Global Entry for Travelers With Dual Citizenship

Short answer: If you are a U.S. citizen who also holds another citizenship, you apply for Global Entry as a U.S. citizen, list your U.S. passport in the application, bring that U.S. passport to the interview, and use it every time you enter the United States. Your other passport is for dealing with your other country. If you are a U.S. lawful permanent resident with citizenship elsewhere, you apply as a permanent resident and use your green card plus the passport from your country of citizenship. Whether dual citizenship affects your eligibility at all is covered in Can Dual Citizens Get Global Entry? This page is about which passport goes where.

Dual citizenship does not disqualify you from Global Entry. What matters in practice is using the right passport at each step, and keeping your Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account in sync with it.

Which passport to use when applying

If you are a U.S. citizen, apply as a U.S. citizen. Enter your U.S. passport number and details in the TTP application. That passport becomes the document your membership is linked to. Your other passport or citizenship does not bar you from Global Entry; CBP may ask about it for identity and security checks, and you should answer truthfully.

Make sure your name and date of birth are entered exactly as they appear on your U.S. passport. Mismatches with airline bookings and other documents are a common source of trouble later. See middle name mismatches on airline tickets.

What to bring to the interview

For a U.S. citizen (including dual citizens applying as U.S. citizens):

• The valid U.S. passport listed in your application
• Proof of address, such as a driver's license or state-issued ID
• Any other document CBP requests

You are not required to bring your non-U.S. passport to the interview unless CBP asks for it, though carrying it does no harm if you expect questions about it. If your names differ between documents (for example, a maiden name on one passport), bring a marriage certificate or other document that links them. See what documents actually matter for Global Entry interviews.

Once you are conditionally approved, the next step is booking the interview. Availability varies a lot by enrollment center, so check the live Global Entry wait times before you choose one.

Which passport to use when traveling

This is where most dual citizens get tripped up. A simple rule covers most trips: use your U.S. passport with the U.S., and your other passport with the other country.

• Returning to the United States: U.S. citizens are required by U.S. law to enter and leave the United States on a U.S. passport. Use the U.S. passport linked to your Global Entry membership at the Global Entry kiosk, portal or officer.
• Arriving in your other country: Some countries require their own citizens to enter on that country's passport. Global Entry has no role there. Check that country's rules.
• Checking in for flights: Airlines usually need to see the passport that lets you into your destination. Have both with you, and do not be surprised if the airline asks for each at different points in the trip.
• TSA PreCheck: Your Known Traveler Number (KTN) comes from your Global Entry membership. Add it to your airline booking with your name exactly as it appears on the reservation. See how to activate TSA PreCheck with your Global Entry KTN.

Disclosing your other citizenship

The application may ask about other citizenships or nationalities. Disclose them. CBP uses this for background checks and identity verification. Leaving out a second citizenship can cause delays, secondary review, or denial. There is no penalty for having dual citizenship; the requirement is to be truthful. The eligibility side of this, including how records from your other country can matter, is covered in Can Dual Citizens Get Global Entry?

Green card holders with another citizenship

If you are a U.S. lawful permanent resident and a citizen of another country (or two), you apply as a permanent resident. List the passport you will travel on and bring it to the interview with your green card. If you hold two foreign passports, keep using the one listed in your TTP account when you enter the United States, and update the account if you switch. See Global Entry Guide for Immigrants and Green Card Holders and Global Entry for Non-U.S. Citizens: What's Different?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which passport do I use when traveling with Global Entry?

When entering the United States, use the passport linked to your Global Entry membership. For U.S. citizens, that is your U.S. passport, which U.S. law requires you to use to enter and leave the country anyway. Use your other passport for your other country if its rules require it.

Can I use my foreign passport for Global Entry if I am a U.S. citizen?

No. As a U.S. citizen you enter the United States on your U.S. passport, and that is the document your membership should be linked to.

Will my other citizenship slow down my application?

It can lead to extra verification in some cases, but dual citizenship is not a reason for denial. Disclosing it and answering truthfully is what matters.

I have two U.S. passports. Which do I use?

Use the one you listed in your TTP application and bring that same one to the interview. If you start traveling on the other, update your TTP account so the details match.