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Global Entry card may be necessary at certain points of travel

Global Entry card may be necessary at certain points of travel
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Tarah Chieffi Senior writer | The Points Guy

Global Entry facilitates arrival into the U.S. for travelers at kiosks in more than 75 airports, bypassing long U.S. Customs and Border Protection lines. The program also allows travelers to clear customs before returning to the U.S. from 15 preclearance locations abroad.

Travelers receive a physical Global Entry card after applying. While not required for using Global Entry at airports, there are three situations where travelers might need the card, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The first scenario is at airports with preclearance facilities. "Although the Global Entry card is not required for air travel, every international traveler is subject to random checks or additional questions by a CBP officer when they are entering the United States," said a CBP spokesperson. In Canada, travelers may need to show their "document of entitlement" to access certain lanes, as noted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

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The card is necessary for entering the U.S. by car using SENTRI or Nexus lanes. "A card is only required for expedited entry at the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes coming into the United States," according to CBP. SENTRI provides expedited entry from Canada and Mexico, and Nexus allows fast processing for prescreened travelers entering the U.S. and Canada.

Lastly, some cruise ports require the card. Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is one such port where "cruise guests enrolled in CBP's Global Entry program should follow the signage directing them to the front of the line and present their Global Entry card to the Customs agent for processing," as stated by Erica Silverstein, TPG Managing Cruise Editor.

In summary, Global Entry members who will be preclearing customs abroad, crossing land borders, or cruising should consider carrying their card to ensure access to expedited processing.

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