WASHINGTON—U.S. Customs and Border Protection and L.F. Wade International Airport announced today the addition of Global Entry kiosks to Bermuda Preclearance at L.F. Wade International Airport. Global Entry, a CBP trusted traveler program, provides expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers and currently accounts for an average of 9 percent of all international air arrivals.
“CBP is pleased to expand the Global Entry program to Bermuda Preclearance, from where more than 280,000 people traveled to the U.S. last year,” said Paula Long, Bermuda Preclearance port director. “Global Entry allows our officers to focus their efforts on unknown and potentially higher risk air travelers, while at the same time efficiently and securely facilitating low-risk travelers.”
Global Entry members bypass the traditional CBP inspection lines and use an automated kiosk to complete their admission to the United States. Travelers scan their passport and fingerprints, answer customs declaration questions using the kiosk’s touch screen and proceed with a receipt to the exit—the whole process takes only about one minute.
“We are delighted that our leisure, business and local resident travelers alike can now enjoy the automation benefits of the Global Entry program,” said Senator, the Hon. Michael Fahy, Minister of Tourism Transport and Municipalities in Bermuda. “The United States has entrusted Bermuda as one of its Preclearance airports for over 40 years, enabling U.S.-bound travelers to enjoy an easy and hassle-free arrival experience at any number of its major gateway airports. With the introduction of Global Entry, that experience can now, only get better.”
“We are happy to have the Global Entry program available to travelers,” said Aaron Adderley, General Manager for the L.F. Wade International Airport. “Passengers are becoming more and more accustomed to having automated options available at airports and it was incumbent upon us to try to ensure that those same expectations could be met in Bermuda. It is a tremendous, user-friendly tool that not only streamlines the departures process for our U.S.-bound travelers, but equally important, it helps enhance CBP’s border protection efforts. We think our passengers will be pleased with the new, added option.”
With the addition of Bermuda Preclearance, Global Entry kiosks are now located in 49 U.S airports and 14 Preclearance airports. These locations serve 99 percent of incoming travelers to the United States.
More than 3.1 million members are enrolled directly in Global Entry and more than 4.6 million trusted travelers enjoy Global Entry benefits. The kiosks have been used more than 22 million times since the program began.
U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents may apply for Global Entry, as well as citizens of certain countries with which CBP has reciprocal agreements, including Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, Colombia, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Canadian citizens and residents enrolled in NEXUS may also use Global Entry. Persons under the age of 18 who meet the general eligibility criteria must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian in order to apply.
To register for Global Entry, interested applicants must apply through CBP’s Global Online Enrollment System (GOES). Applicants must possess a machine-readable passport or a machine-readable permanent resident card, pay a non-refundable $100 application fee, undergo a background investigation with fingerprint check, and complete an in-person interview with a CBP officer at one of the more than 90 Trusted Traveler enrollment centers. Global Entry membership is good for five years.
While the goal of Global Entry is to speed trusted travelers through the process, members may be selected for further examination when entering the United States. Any violation of the program’s terms and conditions will result in appropriate enforcement action and revocation of the traveler’s membership privileges.
CBP Preclearance operations allow for advance inspections of passengers and special coordination with law enforcement upon arrival in the United States. U.S. Preclearance operations began at Toronto Pearson International Airport in 1952. Currently, air Preclearance operations exists at 15 foreign airports in six different countries, benefiting travelers, airports, and air carriers, in the U.S. and abroad.
Visit CBP’s Global Entry website for more information on the Global Entry Program.