Global Entry Program to be Extended to Low-Risk U.K. Citizens and Low-Risk U.S. Citizens Will Get Reciprocal Benefits in the U.K.
I posted an earlier blog entry about the Global Entry program that allows for certain “low-risk” U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents a means to enter the U.S. in an expedited and automated way—without the usual airport delays. The program began on June 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and Washington Dulles International Airport. Here is the earlier posting.
On June 24, it was announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has signed a joint agreement with the government of the United Kingdom to develop a bilateral program that will eventually make low-risk frequent travelers from the UK to the U.S. also eligible to apply for the program as soon as later this year. And vice versa—low risk U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. traveling to the U.K. will have reciprocal benefits. The reciprocal agreement is the “International Expedited Traveler Initiative” and it will integrate CBP’s Global Entry program with the U.K. registered traveler program.
The reciprocal program will be similar to other “trusted traveler” programs such as NEXUS (which allows expedited processing into the U.S. and Canada at the land border and at Canadian pre-clearance airports) and SENTRI (which provides for dedicated processing at the U.S.-Mexico land border).
The agreement with the U.K. is also similar to an agreement that CBP signed with the government of the Netherlands on May 19 to integrate CBP’s Global Entry program with the Dutch “Privium” program.
