At a Global Entry interview, a CBP officer asks about your identity, travel history, employment, criminal record, and basic knowledge of U.S. customs rules, then collects your fingerprints and photo. The conversation usually runs 5 to 15 minutes and often ends with an approval on the spot. The questions are not designed to trip you up. The officer is comparing your answers to the application you already submitted and confirming you understand what the program expects of you.
The Questions Officers Ask
Identity and Personal Details
Expect to confirm your full name, date of birth, current home address, and employer. Your answers should match your application and your documents. If you moved or changed jobs between filing and the interview, say so at the start rather than letting the officer notice a mismatch.
Travel History
Officers will ask which countries you have visited, why you went, and how long you stayed. They are looking for consistency with what you reported and for anything unusual in your patterns. If you travel often, page through your passport stamps before the appointment so your answers are accurate. Vague or contradictory answers tend to stretch the interview out.
Criminal and Customs History
You will be asked whether you have ever been arrested, convicted of a crime, or found in violation of customs or immigration rules. CBP already ran a background check before granting your conditional approval, so the officer very likely knows the answer before asking. This is the area where honesty matters most. Trying to hide something that is already in the system is one of the surest ways to get denied.
Bring court disposition papers for any prior arrests or convictions, even if the record was expunged.
Customs Knowledge
Some officers will ask whether you understand what you have to declare when returning from abroad and how Global Entry works at the airport. You do not need to recite regulations. Know the basics: declare goods over the exemption threshold, do not bring prohibited agricultural items, and use the Global Entry kiosk instead of the regular customs line. A confident answer signals you will follow the rules once you are approved.
Why You Want Global Entry
Officers sometimes ask why you are applying. It is not a trick. A plain answer about frequent international travel and skipping the customs line is what they expect to hear.
What to Bring
Showing up without the right paperwork is the fastest way to waste a trip to the enrollment center. CBP asks for the following:1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Program – What Do I Need to Bring to My Interview?
- A valid passport. If you travel on more than one, bring them all so the officer can link each to your profile.
- Your permanent resident card, if you are a lawful permanent resident.
- Proof of residency: a driver’s license showing your current address, a mortgage statement, a rental payment receipt, or a utility bill. Minors do not need this.
- Your conditional approval letter, printed from your Trusted Traveler Programs account under Notifications. If you cannot print it, write down your PASSID number.
- Court disposition papers for any prior arrests or convictions, expunged records included.
A driver’s license with your current address counts as your proof of residency. You do not need to add a utility bill on top of it.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
How the Interview Runs
After you check in at the enrollment center, a CBP officer calls you back for a one-on-one conversation. The officer reviews your documents, works through the questions above, and then collects biometrics. Your fingerprints are scanned and your photograph is taken for your Global Entry record.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Programs – Interview Information
Most interviews wrap up in 5 to 15 minutes. A complicated travel history, prior arrests, or trips to countries that draw extra scrutiny can push it closer to 30. Budget at least an hour for the visit itself, since enrollment centers often have a wait before your appointment starts.
Many officers approve the application right there in the room, and you will see the update in your TTP account shortly after. Some cases need a final review, and the decision comes later through the portal.
Honesty About Your Record
The single most avoidable reason for denial is false or incomplete information on your application, and the interview is where that catches up with people.4U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry If you have arrests or convictions in your past, be ready to talk about them and hand over the court paperwork. Expunged records still need to be disclosed. The officer already knows most of what is in the background check; your job at the interview is to explain, not to conceal.
If You’re Interviewing on Arrival Instead
If you cannot get a convenient enrollment center appointment, Enrollment on Arrival lets you complete your interview when you land from an international flight. Once you have conditional approval, follow the signage in the international terminal to a CBP officer who can conduct the interview during the regular admissibility inspection.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival
Enrollment on Arrival is available at designated airports only, not every international terminal. CBP lists participating U.S. airports and preclearance locations on its website. Bring the same documents you would bring to a scheduled interview: passport, proof of residency, and permanent resident card if applicable.
One thing to weigh: the on-arrival interview happens after a long flight, when you are tired and ready to be home. The questions are no different, but the setting is less controlled. If your case involves arrests or a lot of ground to cover in your travel history, a scheduled appointment at an enrollment center may be the better choice.
Bringing a Child to the Interview
Children can enroll in Global Entry, but anyone 18 or younger needs a parent or legal guardian’s permission. If that guardian is not already a Global Entry member, the guardian has to attend the interview in person.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions Minors do not need to bring proof of residency of their own.