The hassle of getting a visa to the United States of America is a well-known fact. But did you know the immigration queues while landing there can also be really exhausting? Well, they are! After a 16-hour flight from India, nothing will feel worse than this. Well, if you fly to the US frequently, there is a way around it for you.
Global Entry Program Will Ease The Way For You
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced Global Entry, an effective program that pre-approves frequent fliers and fastens their immigration process. There are separate kiosks set up for the program members at the airport. The members will only have to present their US permanent resident card or machine-readable passports and verify their fingerprints at the scanner. After the customs declaration, the travellers will be allotted a receipt after which they can directly claim their baggage and exit.
It sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Well, it is true! However, getting a Global Entry membership will be a rigorous task. The applicants will not only be interviewed but thorough background checks will also be conducted. Furthermore, the program also mentions that members could sometimes be subjected to additional examinations while entering the country.
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Follow These Steps To Apply For The Membership
This will be a big boon for all those who travel to America often. If you are one of those people, here is how to can apply for the Global Entry program:
- Open the TTP website, choose Global Entry, and pay a non-refundable fee of $100.
- After going through the application process, visit the Passport Seva portal and enter the required information. You will have to pay a ₹500 fee and apply for a background check.
- You will also be required to apply for an in-person interview at a Passport Seva Kendra.
If you are currently not residing in India, it is advisable to schedule your appointment before visiting here, to speed up the process. The processing duration for the Global Entry program is 4-6 months. If you are accepted, it will be valid for the next 5 years. Not just immigration queues, this membership will also allow you to cut through TSA Pre-check.
What could be better than this? Apply now!
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