Can Non-U.S. Citizens Get Global Entry? Who Qualifies

Can non-U.S. citizens get Global Entry?

Yes, two groups of non-citizens can. U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) apply exactly like citizens. Citizens of a limited set of partner countries can apply too, usually after first being vetted by their own government. Everyone else, including most visa holders, is not eligible and should look at the alternatives below.

Who is eligible

• U.S. citizens. The standard case.
• U.S. lawful permanent residents. Green card holders use the same online application, pay the same fee and attend the same interview. Bring your Permanent Resident Card and your passport to the interview. See our guide to Global Entry for green card holders.
• Citizens of partner countries. CBP has arrangements with a list of countries, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Panama, Colombia, India, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan. Most of these require a separate application or background check through your own government before or alongside the CBP application. The list changes, so check CBP’s eligibility page for the current countries and steps.

Holding a work or student visa does not by itself make you eligible. Eligibility comes from citizenship of a partner country or permanent residence, not from your visa type.

What is different for non-citizens

• Documents. Bring your valid passport plus your Permanent Resident Card if you have one. Partner-country applicants also need whatever confirmation their own government’s vetting produced.
• Background checks. Partner-country applicants are checked by both governments, which can add time before conditional approval.
• The interview itself is the same. Same enrollment centers, same questions about travel and background, same fingerprints and photo. Finding an interview slot works the same way too: today’s interview wait at every center applies to everyone.
• TSA PreCheck. U.S. citizens and permanent residents get TSA PreCheck with Global Entry. Partner-country members usually do not, so do not assume a known traveler number works for domestic flights.

If you are not eligible: the alternatives

• NEXUS covers U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and includes Global Entry benefits for those eligible. See NEXUS vs Global Entry.
• SENTRI is for the U.S.–Mexico land border and is open to more nationalities than Global Entry. See SENTRI interview alerts and SENTRI interview wait times.
• Mobile Passport Control is free, needs no membership and can shorten the arrival line for eligible travelers. See Global Entry vs Mobile Passport Control.

Frequently asked questions

Can green card holders get Global Entry?

Yes. Lawful permanent residents are eligible and apply the same way as U.S. citizens.

Can I get Global Entry on a work visa?

Not on the strength of the visa. You are eligible only if you are a U.S. permanent resident or a citizen of one of CBP’s partner countries.

Do dual citizens qualify?

If one of your citizenships is U.S., yes. If not, you qualify if either citizenship is from a partner country. See Global Entry eligibility for dual citizens.