If you’ve applied for Global Entry recently, you know how long it’s taking to get an appointment for an interview.  There doesn’t seem to be any availability anytime in the near future – or atleast, that’s been our experience every time we look for an open interview slot for my husband.  A while back, my husband had applied for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which includes up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.  Since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, he applied for that.

A few days before our departure for the Bahamas last week, I checked on his application status and noticed that it was in the “conditionally approved” status.  Two days before our departure date, they emailed him about Enrollment on Arrival (EoA).  Global Entry applicants who have been “conditionally approved” can complete the last step in the Global Entry process while they are clearing through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at 63 international airports – bypassing the need to go in for an interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center.  Six of those airports are in international locations: Aruba, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, The Bahamas, and United Arab Emirates.  We were in luck – as we were heading to The Bahamas – now to only make it happen while there!

There is no guarantee that you will be able to do Enrollment on Arrival (EoA), even if you are at one of the participating international airports.  As we were clearing through customs, my husband asked about EoA and was told to check back in an hour.  He did go back, and luckily he just had to show his passport and application ID – they didn’t ask him anything further.  He returned just as boarding started for our flight back to the U.S.!  If your application is in the same state, and you’re traveling soon, it doesn’t hurt to check out the list of participating airports.  Make sure your valid passport is on hand when inquiring at the respective airport.

Cards that offer Global Entry/TSA Precheck Credit

Capital One Venture X credit card is just one of many cards that offers a Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit.  This is not an exhaustive list, but here are some other premium travel credit cards that do as well:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

We’ve waited a while for his application to go through, and now I’m eyeing a card for me that can offer the same perk.  We know annual fees on the cards we hold more than make up for themselves through our personal and professional travels – it’s all about strategy for us.  Looking forward to getting through security a lot faster than what we are currently used to – especially with upcoming holiday travel!