Global Entry 2027: The Old App Stopped Working (How to Apply Now)
If you open the Global Entry app on your phone and nothing works, that is not a glitch. On September 15, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) switched off the Global Entry app and the Trusted Traveler Programs app and replaced both with one free app, the Trusted Traveler App. This Global Entry 2027 guide covers what that change means for current members, and walks first-time applicants through every step: who can apply, what it costs, how the interview works, and the mistakes that cost people the most time.
Already a member? Here is all you need to do
Your membership did not change, and you do not need to reapply. Delete the old Global Entry app. If you want the mobile features, install the Trusted Traveler App from the Apple App Store or Google Play and sign in with your existing account. CBP says your profile and membership carry over.
The app is optional. Global Entry still works at the airport without it. What the app adds is a way to renew, check your status, schedule an interview, and confirm your arrival into the United States. CBP says 85 airports, plus several Preclearance locations abroad, support arrival confirmation in the app. One thing it does not do: start a brand new application. For that, it links you to the Trusted Traveler Programs website.
What Global Entry is, and what it costs
Global Entry is a CBP Trusted Traveler Program. Approved members skip the regular line when they come home from abroad, and it includes TSA PreCheck for flights leaving U.S. airports. The fee is $120 for five years, and it is not refunded if you are denied.
Children under 18 pay nothing when a parent or guardian is already a member or has a pending application. Put your own application ID or membership number on your child’s application; that is what makes the child’s fee $0. If you are not a member yet, submit your own application first.
There is also a free option, Mobile Passport Control. It can speed up customs at some ports with no background check, but it is not a membership and does not include TSA PreCheck. We compared the two in our Mobile Passport Control vs Global Entry guide.
Who can apply for Global Entry in 2027
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents can apply, along with citizens of 22 partner countries. Some partner countries add an extra step with their own government first, so check CBP’s eligibility page for your country before you pay. Canadian citizens get Global Entry benefits through NEXUS instead. You need a valid passport, or a green card if you are a permanent resident.
Children can enroll too, with a parent’s or legal guardian’s consent. The parent does not have to be a member, but a parent or legal guardian must be at the child’s interview.
What can get you denied
- False or incomplete answers on the application
- A criminal conviction, pending charges, or an outstanding warrant
- A customs, immigration or agriculture violation in any country
- Being denied when you tried to buy a firearm
- An ongoing investigation, or being inadmissible to the United States
Underneath all of it, CBP has to be satisfied that you are low risk, and the fee is not refunded either way. Answer the history questions completely; an omission is itself a reason for denial.
How to apply, step by step
- Create your account at ttp.dhs.gov. Signing in requires a Login.gov account, and every applicant needs their own account, even a child.
- Fill out the application and pay the $120 fee. Have five years of address, employment and international travel history ready (every country except Canada and Mexico).
- Wait for conditional approval. CBP says 80% of applications are approved within two weeks. Some take a year or longer.
- Do the interview. You have two years from conditional approval. Miss that window and the application is cancelled, with no refund.
- Final approval. It often comes within a day or two of the interview, though CBP says it can vary. Your membership number, the PASSID, appears on your dashboard.
Your interview options
The interview is the step that takes the most planning, and appointments at busy enrollment centers can be hard to get. You have more options than most people realize:
- Enrollment center, by appointment.
- Enrollment on Arrival, no appointment. You finish the interview at customs after an international flight lands at a participating airport. Dozens of airports take part, so check your airport’s hours first.
- Other options at some airports, cruise ports and land border crossings, including interviews before a departing flight in Miami and Detroit.
- Video interviews exist, but only for some renewals. First-time applicants cannot use them.
Every person needs their own interview, children included. Bring your passport or green card, a second photo ID, and proof of address. If you travel on more than one passport, bring them all. Children do not need proof of address. Our Global Entry interview guide covers the questions officers ask.
After you are approved
Your PASSID is your Known Traveler Number. Put it in the Known Traveler Number field of every airline reservation, including trips you booked before you were approved, then check your boarding pass for the TSA PreCheck mark. Showing your Global Entry card at the checkpoint does not get you into the PreCheck lane.
Members from the United States also get a card by mail, but you do not need it at the airport. It matters at land borders: CBP says a card is only required for the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes into the United States, and it has to be activated in your account within 30 days of receiving it.
Renewal opens one year before your membership expires. File before it expires, and CBP says your benefits can keep working for up to 24 months while the renewal is pending. Our Global Entry renewal guide walks through it.
Five mistakes to avoid
- Keeping the old app. It no longer works. Delete it.
- Showing your card at the PreCheck lane. Your number has to be on the reservation as your Known Traveler Number. If PreCheck is your main goal, our TSA PreCheck 2027 guide compares the options.
- Assuming your kids are covered. At customs, Global Entry belongs to one person. A child without a membership cannot use your lane.
- Getting a new passport and forgetting your account. Update the passport in your account; CBP requires a current one on file. A name change means a visit to an enrollment center.
- Waiting months for an enrollment center slot. If you have a trip abroad coming up, Enrollment on Arrival may finish it on the way home.
Download the free Global Entry 2027 guide
Our free 18-page guide has all 22 partner countries, the interview day checklist, every interview location with hours, the card rules, the TSA PreCheck rules for kids, and CBP’s official contacts. No email required. You can find it, along with every other guide we publish, on our Free Government Guides page.
GovClarity is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection or any government agency. Facts in this article were checked against cbp.gov, ttp.dhs.gov and tsa.gov as of October 2026. Programs change, so confirm details on the official pages before you apply or travel.
