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By Roger Yu, USA TODAY
The U.S. government trusts Ricardo Castro as a customer. And it wants more like him.
Castro, an oil industry executive who travels internationally and lives in Houston and Singapore, signed up as a member of Global Entry, a so-called trusted traveler program launched two years ago by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Designed for international travelers who are "trusted" or considered low terrorism risks, it promises quicker U.S. Customs clearance at automated kiosks. Consider Castro a happy customer. No longer having to stand in line with large crowds, Castro says he clears customs usually in about a minute and has never seen a line at the kiosks. As international arrival passengers rush to fill up lines at customs, "I smile and keep on walking," says Castro, who uses Global Entry about twice a month, mostly at Houston, Miami and Dallas/Fort Worth. Trusted traveler programs have grown steadily in recent years despite skeptics who worry about surrendering personal information for machine-dependent processes run by the government. The initiative has three components for the public: Global Entry for international arrivals; Nexus for USA-Canada border crossing; and Sentri for USA-Mexico borders. Despite a slow start two years ago, Global Entry — the program with the widest appeal — could expand rapidly as it emerges from its "pilot phase" in the spring and the government markets it more aggressively. Growth in trusted traveler programs comes as a similar, privately run program, Registered Traveler, folded last year after its largest operator, CLEAR, lost money and government support. Registered Traveler promised customers front-of-the-line privileges at domestic airport security checkpoints for about $200 a year. A couple of companies are seeking to bring it back. Meanwhile, road warriors are still looking for any edge to help them speed along at airports. Trusted traveler programs require a government background check, including submitting fingerprints. That takes about four to six weeks. People with criminal records and those in violation of immigration laws are ineligible. Global Entry applicants pay a one-time $100 fee; Nexus applicants, $50; and Sentri, $122.50. Memberships last five years. A look at the programs: •Global Entry. Its membership totals 36,000. Its kiosks are used about 600 times a day at the 20 airports where they're active. U.S. Customs receives "a pretty steady stream" of 3,000 to 4,000 applications a month, up from 1,500 when it operated at seven airports two years ago, says John Wagner, the agency's director of Trusted Traveler Programs. "We'll see a steady increase in number of applications as the year progresses," Wagner says. Global Entry members scan their machine-readable passport or permanent resident card at the kiosks in customs, and authenticate identification via fingerprints. Users then answer several questions. A receipt is printed, and members can proceed to baggage claim or a luggage-inspection booth. Kiosk clearance takes about 40 seconds, Wagner says. Dealing with an immigration officer averages about a minute for U.S. citizens and three minutes for non-citizens. The anticipated increase in membership will partially come from foreigners. Last year, Global Entry was expanded to include Dutch citizens who are also members of the Netherlands' trusted traveler program. Global Entry members can also apply to join the Dutch program. U.S. Customs is in talks to include the United Kingdom and Germany, Wagner says. To gain more domestic customers, the agency will partner with airlines and market it to frequent fliers. •Nexus. Nexus is a program operated by U.S. Customs and the Canadian government for residents of both countries crossing the border. It also has seen a steep increase in membership, up 41% since February 2009 to 383,000. More than half the members are Canadians. Applicants must be approved by both governments. Like Global Entry, Nexus members can use kiosks at Canadian airports to expedite immigration clearance. Those heading to the USA can pre-clear U.S. Customs at Canadian airports. For land crossings, Nexus members can use a dedicated line, bypassing often long lines of cars on both sides of the border. Greg Farabee, an educational industry sales executive who drives often to Canada for business, has been a Nexus member for two years and has mixed feelings about it. "I'm not sure how much it speeds things up, especially going into Canada." While he gets "waved in" to Canada occasionally after flashing his card, he still routinely faces additional questioning from border guards on most trips. "Coming back, U.S. authorities tend to be a little better about it." But Farabee enjoys the dedicated line at the border. He also says he hasn't had his luggage inspected by Canadian border guards since joining Nexus. He says he'll renew in three years only if the application process isn't as cumbersome as the first time around, when he drove to Detroit from his home near Akron, Ohio, for an interview. Renewal will require another background check, an interview and new fingerprints, says Joanne Ferreira, a U.S. Customs spokeswoman. •Sentri. The 15-year-old program saw its membership rise 12% to 210,000 in the last year. Open to U.S. citizens, legal U.S. residents and Mexican citizens for land and sea crossings to the USA, the program may expand to include those entering Mexico. U.S. Customs is "having some discussions with the Mexican government," Wagner says. Like Nexus, Sentri members have access to expedited lanes. Privacy concerns linger for the trusted traveler programs. In January, the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center urged U.S. Customs "to reconsider the privacy and security implications of the program." Information collected for Global Entry applicants is stored in a government data system that "invokes broad exemptions from the (U.S.) Privacy Act that would allow (U.S. Customs) to augment the massive database and use the information with little accountability," the center said. Data are exempt from requirements that individuals be allowed access to their information and correct errors and that an agency ensures the reliability of information for its intended use. But Wagner says an individual's personal information "comes into (the U.S. Customs and Border Protection) and is kept by (the agency) and in a government secured database." And, he says, "kiosks are owned and maintained by (the agency)."
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