TTPRADARThe short answer
Under 8 CFR 235.12, CBP can find you ineligible for Global Entry if you have been found in violation of any customs, immigration or agriculture regulations, procedures or laws, in any country. Eligibility is decided at CBP's sole discretion.
The wording is "has been found in violation". The question is whether there was a finding, not only whether the conduct happened. The regulation does not define overstay or unauthorized work, so it does not tell you which past events count.
What the rule does not say
Two things people most want answered are not covered by the regulation, and we have no official source that covers them.
- The exact wording of the application question. We could not verify it, so we will not paraphrase it as if it were quoted. Read it on your own application and answer what it asks.
- What a later green card or naturalization does to a past overstay or unauthorized work. The rule is silent on this. Anyone who tells you it is automatically erased, or automatically disqualifying, is going beyond the text.
If you are a green card holder or naturalized citizen with this kind of history, that gap is real. Your current status is not a stated cure, and it is not a stated disqualifier either.
Why honest disclosure matters more than the history
Giving false or incomplete information is its own ground for ineligibility under 8 CFR 235.12(b)(2)(i). It is also a ground for removing someone who is already a participant.
Removal or suspension is notified in writing and takes effect immediately. The processing fee is not refunded. So leaving a history out can turn it into a clear disqualifier of its own.
The practical rule is simple. If the question covers it, answer it accurately, even if the answer is uncomfortable. Omission gives CBP a reason that has nothing to do with your past.
Immigration violations are separate from arrests
The immigration-violation ground is (b)(2)(iii). Arrests, convictions, pending charges and outstanding warrants are a different ground, (b)(2)(ii). The arrest ground is broader, because an arrest alone counts.
That matters if your overstay or unauthorized work also involved any arrest. You would be answering two separate questions, and each needs its own accurate answer.
What to bring to the interview
Conditionally approved applicants attend an in-person interview at an enrollment center and give biometrics. The regulation requires you to bring the original of the identification document named in your application. CBP's Global Entry page confirms that first-time enrollment is in person.
That is the only document the rule names. Bringing other paperwork about your immigration history is a sensible precaution, but it is our suggestion, not a requirement. For example, a green card or naturalization certificate, plus anything showing how a past issue was resolved, gives you something concrete if the officer asks questions.
Your interview answers should match your application. If you still need an interview appointment, free browser alerts can notify you when openings appear.
If you are denied
CBP must notify you of the denial and give its reasons. You can then submit a reconsideration request to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman through the online TTP system.
Read the stated reasons before you reply. A denial for a violation finding and a denial for incomplete information are different problems, and your reply should address the one actually given. For more on the process, see our Global Entry guides.