What to Bring to a Global Entry Interview for Minors

For a child’s Global Entry interview, bring the minor’s valid passport, their conditional approval letter or PASSID number, and, if the child is a lawful permanent resident, their Permanent Resident Card. A parent or legal guardian must attend with their own government-issued photo ID and proof of residency. That is the short answer to what to bring to a Global Entry interview for a minor; the rest is detail on the edge cases.

What the Minor Needs

CBP’s checklist for the child is short:

A valid passport. If the child holds more than one, bring all of them so CBP can link each to the Global Entry profile and the child can use any of them at the kiosk later.
The Permanent Resident Card, if the child is an LPR rather than a U.S. citizen.
The conditional approval letter, printed from the Notifications section of the child’s Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account. If you can’t print it, write down the PASSID number and bring the interview confirmation.
Court disposition papers, but only if the child has any prior arrests or criminal history on record.

One requirement that applies to adults is waived for children: minors do not need to provide proof of residency. The accompanying parent or guardian supplies that instead.¹

A birth certificate is not on CBP’s official list, but it’s worth packing anyway. If any question comes up about the relationship between the child and the accompanying adult, a birth certificate resolves it quickly. The same goes for adoption papers or a guardianship order when the adult isn’t the biological parent.

What the Accompanying Parent or Guardian Needs

A parent or legal guardian must be present at the interview for any applicant under 18. There is no minimum age for Global Entry, but parental attendance is required regardless of the child’s age.²

Bring the following:

A valid government-issued photo ID. A passport or driver’s license works. If you are also a Global Entry member or applicant, bring the ID linked to your own TTP account.
Proof of residency. Since the child’s residency requirement is waived, you supply this. A driver’s license with a current address, a mortgage statement, or a recent utility bill all qualify.¹
Proof of the parent-child relationship. CBP doesn’t formally require it, but a birth certificate, adoption decree, or guardianship order prevents delays if the officer asks. This matters most when your last name differs from the child’s.

When Only One Parent Can Attend

CBP’s rule says “a parent or legal guardian” must be present, not both parents. One is enough, and CBP does not publish a requirement for a notarized consent letter from the absent parent for the Global Entry interview specifically. If custody orders restrict who can authorize travel-related decisions for the child, bring copies. Sole custody documentation or a co-parent’s written authorization can head off questions about the other parent’s absence.

The Fee and Whether You Need a Receipt

The standard Global Entry application fee is $120, and membership lasts five years.³ Minors under 18 pay nothing if a parent or legal guardian is already enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program (Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI) or has a pending application in risk review or conditionally approved status. The waiver applies to applications submitted on or after October 1, 2024.²

If the waiver applied, there is nothing fee-related to bring. If you paid the $120, CBP tracks payment through the TTP system and shouldn’t need paper proof, though a receipt in your bag doesn’t hurt.

Enrollment on Arrival

If getting an appointment at an enrollment center is hard, conditionally approved applicants of any age can complete the interview through Enrollment on Arrival, which happens when the child lands at a U.S. airport after an international flight. Follow the signage in the international terminal to the CBP officers who handle enrollment during the normal admissibility inspection.⁴

The document requirements are identical: valid passport (all passports if the child has more than one), Permanent Resident Card if applicable, and no proof of residency for the child. The parent or guardian still needs to be present with photo ID and residency documentation.⁴

What the Officer Does With the Documents

The interview itself takes roughly 15 minutes, though the wait beforehand varies by location. Arrive early enough to clear building security and get your documents organized before your name is called.

The officer reviews the child’s application, verifies the documents, and asks about the child’s identity, travel history, and application information. For younger children, the parent handles most of the answering. Older teens may be addressed directly. Fingerprints are collected from every applicant 14 or older; children under 14 are not fingerprinted but do have their photograph taken for the file.⁵

The officer typically tells you at the end of the interview whether the child is approved. Approved members receive a physical Global Entry card in the mail within two to four weeks, though the card isn’t needed to use Global Entry at airport kiosks; the child’s passport works there on its own. The card is only required at SENTRI and NEXUS land border lanes.⁶

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Program – What Do I Need to Bring to My Interview?
2
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Eligibility for Global Entry
3
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry
4
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival
5
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Trusted Traveler Programs Frequently Asked Questions
6
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions