Can Children Use Global Entry With Parents?

Short answer: No, not on a parent's membership. Every traveler who uses Global Entry, including babies and children, needs their own membership. A child without one goes through the regular customs line, and the family can go with them. There is no minimum age: children under 18 can apply with a parent or legal guardian's consent, a parent or guardian attends their interview, and they pay no application fee when a parent or guardian applies at the same time or is already a member.

If you want the whole family in one fast line without enrolling everyone, CBP's free Mobile Passport Control app can cover a group in one submission. See Global Entry vs Mobile Passport Control.

Global Entry Family Rules

Global Entry is an individual membership. There is no family plan and no way to share a membership:

Basic Family Rules

• Each Person Enrolls: Adults and children each need their own approved membership to use Global Entry
• No Age Minimum: Infants and toddlers can be members
• Parent Consent: Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian's consent
• Separate Applications: Each child has their own application and interview

Children Traveling With Enrolled Parents

If a parent has Global Entry and a child does not, the child cannot use the parent's membership:

How It Works

• Enrolled child: Uses Global Entry alongside the enrolled parent
• Child without Global Entry: Goes through the regular customs line, and a parent can go with them
• Mixed family: Many families simply use the regular line or Mobile Passport Control together when not everyone is enrolled
• Documents Required: Everyone still needs their own passport

Age Requirements for Global Entry

There is no minimum age for Global Entry. The rules differ only for applicants under 18:

Under-18 Rules

• Consent: A parent or legal guardian must consent to the application
• Interview: A parent or legal guardian attends the child's interview
• Fee: No application fee when a parent or guardian applies at the same time or is already a member
• Applying alone: A minor who applies without a parent or guardian in the program pays the full $120

Other Programs

• TSA PreCheck: Children 17 and under can go through PreCheck with an enrolled parent or guardian on the same reservation when the boarding pass shows the PreCheck indicator; this is a TSA rule and does not apply to Global Entry at customs
• NEXUS and SENTRI: Children also enroll individually; see NEXUS vs Global Entry and Global Entry vs SENTRI

Enrolling a Child

Enrolling a child works like enrolling an adult, with a parent or guardian involved:

Children's Enrollment Process

• Application: The child's own application in the Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) system
• Parent Consent: Required for applicants under 18
• Interview: The child attends their own interview with a parent or guardian
• Membership: Valid for five years, like an adult membership

Benefits of Enrolling Children

• Family stays together: Everyone can use the Global Entry line on arrival
• TSA PreCheck: Included with the child's membership
• Long-Term Benefits: Valid for 5 years
• No fee in most families: Free when a parent or guardian applies at the same time or is already a member

If you are enrolling several family members, it helps to apply together and book interviews close together. Our guide on Global Entry for families with kids covers coordinating applications and interviews.

Documentation Requirements

All family members need proper travel documents, whether or not they have Global Entry:

Required Documents

• Passports: All family members must have valid passports
• Visas (if required): Appropriate visas for destination
• Custody Documents: Worth carrying when only one parent travels with a child or in non-traditional family arrangements

Travel Document Rules

• Name Matching: Documents must match travel reservations
• Expiration Dates: All documents must be valid for travel
• Additional Documentation: Court orders or adoption papers as needed

Common Family Travel Scenarios

Different family situations play out differently at customs:

Everyone Enrolled

• Whole family has Global Entry: Everyone uses the Global Entry line together

Only the Parents Enrolled

• Children not enrolled: The children use the regular line or Mobile Passport Control; parents usually go with them
• One parent enrolled: Same rule; the membership does not extend to anyone else

Extended Family

• Grandparents, aunts and uncles: Need their own membership to use Global Entry, and cannot use anyone else's
• Guardian Travel: Legal guardianship documents are worth carrying

Cost and Practical Considerations

The fee rules make enrolling children cheaper than many parents expect:

Cost Analysis

• Adults: $120 each for a five-year membership, non-refundable
• Children under 18: $0 when a parent or guardian applies at the same time or is already a member
• Details: See what the Global Entry fee covers

Practical Factors

• Travel Frequency: Consider how often your family travels internationally
• Interviews: Each child needs an interview slot, so plan for several appointments
• Alternative: Mobile Passport Control is free and covers a group in one submission

Alternative Programs for Families

When Global Entry for everyone isn't worth it, other options may suit family needs:

Mobile Passport Control

• Free: A CBP app with no application or interview
• Group submission: One phone can submit for the family together
• Customs only: No TSA PreCheck benefit

Other Trusted Traveler Programs

• NEXUS: For U.S.-Canada travel; children enroll individually
• SENTRI: For the U.S.-Mexico land border; children enroll individually

Frequently Asked Questions

Can children use Global Entry lanes with their parents?

Only if the child has their own Global Entry membership. A parent's membership does not cover children. A child without Global Entry uses the regular customs line or Mobile Passport Control.

At what age can children get Global Entry?

Any age. There is no minimum age. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian's consent, and a parent or guardian attends the interview.

Do all family members need to enroll in Global Entry?

Everyone who wants to use Global Entry needs their own membership. Family members without one use the regular line.

Do children pay the Global Entry fee?

Not when a parent or legal guardian applies at the same time or is already a member. A minor applying on their own pays the full $120.

Can grandparents use their grandchild's Global Entry enrollment?

No. Global Entry membership is personal and cannot be used by anyone else.

Conclusion

Children cannot ride on a parent's Global Entry membership. Each child who wants to use Global Entry needs their own, but there is no minimum age, and children under 18 pay no fee when a parent or guardian applies at the same time or is already a member.

For families who travel abroad often, enrolling everyone keeps you in one line. For occasional trips, Mobile Passport Control is a free way to keep the family together at customs.