TTPRADARDisclose it. The rule that governs Global Entry reaches arrests without convictions, and it separately penalizes incomplete answers. A dismissed or expunged arrest is a discretionary call for CBP, but a hidden one is a problem you create yourself.
What the rule says
Under 8 CFR 235.12(b)(2), you are ineligible for Global Entry if you give false or incomplete information on the application. You are also ineligible if you have been "arrested for, or convicted of, any criminal offense." The text says arrested or convicted, so an arrest with no conviction is within its reach.
The regulation does not say a dismissed or expunged arrest automatically disqualifies you. CBP decides at its sole discretion whether you are low-risk. Nothing in the rule says an old arrest is safe to leave out, either.
Why omitting it is the worst option
The two grounds stack. If you leave an arrest off and CBP finds it, you face the arrest ground and the incomplete information ground at the same time. An arrest you disclosed and documented gives CBP only one question to answer.
The risk does not end at approval. Under 8 CFR 235.12(j)(2), CBP can remove an existing member who provided false information in the application. It can also remove a member who has been arrested or convicted of a crime, or who otherwise no longer meets the eligibility criteria.
What paperwork to gather
CBP's reconsideration guidance, as quoted by a travel blog because we could not fetch the CBP page itself, asks for court disposition documents for all arrests or convictions, "even if expunged." That wording tells you old records can surface and should be documented.
CBP has not published an interview checklist for arrests without conviction that we could verify. Treating the reconsideration list as your preparation list is our inference, not CBP's stated requirement. It is still a sensible one.
- Court disposition papers for each arrest, showing how the case ended (dismissal, expungement order, completed probation).
- A short written summary of what happened, in English.
- Any other supporting documents that clarify the record.
Keep digital copies as well. The reconsideration process accepts PDF, DOCX, DOC, PNG, JPEG and GIF files, and PDF is the format named for court documents.
What we could not confirm
We found no official text on juvenile or sealed records. The regulation says "arrested for" without listing exceptions, and CBP's reconsideration guidance says "even if expunged." We could not find CBP's own application wording, so we will not tell you a juvenile or sealed record can be skipped. If yours is one of these, the cautious reading of the rule is to disclose it.
We also found no official guidance on what to do when you cannot locate the court papers. The practical step is to ask the court that handled the case for a copy of the disposition. Whether CBP accepts a substitute is not something we can verify.
Why your case can take longer
CBP says review times vary and that some applications take "up to 12 months or longer depending on criminal history." Every applicant must pass a background check.
We found no official explanation of why one applicant's conditional approval lags while another's does not, so we will not guess. Do not promise yourself a date. If you are waiting on an interview appointment, the free browser alerts watch for openings while the background check runs.
If you are denied
CBP notifies you of a denial and the reasons for it. If you believe the decision rested on inaccurate or incomplete information, you can request reconsideration through the Trusted Traveler Programs website, which goes to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman.
A good request is in English, states the denial date and reasons, and includes a summary clarifying the record or explaining the arrest. Attach the disposition documents for every arrest. The regulation describes reconsideration and DHS TRIP redress as wholly discretionary and says they create no legal right, so make the first application complete.