CBP Announces Reciprocal Arrangement with Germany for Trusted Traveler Programs

From CBP: U.S. Customs and Border Protection announces a reciprocal arrangement with Germany for each nation’s trusted traveler program—the U.S. Global Entry program and the German EasyPASS. Global Entry and EasyPASS allow expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers.

“CBP is pleased to further our partnership with Germany by offering Global Entry to German citizens,” said Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “Global Entry and the German EasyPASS program allow our officers to focus more on travelers we do not know while at the same time efficiently and securely facilitating low-risk travelers.”

Currently available at 42 U.S. airports and 12 preclearance locations, Global Entry streamlines the screening process at airports for trusted travelers. More than 1.8 million members are enrolled in Global Entry and approximately 50,000 new applications for the program are filed monthly. As an added benefit, Global Entry members are also eligible to participate in the TSA Pre✓™ expedited screening program.

EasyPASS is an automated border control system available to registered third-country nationals when entering Germany. EasyPASS uses eGates as a simple, quick and convenient alternative to traditional border controls. The automated border control system is easy to operate and allows for quicker processing at border crossings. The system does not replace manual border checks, but is an additional service.

U.S. citizens, U.S nationals and U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents may apply for Global Entry as well as citizens of certain countries with which CBP has trusted traveler arrangements, including Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, the Republic of Korea, and now Germany. Canadian citizens and residents enrolled in NEXUS may also use Global Entry.

To register for EasyPASS, U.S. citizens must visit an enrollment center operated by the German Federal Police in Germany. Enrollment centers for EasyPASS can be found in Terminal 1 at Frankfurt Airport and in Terminal 2 at Munich Airport. To qualify, U.S. citizens must have an electronic passport (epassport) and be at least 18 years of age.

To register for Global Entry, German citizens must first preregister with the German Federal Police at an EasyPASS enrollment center in Germany. After preregistering, the German Federal Police will notify CBP that the applicant is eligible to apply for Global Entry using the Global Online Enrollment System (GOES). The non-refundable application fee for a five-year Global Entry membership is $100 and applications must be made online.

Once the application is approved, the applicant will schedule an interview with a CBP officer to determine the applicant’s eligibility. German citizen Global Entry members will have to reregister for Global Entry with the German Federal Police after their second year of membership.

While the goal of Global Entry is to speed travelers through the process, members may be selected for further examination when entering the United States. Any violation of the program’s terms and conditions will result in appropriate enforcement action and revocation of the traveler’s membership privileges.

CBP continues to maximize resources to support a 16 percent growth in international air arrivals since 2009. CBP is working to bring advances in technology and automation, such as Automated Passport Control kiosks, the Mobile Passport Control app and the I-94 form automation, to the passenger processing environment while exploring public-private partnerships to help support current and future mission requirements.