Trusted Traveler Programs are five memberships run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that let pre-screened travelers skip the regular lines at airport security or the border. Each membership lasts five years. The program you want depends on where you travel: TSA PreCheck for domestic flights, Global Entry for international air travel, NEXUS for the Canadian border, SENTRI for the Mexican border, and FAST for commercial truck drivers. One detail saves a lot of money up front: Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI all include TSA PreCheck, so buying PreCheck separately is wasted money if you plan to enroll in any of the others.
The Five Programs and What Each Covers
- TSA PreCheck covers domestic airport security only. You keep shoes, belt, and light jacket on, and laptops and liquids stay in your bag in a dedicated screening lane.1Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck
- Global Entry covers expedited customs when you fly back into the United States from abroad, and it includes TSA PreCheck for domestic checkpoints.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. TSA PreCheck
- NEXUS covers travel between the United States and Canada at land, air, and marine ports of entry, and includes TSA PreCheck.4U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Land Border Crossings with NEXUS Lanes
- SENTRI covers southern land border crossings from Mexico through dedicated vehicle and pedestrian lanes, and includes TSA PreCheck.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection
- FAST (Free and Secure Trade) covers commercial truck drivers moving freight across the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders through dedicated lanes.6Trusted Traveler Programs. Free and Secure Trade (FAST)
Which Program to Pick
If you never leave the country, standalone TSA PreCheck is the cheapest option at $76.75 through IDEMIA.7IDEMIA TSA Enrollment. Apply for TSA PreCheck If you take even one or two international trips a year, Global Entry is the better buy at $120: you get expedited customs on the way home and TSA PreCheck at every domestic checkpoint. Paying $76.75 for PreCheck and then $120 for Global Entry later means spending nearly $200 on overlapping coverage.
People who regularly cross the northern border should look at NEXUS, which covers U.S.-Canada land, air, and marine crossings and still includes PreCheck. Anyone commuting from Mexico or living close to the southern border should look at SENTRI. FAST is built for commercial drivers and importers, not personal travelers.
Who Can Apply
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents can apply to any of the five programs. Global Entry is also open to citizens of countries that have reciprocal agreements with CBP, currently more than 20: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.8U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Eligibility for Global Entry Some of those countries impose their own additional requirements, so foreign applicants should check the specific arrangement for their citizenship on the CBP site.
NEXUS requires applicants to be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. SENTRI is open to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Mexican nationals. Across all programs, CBP retains discretion to deny anyone it considers a risk.
Criminal History That Blocks Approval
Some felonies disqualify applicants permanently: espionage, treason, terrorism-related crimes, murder, and crimes involving explosives. A second set blocks applicants for a limited window, either within seven years of conviction or within five years of release from incarceration, whichever is later. That list covers firearms crimes, fraud, smuggling, immigration violations, drug distribution, arson, robbery, kidnapping, and sexual assault.9Transportation Security Administration. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors
CBP can also deny for reasons outside those two lists: extensive criminal history where no single conviction hits the formal bars, active law enforcement investigations, prior customs or agriculture violations, terrorism watchlist matches, and certain mental health determinations by a court or government authority. Lying on the application is an automatic disqualification and can result in a permanent ban from all programs.10eCFR. 8 CFR 235.12 – Global Entry Program
Cost, Kids, and Credit Card Reimbursement
Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI each cost $120 for five years.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Non-Refundable Application Fee TSA PreCheck runs $76.75 for a new enrollment through IDEMIA, and online renewals start at $58.75.12Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck Renewals All fees are non-refundable, including if your application is denied.
Children under 18 pay no application fee for Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI if a parent or legal guardian is already enrolled or has an application in “pending risk” or “conditionally approved” status.13U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
Many premium travel credit cards reimburse the application fee as a statement credit, usually covering the full cost of either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.14Transportation Security Administration. Credit Cards and Loyalty Programs Featuring TSA PreCheck The credit usually posts automatically when you charge the fee to the right card, but participating cards change, so confirm with your issuer before you apply.
How to Apply
Before starting, gather your passport, driver’s license, and proof of your current address such as a utility bill or mortgage statement. You’ll also need your address history, employment history, and international travel history for the past five years, with start and end dates.15U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Programs – Get Started Gaps or inconsistencies can delay the application or produce a denial, so double-check the dates first.
Create an account at Login.gov, then use it to sign in to the Trusted Traveler Programs system, fill out the application, and pay the fee. Your status changes to “pending” while CBP runs a background check against law enforcement databases and international watchlists. Most Global Entry applications clear within two weeks, but applicants with complicated criminal or travel records can wait 12 months or more.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Check the dashboard directly rather than waiting on email; the dashboard is the official record.
The Interview
When the background check clears, your status moves to “conditionally approved,” and you need an interview with a CBP officer. Schedule one at an enrollment center (located at major airports and some government buildings) or use Enrollment on Arrival, which lets you interview when returning through a participating airport from an international trip.16U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Enrollment on Arrival Enrollment on Arrival saves a separate trip if you have upcoming international travel.
At the interview, the officer collects fingerprints and a photo and verifies the history you provided. Bring your original passport and any other identity documents you listed.17U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Trusted Traveler Programs – Frequently Asked Questions Details that don’t match what the officer sees in the database can produce follow-up questions or a denial.
Once approved, your Known Traveler Number (called a PASSID for the border programs) appears on your dashboard and can be added to airline reservations right away. Physical cards for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI take anywhere from 8 to 10 business days to six to eight weeks.
Using It, and Keeping It
Coming back into the country with Global Entry, skip the regular customs line and go to the touchless portals, which use facial recognition to verify your identity and may prompt you to scan your travel document.18U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Touchless Portal Instructions The process usually takes under a minute.
All memberships expire after five years, and you can renew online through the TTP portal starting one year before your expiration date. One rule catches people off guard: if you file the renewal before your membership expires, you keep your benefits for up to 24 months past the expiration date while CBP processes it.13U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions Let it lapse without filing and benefits stop immediately; you start over with a new application. Set a reminder around 11 months before expiration.
If You’re Denied
A denial isn’t necessarily the end. If the decision rested on inaccurate or incomplete information, you can file a reconsideration request through the “Request Reconsideration” button in the Program Memberships section of your TTP account.19U.S. Customs and Border Protection Help Center. Trusted Traveler Application Denial The request must include the denial date, the reason from your notification letter, a written explanation, and court records for any arrests or convictions, including expunged ones. Documents must be in English and uploaded as PDF, Word, or image files. The CBP Ombudsman reviews reconsideration requests, and there is no guaranteed reversal.
A Free Alternative Worth Knowing About
Mobile Passport Control is a free CBP app that speeds up customs at participating airports. It’s open to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, Canadian B1/B2 visitors, and Visa Waiver Program travelers with an approved ESTA.20U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Mobile Passport Control (MPC) It is not a Trusted Traveler Program: no background check, no fingerprinting, no interview, and you still talk to an officer in person. You submit the customs declaration through the app before reaching the officer, and up to 12 people can be processed on one device, which helps families. It won’t match a Global Entry portal for speed, but it costs nothing and needs no advance planning.