If you missed your Global Entry interview, your application isn’t canceled and CBP won’t send you a warning. What matters is the 730-day clock that started when you received conditional approval: complete an interview inside that window and you’re fine, let it expire and the application is canceled with no refund of the $120 fee.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I Have Been Conditionally Approved for a Trusted Traveler Program Most applicants can reschedule through the same Trusted Traveler Programs portal they used to book the original slot.
What a No-Show Actually Triggers
Nothing immediate. CBP does not send an alert, a penalty, or a strike against your account after a missed appointment. Your TTP account will generally still let you book a new interview, particularly after a first no-show.
The real risk is time. You have 730 days from the date of your conditional approval to complete the interview, and that clock keeps running whether or not you rebook.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I Have Been Conditionally Approved for a Trusted Traveler Program If the window closes without a completed interview, CBP cancels the application.
The $120 application fee is non-refundable in every scenario, including denial, cancellation, and a missed interview.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. How to Apply for Global Entry Rescheduling promptly is the cheapest move you have.
Rescheduling Through the TTP Portal
Log in at ttp.dhs.gov and use the “Schedule Interview” button on your dashboard.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I Have Been Conditionally Approved for a Trusted Traveler Program Pick an enrollment center and choose an available date.
Availability is uneven. Major metro enrollment centers often run several weeks out, while smaller or less popular locations can have openings much sooner. Two habits help. Check the portal frequently, even daily, because cancellations open earlier slots that disappear quickly. And stay flexible about location: a less busy enrollment center within driving distance, or one at an airport you’re already passing through, will often get you in faster than waiting for your first choice.
Enrollment on Arrival Skips the Appointment Entirely
If a separate trip to an enrollment center isn’t practical, Enrollment on Arrival (EoA) lets conditionally approved applicants complete the interview when they land in the United States from an international flight, with no appointment needed.3U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Enrollment on Arrival It’s available at most major U.S. international airports and designated preclearance locations.
After you clear primary customs inspection on an international arrival, look for EoA signage or ask a CBP officer where to go. You’ll do the same interview and biometric collection you would have completed at a scheduled enrollment center. One caveat: EoA depends on officer staffing at that airport and time of day, so you could be turned away during a busy shift. For anyone with an international trip already on the calendar, it’s still often the fastest way to finish the process.
The Remote Interview Option Doesn’t Help First-Time Applicants
CBP runs a remote interview pilot on Zoom for Government, and it’s a reasonable thing to ask about. But the remote option is currently limited to existing members renewing their membership.4U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Remote Interview Pilot for Trusted Traveler Programs To qualify you must be at least 18, have fingerprints already on file with CBP, and have a CBP photo taken after age 14 and within the past 10 years.
If you’re applying for the first time and missed your in-person interview, remote won’t work. Your two paths are rescheduling in the portal or using Enrollment on Arrival.
If the 730 Days Run Out
Once the conditional approval window closes without a completed interview, CBP cancels the application and there is no refund.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I Have Been Conditionally Approved for a Trusted Traveler Program From there you have two options.
The simpler one is to reapply. Submit a new application through the TTP portal, pay the $120 fee again, and go through the conditional approval process from scratch.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. How to Apply for Global Entry
The other option is a reconsideration request, which you’d submit through the TTP website to the CBP Ombudsman. Supporting documents must be in English and submitted in PDF, DOCX, PNG, JPEG, or GIF format.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Program Denials Reconsideration is more useful for applicants whose membership was denied or revoked on substantive grounds. For a cancellation that simply followed an expired scheduling window, reapplying is usually faster.
Softening the Cost of Reapplying
If you end up paying the fee a second time, check your credit cards before you do. Many premium travel cards offer a statement credit that covers Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fees. The credit typically refreshes every four years, close enough to Global Entry’s five-year membership cycle to cover most renewals. If you used an eligible card the first time and the credit hasn’t reset, you may be paying out of pocket for the reapplication, so it’s worth confirming in your card’s benefits portal first.
Global Entry membership lasts five years and costs $120 per cycle.6U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry The interview is a one-time hurdle. If you missed it, open the TTP portal today and either grab the next available slot or plan an Enrollment on Arrival stop into your next international trip. The one thing not to do is let the 730 days quietly run out.