Four options;
TSA Precheck, Global Entry, Nexus, Sentri
TSAP is for selected airports; sounds too limited
Sentri is for ground travelers only; nope
So, GE vs Nexus. I cannot tell a difference in functionality from the chart other than Nexus includes travel into Canadja.
I am traveling across our northern border or southern border from time to time, and possibly to other countries. Usually by airline.
What aren't they telling me? Which suits me best?
Can both of them be renewed easily?
It’s acronym soup just to make it confusing.
I applied through the “Global Online Enrollment System” (GOES). I got a photo ID that says “Global Entry” on the front and also says SENTRY and Ready Lane on the back. I was also enrolled into TSA Precheck through this process.
1. Global Entry
Global Entry is for customs on international flights into the U.S.
When going through customs and immigration after returning to the US airport from a foreign country, allows you to go to an electronic kiosk where you slap you hand on a screen, rather than stand in the long customs line. It’s super fast. I always beat the luggage so, unless my luggage is delayed for some reason, I can grab and go and get to the next line in front of the crowd. You don’t need to carry your Global Entry card for this benefit. The kiosk scans your hand.
2. TSA Precheck
TSA Precheck is for domestic flights.
Allows you to go through a short security line where you don’t have to remove your shoes or take your laptop out and where the other travelers tend to be more experienced and thus more efficient. The line is often non-existent compared with the regular line. It ONLY works on domestic flights with certain domestic carriers (most of them I think, e.g. United, American, Delta, Southwest, etc.). In order to get “Precheck” printed on your boarding pass, you must put your “Known Traveler Number” (KTN) into your airline reservation information.
3. SENTRI (and READY LANE I think).
SENTRY is for returning from Mexico.
SENTRI allows an enrolled vehicle (by license plate) to use a dedicated line when crossing the border and returning to the U.S. from Mexico by car, PROVIDED you have a Global Entry card for every person in the vehicle. I assume that the dedicated lane correlates with the “Ready Lane” logo on the back of my Global Entry card.
I don’t go to Mexico very often, but my friend who goes down 2-3 times a year tells me that the dedicated lane is 15-20 minutes rather than 2-3 hours.
4. NEXUS
NEXUS is for coming from or going to Canada.
This has two-way benefits. When crossing the border and entering Canada or returning to the U.S., allows you to use dedicated lines when driving and to use a dedicated kiosk when entering the U.S. or Canada by air. The NEXUS membership can only be obtained by physically visiting one of the processing centers near the Canadian border.
You get 1, 2 and 3 by applying through the “Global Online Enrollment System.” After you are “conditionally” approved (took a couple of days for me), you need to make an appointment at a GOES enrollment center of your choosing. I had to make an appointment a few months out in the LA area.
At the appointment, they’ll do a short interview and take your picture. Later, they’ll mail you your Global Entry photo ID. You need to go back online within a limited time and activate the card (I believe this is a necessary step to use it at the Mexican border).
I don’t have NEXUS, so take this with a grain of salt, but I think you can get 1, 2, 3 and 4 by specifically incuding NEXUS and specifically making an appointment at one of the relatively few Northern enrollment centers that includes NEXUS processing. If you fly or drive to Canada on occasion, arrange an upcoming trip to give you time to conduct your appointment.
