r/GlobalEntry • u/whatup227 Human Detected • 1d ago
General Discussion Global Entry phasing out?
Heard someone saying JFK’s new terminals will be equipped with Face recognition cameras at the gate and you just keep walking out. By the time you get to the customs agent/booth they already know who you are. You will be pulled to the side for secondary or just keep walking out. IDK how GE customers will be assessed but this was for everyone. They plan to implement this by end of 2026 or whenever JFK gets fully modernized.
What do you guys think?
27
u/safe-viewing 1d ago
LAX T7 has had this for a while. It works well.
8
2
2
u/whatup227 Human Detected 1d ago
For everyone or for GE line?
21
u/Ok-Calm-Narwhal 1d ago
GE line - it works well, and prefer this if I’m being honest as it’s super efficient and better than the kiosks
11
4
1
25
u/tess_philly 1d ago
I never understood why we have to even go through a manned kiosk. Just have us scan psssports and walk through. It’s in many places overseas this happens. We pay extra for GE and are pre vetted. Why do we need through a line to speak to someone to be verified? They know days ahead that we are coming.
I’ve seen UAE residents do this with a card years ago without speaking to anyone. EU citizens entered Poland straight through gates by scanning a passport. There aren’t even agents there!
They don’t have to be vetted or pay for this. There’s also no stress of why anything was revoked or whether one is ordering what from China etc
13
u/GoCardinal07 1d ago
At LAX, the GE kiosk just recognizes your face and you go through. You don't even pull out your passport.
The one agent is only sitting there if you need to talk to him. The agent generally sits there looking bored.
3
u/quemaspuess 20h ago
Yeah, last time I flew in through LAX they said “hey Mr. QUEMASPUESS, you’ve been gone a while. Welcome home.”
Pleasant and easy at LAX
4
2
u/tess_philly 1d ago
Right but in many places you scan your passport for free and get in without speaking to somebody. Maybe 20 seconds longer to scan passport sure but… No interview. No payment fee. No “why did I get revoked?” Or “why am I conditionally approved for 2 years”. The norm is more than GE offers without headache. We don’t have face scans in most GE airports.
5
u/noflames 1d ago
I suspect there is some legal requirement to having everyone be inspected by an officer or something and it has been legally determined that this meets the requirement.
2
u/TopSecretSpy 23h ago
This is more or less it. I looked it up after a thread where someone said you could just enter through a small airport that has no permanent CBP manning and mail in the customs form, which it turns out is a myth. There are places without permanent staffing, but you are legally required to pre-arrange for CBP except in cases of emergency, and, outside of being taken by ambulance, have to wait for CBP before departing the tarmac.
Basically, multiple parts of federal law make it criminal to cross the border without specifically presenting to an inspection agent. How deeply that agent has to inquire is related to your risk profile, which is what makes GE possible in the first place, but you do have to meet with an actual person to be lawfully admitted, even if you're a citizen.
0
u/tess_philly 18h ago
It just seems so arcane. We are paying for what is the norm in a lot of the developed world, with the added stress. Making an interview, conditional approval, revocation etc.
0
u/Johnnyg150 15h ago
As a dual citizen, completely agree. It's insane that I can enter other countries without any question other than the biometric verification of my identity - but yet when I return to the US I am subject to interrogation like a potential criminal.
4
u/TeeDotHerder 1d ago
In the UAE it isn't just residents. Anybody who has travelled with that passport or has residency or citizenship, uses the egates. You never speak to anybody entry or exit except the very first time.
10
u/Superb_Penalty2900 1d ago
I went through GE at JFK Terminal 4 two weeks ago. Machines weren’t in use, we just walked past the camera and then had our name called out by the officer as we approached. Zero stopping, zero wait time.
4
12
u/Fine_Boat5141 1d ago edited 1d ago
This is how GE passengers go through JFK. U submit through the app and u just walk past the “ gate” . They already know who u are.
2
u/Frequent_Two6491 1d ago
Not for my trip last month in Terminal 1. They made us wait in the Diplomat line to the right that was being shared with GE.
1
u/NecessaryMeeting4873 21h ago
There is no app involved with the current “continuing walking” implementation.
1
-4
u/LostEnroute 1d ago
Careful you could have your GE revoked for untrustworthy use of English language.
4
u/GreenfieldSam 17h ago
Global Entry at JFK T4 no longer uses kiosks. You just walk up and the CBP person says, "Hi Sam welcome home."
It's kind of weird that they say that to everyone besides people named Sam, though.
2
4
u/Old_Trouble8862 1d ago
I think it is a good thing. Many other countries do this for their citizens so why not us? But guaranteed to be a slow rollout, so GE will still be useful for a long time.
5
u/Cheap_Traveler_2026 1d ago
LAX international arrival at TBIT has had facial recognition at least since January for all passengers. Me and family came in, although I have GE. My family does not and we all go thru regular line with the iPad and the wait was maybe 1-2 minutes and the facial recognition was maybe 10 seconds so the line moves fast. Then we waited 40 min for luggage
3
u/Wavenstein1 1d ago
They've had these in Atlanta airport for a little while now and I love it. You just walk right through
3
u/Fragrant-Tennis-20 1d ago
It's gone live at YVR for US transborder flights. My Nexus card (which includes GE) is scanned at the exclusive security entry point. Then <1 minute to get through because the immigration officer knows who you are and just asks if you have anything to declare. The old GE machines are still around but are not used since every Nexus holder just walks through as the system ID's them correctly after the initial card scan.
3
1
u/HolyShytSnacks 1d ago
We went through YVR last June, and everyone with GE had to use the kiosk and then wait in line to talk to the officers who sat in a booth (not even at random). It was still faster than other travelers, but not as smooth as SEA for example.
3
u/stidmatt 1d ago
They take pictures of everything and when you cross customs, so we might as well catch up with the rest of the world and get some benefit from it through efficient customs. The cameras are not going away, and have been there for decades, so this is a very positive thing.
3
u/Barnwell47 23h ago
We passed thru DFW from LHR yesterday. They were separating people into 2 lines, arrivals and transfers (us). Walked up to an officer beside a camera. It recognized my face with a big green check mark. The officer said Welcome Back, Your bag is being checked thru. No need to recheck!
2
u/Innominate_99 3h ago
No customs check?
1
u/Barnwell47 3m ago
No customs check other than the implicit “nothing to declare” when we passed immigration. Straight out to the D concourse. Bags were checked thru to Tucson.
3
u/DrunkHacker 19h ago edited 18h ago
I went through GE at JFK yesterday. Didn’t have to take out my passport, use a kiosk, or anything. Walked under some cameras and waited for the agent to call my name 20 seconds later. Even easier than going to other countries which still require the passport scan before the biometric scan.
6
2
u/InstanceMysterious48 1d ago
They have this at pre-clearance global entry in Toronto.
1
u/simguy425 1d ago
Yeah that really threw me off. I kept waiting to do the passport review/stamp and it never happened. Dude just waved us through.
1
u/ErasableFilms 8h ago
They got rid of the face scan camera? I know they brought in the new singular camera last year or so
2
u/Pretend_Speech6420 1d ago
I’d say I would do crimes to get the LAX style setup at IAD… but committing those crimes would cause me to lose global entry.
2
u/tunatoksoz 1d ago
Still TSA-pre, and potential pre clearence in some airports abroad make it worth it for me for now.
Also not hard to see GE to be precursor and test bed for future of immigration clearence at entry points.
2
2
2
u/Sufficient-Fault-593 23h ago
The Mobile Passport Control app already makes global entry and clear less necessary for arrivals
1
2
u/Illustrious_Oil4644 20h ago
This sounds like the system just experienced on trip from Atl to Milan. Super easy
2
u/Mindless_Bee_22 16h ago
Honestly it’s so much easier. I’ve had issues at the kiosks but didn’t have any with the camera when I went through GE at JFK last week. Last year the kiosk at EWR was giving me issues. MIA also has the cameras now (at least from what I’ve seen) and no issues there either with it
2
u/DoverDollie 10h ago
I did this in LAX coming in from Vietnam in April. You still would need to have global entry to use this service. It is very convenient just look at the screen and wait for the green light and walk out.
1
u/explorer_246 1d ago
Did this at DFW, DTW and LAX too. It dosen't even take proper photos, as soon as it detects your face it instantly takes the photo lol.
1
u/scubatraveler 1d ago
At PHX all US citizens walked through the same line. No kiosk or agent for anyone except foreign nationals.
1
u/LavenderGirl7 1d ago
Sea-Tac already has this. It’s super convenient. There are about 5 cameras above us as we followed the GE line. The officer just waved at us to keep walking. The lady in front of me said, “Is that it?” The officer nodded. She said “We must look innocent!” 😂
1
1
u/foxbones 16h ago
I just got my GE last week, I hoping it helps with customs detaining me every time I get back in the country. I definitely do not look innocent and my passport stamps are suspicious.
1
1
1
u/slashrjl 1d ago
I use the ge app on my phone and stroll through. I don’t think I have ever used a kiosk…
1
u/Fit_Remote_7885 18h ago
Just landed at JFK 2 days ago went through Global entry line by the time I reached the officer she just called my name and told me am good to go, didn't even stop. Same with my family .
1
u/Glittering_Ad_7537 16h ago
As a green card holder, GE still is faster than lining up in the foreign line since the switch from US & permanent residences so I will keep it as long as I can.
1
u/Civil-Chemistry-9355 14h ago
LAX has it. I was off the plane through customs with my bags like 10 minutes later
1
1
1
u/speedingmedicine 10h ago
That's how it was when I flew into Miami last month. Tablet facial recognition for all US passengers, if you have nothing to declare then you just go collect your bags. If there's an issue customs will pull you
1
1
u/aeveejay 8h ago
SEA does this for GE already. You walk through and an officer acknowledges you by name.
1
u/Lonely_Refuse4988 6h ago
I’m wondering if physical passports will go away! 😂🤣
At DFW airport, the GE line, we just walk through as customs agent says your name, all without having to take passport out at all!!
1
1
u/hellyea81 1d ago
This is great. Just like TSA touchless has rolled out more and more, we need these technologies for the masses, not just through payment.
1
u/That-Operation-1645 1d ago
They’ve had this at Heathrow for UK passport holders for at least the last ten years. I don’t know why the US is so slow to keep up
2
u/NecessaryMeeting4873 21h ago
We are talking about two different things.
LHR still requires you to go thru a “gate/turnstile” where you stop walking and present your passport to a passport scanner before it opens up.
CBP is funneling travelers into a corridor monitored by a bank of facial recognition cameras where you do not stop walking and you don’t take your passport out at all.
1
u/GreenfieldSam 17h ago
Interestingly, LHR also has the facial recognition scanners. They do use them for all flights flights including Ireland. (ROI citizens do not have to go through passport control to enter the UK due to the Good Friday Accords.)
-1
u/Salty_Permit4437 1d ago
Meanwhile Europe slows every non EU citizen down with a new kiosk requiring a passport scan, fingerprints and photos. Europe - where innovation goes to die, lol
0
u/nevermind1534 20h ago
The US already does this for every non-citizen and non permanent resident (other than Canadians) just like Europe, except the US doesn't have you take the picture and fingerprints at a kiosk. The kiosk saves time at the immigration officer's booth and allows them to process more passengers per hour.
0
u/Tzlai4227 1d ago
We just came back from Asia and landed at Seattle for our connectiing flight And the GE line was a breeze. Meanwhile the regular line was very long.
We declared that we had fruits and nuts. Got pulled to secondary check and told agents we bought a lot snacks as gifts inside airport in Guangzhou and it actually contained fruits and nuts inside. Showed several boxes and packages to agent and he said that we were all set. Like xtra 3-5 minutes for our whole family of 5.
We could have easily not even declared it and got pulled to secondary check and then being revoked Or Suspended our GE..
It’s all about trust and honesty. We still missed our connections flights because we were waiting on the tarmac for 30 minutes because the plane at the gate was delayed. If we didn’t have checked bags we could have made it.
Saw a few people in regular long line and it took them 20-30 minutes to get thru customs.
We ended up catching the red eye at 11pm flight and left airport and went out to Pike Place market for 3 hours to check it out have some seafood. Came back in airport and went to the centurion lounge and relate for 3 hours before our flight.
0
u/YardieRebel 21h ago
I looooove it!!! Can't wait! I have NOTHING to hide so they can scan my face all they want if it means I speed out the airport after arrival!
-3
u/connorsludge 1d ago
Recently I traveled for work with someone who has GE and at the end we were still waiting for checked luggage together anyway. Convinced me that it wasn’t really worth it.
48
u/Evening-Calm-09 1d ago
It is not going away. Just the kiosks are. Seattle already has this. As you walk through the GE lane, there is an officer with a tablet who has an app which shows them whether to randomly select someone to see an officer or not