What Do I Bring to a Global Entry Interview?

For a Global Entry interview, bring your valid passport, a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, and a printed copy of your conditional approval letter. If your driver’s license doesn’t show your current address, add a utility bill, mortgage statement, or rental receipt that does. Lawful permanent residents also bring their green card, and anyone with an arrest or conviction history brings certified court disposition papers for every incident.¹

The Core Checklist

CBP’s required documents are short. Every applicant needs the following.

A valid passport. If you hold citizenship in more than one country and travel on multiple passports, bring all of them. The officer adds each one to your file so you can use any of them at Global Entry kiosks later.¹
A driver’s license or state-issued photo ID. This is your second form of identification and helps verify your current address.²
Proof of residency if the address on your license doesn’t match your application. A utility bill, mortgage statement, or rental payment receipt showing your current address will do.¹
Your conditional approval letter. Print it from your Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account under the Notifications tab. If you can’t locate it, write down your PASSID number and print your interview confirmation instead.¹

If You Are a Lawful Permanent Resident

Bring your machine-readable permanent resident card (green card) in addition to everything on the core checklist.²

If You Have Any Arrests or Convictions

Bring the court disposition papers for every arrest or conviction on your record, even ones that were dismissed or expunged. CBP runs a full background check before conditional approval, so the officer already sees your history. Arriving with the paperwork shows you are being straightforward. Arriving without it can delay or sink the application.¹

Answer questions honestly during the interview. CBP has already screened you against criminal, law enforcement, customs, immigration, and terrorism databases.³ Minimizing or omitting something the officer can already see is a common way applicants get denied on the spot.

If the Applicant Is a Child

Children need the same core documents an adult would bring: a valid passport and the conditional approval letter from the child’s own TTP account. Residency documents are not required for minors.⁴

A parent or legal guardian must be physically present at the interview. Each child has their own application and their own interview, and the $120 fee is waived for applicants under 18 as long as a parent or legal guardian is enrolled or has a pending application.⁴

What Happens at the Interview

The appointment usually runs about 10 to 15 minutes. A CBP officer reviews your application, compares your documents against what you submitted, and asks questions about your travel patterns, employment, and personal background. At the end, the officer collects your fingerprints and takes your photograph for your Global Entry profile. In many cases you learn whether you have been approved before you leave the enrollment center.

A Note on Enrollment on Arrival

If you complete your interview through Enrollment on Arrival after an international flight instead of at an enrollment center, the required documents are the same: valid passport, proof of residency, and permanent resident card if applicable.⁵

If You Can’t Make Your Appointment

Log into your TTP account and select “Reschedule Interview” from your dashboard. Do not click “Cancel Interview” unless you intend to abandon the application, because canceling can prompt CBP to cancel the application itself, and the $120 fee is non-refundable.⁶

You have 730 days from the date of your conditional approval to complete the interview. If that window closes, the application is automatically canceled with no refund.⁶ Enrollment slots fill quickly in busy metro areas, so book as early as you can.

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Program – What Do I Need to Bring to My Interview?
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. How to Apply for Global Entry
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Program Denials
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Eligibility for Global Entry
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival
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Trusted Traveler Programs. FAQ – Trusted Traveler Programs