The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has integrated facial biometrics into Global Entry, celebrating the program’s 10 years of expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers.
The pilot program was launched last week at Orlando International Airport.
Global Entry membership has grown to more than 5.4 million members directly enrolled in the program since 2008, per officials, with another two million trusted travelers, enrolled in NEXUS or SENTRI, eligible to use Global Entry kiosks.
“CBP is moving towards Global Entry 2.0, making Trusted Travelers entry into the United States even faster and more secure by utilizing facial recognition technology,” CBP commissioner Kevin McAleenan said. “On an average day, 10 percent of international air travelers use Global Entry kiosks to streamline their arrivals process, reducing wait times and increasing efficiency.”
American citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents may apply for Global Entry as well as passport holders from Argentina, Colombia, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Global Entry members bypass traditional CBP inspection lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the United States, which comes with eligibility to participate in the TSA Pre-Check expedited screening program.