If you send in your Global Entry renewal before your membership expires, the Global Entry renewal grace period keeps your benefits active for up to 24 months past the printed expiration date while CBP finishes processing. File late, even by a day, and the grace period doesn’t apply. You lose your benefits and have to apply again from scratch.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
You Must File Before the Expiration Date
CBP lets you renew starting one year before your membership expires. The renewal option appears in the “Program Memberships” section of your Trusted Traveler Programs dashboard at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov once you’re inside that 12-month window.
The date on your card is the hard cutoff. Submit on or before it and you qualify for the grace period. Submit after it and you don’t. Processing normally takes about two weeks, but CBP notes it can stretch to 12 to 24 months when additional vetting is needed, so filing early in the window protects you from a slow review turning into an expired membership.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. How Long Does It Take to Process a Global Entry, SENTRI, NEXUS, or FAST Application
How the 24 Months Are Counted
The extension runs from the day after the expiration date on your Global Entry card. For those two years, CBP’s system treats your membership as active while your renewal sits in review, even though the physical card shows a date in the past.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
Most renewals close out long before 24 months are up. The window is a ceiling, not a typical wait. It exists so that a backlog on CBP’s side doesn’t push a compliant member back into standard entry lines.
What Still Works While You Wait
Nothing changes about how you use the program during the pending period. The Global Entry kiosks at international airports still read your passport and biometrics normally because CBP’s back-end recognizes the pending renewal. Your Known Traveler Number keeps working for TSA PreCheck on domestic flights.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
The RFID chip in the card also continues to work at SENTRI and NEXUS expedited vehicle lanes when you enter the United States by land. CBP’s FAQ says timely renewal applicants can “continue to use benefits” during the grace period and lists no carve-outs for land or sea ports.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions Use the same credentials you always have.
One Catch: A New Passport During the Pending Period
If your passport changes while your renewal is pending, you cannot update the document online. The TTP portal disables the “Update Documents” option whenever a pending application is in the system.3U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Frequently Asked Questions – Trusted Traveler Programs You’ll need to give the new passport details at your renewal interview. If no interview is required, watch your dashboard; the update option becomes available again once the renewal is finalized. Bring the new passport to any interview and tell the officer at the start so the record is corrected in that session.
What the Renewal Itself Costs and Involves
The renewal fee is $120, non-refundable, and payable through the TTP portal before the application moves forward. That amount took effect on October 1, 2024.4U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Announces Trusted Traveler Programs Fee Changes
Whether you’ll need an in-person interview depends on your file. CBP says an interview “may be required” or “may not be required” and directs applicants to their TTP dashboard for the answer.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Is an Interview Necessary When Renewing My Trusted Traveler Membership An interview requirement doesn’t affect the grace period; your benefits stay active while the interview is pending, as long as your original renewal submission beat the expiration date.
If You Missed the Deadline
Once your expiration date passes without a submitted renewal, the grace period is off the table. You cannot use Global Entry benefits while a fresh application is processed, and CBP treats you as a first-time applicant. Given the possibility of a multi-month background review, this is the outcome to avoid, and the fix is simple: file as soon as your 12-month renewal window opens.
If Your Renewal Is Denied
A denial ends your active benefits, including any remaining grace period. CBP posts the reason to your TTP account in writing. If you think the decision was based on incomplete or inaccurate information, you can file a Reconsideration Request through the portal by selecting “Request Reconsideration” in the Program Memberships section of your dashboard.6U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Application Denial
The request goes to CBP’s Trusted Traveler Ombudsman and must be in English. Include the denial date and stated reason, a summary explanation of the underlying record or incident, and court disposition documents in PDF format for any arrests or convictions, including expunged ones. Other supporting materials can be attached in PDF, DOCX, PNG, JPEG, or GIF format.6U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Application Denial If you rely on Global Entry for regular travel, treat the reconsideration as time-sensitive rather than something to circle back to later.