were approved without the need for another appointment.
Be sure to renew before expiration, as that can be a trigger for another in-person interview. You can renew up to a year before the 5 year membership expires.
Did you apply for free Global Entry membership or renewal for your kids?
Originally posted on 10/1:
Global Entry is fantastic. It allows you to skip the long customs lines when you re-enter the US, which has saved several connections for me. And thanks to credit cards that cover the fee, it’s the best money I never spent.
Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, which is also a lifesaver.
As of today, Global Entry costs $120 for 5 years. NEXUS, which includes everything Global Entry does, plus the ability to skip lines into Canada, and SENTRI, which helps for Mexico, now cost $120 as well.
But also as of today, all of those are free for kids under 18 if their parent or guardian has that membership or is applying for that membership! If you paid for kids membership in the past, you are not able to get a refund.
While kids under 18 don’t need PreCheck when on the same reservation as adults that have PreCheck, kids of all ages do need their own Global Entry membership. Kids between 13-17 traveling on their own do need their own PreCheck membership, which still costs $78, but will be free if they have Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI.
Global Entry has enrollment centers nationwide where you can take a quick interview and have a picture taken for approval.
NEXUS and SENTRI enrollment centers and interview appointments are harder to come by.
You can apply for Global Entry here. Everyone will need their own account login. You can use Gmail plus aliasing or dot aliasing so that all of the emails will go to the same email address.
All of my kids have Global Entry, but 2 of them had memberships expiring within the next year, which means they are eligible for renewal:
When I clicked to renew, it said the application fee would be $120:
However, I filled out the renewal application with my guardianship information and my Global Entry number and it correctly asked for $0 at final checkout. If you don’t yet have a Global Entry number, you can also provide a Global Entry application number to have the kids fee waived.
You just have to enter the guardian’s Global Entry number or application number during the application or renewal process to get kids free:
Price at final checkout:
I don’t have any kids to apply for as a new application, but commenters below confirm that you can enter a guardian’s Global Entry number or application number, which makes it free!
For now, my kids’ renewal request is under review, which is normal. In the past, they were able to get renewal approval without an interview, so hopefully that happens again this time.
- Adults can get Global Entry for free by applying with cards like:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- Chase United℠ Explorer Card
- Chase United Club℠ Infinite Card
- United Quest℠ Card
- Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (including on free secondary cards!)
- The Platinum Card® from American Express (including on free secondary cards!)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
- Delta Platinum Business AMEX
- Delta Reserve Business AMEX
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta Skymiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture X Business Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business
- Citi(R) / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi Prestige
- And more!
Do you have Global Entry?
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80 Comments On "[Renewal Approved Without Interview] Awesome! Your Kids Can Now Apply For Or Renew Global Entry With PreCheck For Free!"
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Which cards offer free Nexus?
All Chase cards that offer Global Entry also cover NEXUS.
Oh interesting. I didn’t know that. I double check my RC benefits, and it only said GE, and no mention of NEXUS.
Do you have separate emails and logins for each kid?
Or is there a way to do it via 1 log in?
Separate logins for everyone.
Your able to put a plus sign (+) in-between your kids first name and your email address so this way it will all come to you and you can see which kid it’s for
What do you mean by this? Where?
https://gmail.googleblog.com/2008/03/2-hidden-ways-to-get-more-from-your.html
Dan, I actually received a reply from support@login.gov with your guides above, how to do an alias address on each of multiple email programs !
As well that for TTP you could create a login.gov account for under 13 (as per login.gov agreement, it acutely says You are not a child under 13 years of age)
Thanks Dan for your post. Would my credit card reimburse me for nexus? Or only global entry.
All Chase cards that offer Global Entry also cover NEXUS.
How the flip are they going to Interveiw my 3 year old daughter
apply and let us know
They’ll take her fingerprints and picture and approve her.
I just did my 14 year old and there was no interview – they just checked documents – I was there the whole time
I assume they also took a picture and fingerprints?
They didn’t bother taking fingerprints for any of my kids even when I offered (multiple times throughout the years).
They only checked documents and snapped a picture.
Nice. Makes sense now that you just need a picture to use GE.
same. no prints just picture. for a baby.
Thanks for the DP. I have 2 renewals coming up soon so will do.
Whats the process for kids getting global entry? Do they need a picture, need to get fingerprinted, and need to get the interview at the global entry location?
Yes.
Can you provide steps on how to add children when they were never added and parents have global entry
Create a new account for the child and you’ll fill in the guardian information during the application process.
Even if the child is under 1?
Yes
I can confirm that a new application worked the same. I applied for my child this morning, and the $120 fee was waived after inputting my guardianship information.
Now, if only they would do away with the having to interview a baby part…
Thanks for the data point!
If I have a Sapphire Reserve but never got Global Entry, can I get it for free now, and add my kids?
Yes
I have TSA Pre and usually successful with CBP MPC (mobile passport control).
Planning a time for the global entry appt was a pain and TSA Pre offered me online renewal.
MPC is nice, but I’ve often seen it down and it’s not in as many airports as GE.
Can I add a child without renewing my Global Entry?
Yes
Centurion benefit is now sort of worthless. They’ll need to replace with something
Do you have separate emails and logins for each kid?
Or is there a way to do it via 1 log in?
Separate logins for everyone.
assuming i dont have pending renewal how do i apply for a kid? set up their own login?
Yes
Do you need to go in for a interview when applying for a new global entry for a child?
Yes
I renewed my kids’ expired GE application and got the same $0.00 page on checkout. I will try to apply for new kids soon.
Where do I put in my global entry number?
you will be asked when you fill the application for guardian information and your TSA/Global # and if valid application fee will be $0 at the end
Does a baby (under 2) need Global Entry if both parents have?
yes
wondering how long it takes the kids to get aproved
I renewed my global entry january 2024 , aplication was pending for 8 months
got email in augest 2024 , all is well
My kid was approved over Rosh Hashana (applied on the 1st) and was able to get an interview within the week in nyc.
I applied for a brand new application back on August 18 and it is still showing the status Wait for conditional approval! Which means that i can’t even Schedule for an Interview. Does anyone know how to get it moving foward faster? is there any phone number to call? or any other alternative way?
So I need to create a separate email for all my kids?
Gmail plus alias or dot alias should work.
https://gmail.googleblog.com/2008/03/2-hidden-ways-to-get-more-from-your.html
If i just signed up for TSA when do i get the statement credit?
Depends on the CC issuer. I renewed a couple months ago and chase had posted the credit 2 days after i renewed. Had my new GE card a week later.
Worked even with guardian’s program membership that was renewed prior to October 1st changes. So, with old cost, children were still free to apply. Just FYI if anyone wants to add their kids. No need to wait to renew the guardian’s membership at the higher cost.
Up to what age is kid? Included w guardian ?
Please read the post again.
If I apply for a 17 year old, will she get a global entry card valid for 5 years or just one year?
It’s good for 5 years, regardless of age.
Why would someone get GE over Nexus? Doesn’t Nexus offer all the same perks +?
Please read the post again. 🙂
Data point – My kid’s membership was expired for about six months, I renewed online and it was approved again in a few days with no extra interview.
Does a child need an in-person interview by initial application for Global Entry?
did my 3 kids and had to go in for inteview. EWR had 9PM waited 5 min was out in less than 10 and got approval by the time we got home (40 min later)
Enrolled my 1 year old son, first time application (obviously). Conditional approval, requires interview. Travelling international for sukkos, will likely do enrollment on arrival for him. Hopefully should be a breeze.
Adult renewals have in person interview requirement?
YMMV. Depends on various factors.
How can I determine that? Would love to avoid the interview! My 4 years are up in February
Just have to renew and hope for the best. Be sure to renew before it expires.
TY. Also, do I need separate accounts for my kids? last time that I used GE they just let my kids thru with me on my card
Yes, details are all in the post.
You got lucky. Some agents have revoked people’s GE for doing that.
Do kids applying for the first time need an interview?
did a new applications for my son while staying in israel for rosh hashana ( i have one) got conditional approved , did the interview on arrival yesterday 1150 pm jfk terminal 4
and its approved ( process took 5 min- empty room)
Thanks DAN
Nice, interview on arrival is great!
How about free NEXUS for kids?
It’s free as well.
Thanks Dan! Just applied for three kids and I have conditional approval on all, for free. Will do interview on arrival the next time we travel. One question – what residency documents work for a minor that I need to bring to the interview? Just need to prove my residency since I’m the guardian? Or do i need some residency documents with their information? I have their current passports….
just did it for my kids. all they asked for was kids passport and my licence as proff of address.
So…what’s the best way to get on board? Have Chase Sapphire Reserve. Need to pay for GE for me, my wife and one of my kids who is over 18. What’s the most economical plan/best new card to get? Thanks
Why get global entry as opposed to Nexus if nexus includes global entry?
it did not work if the kid is 17 years old. the website will consider the application as adult