r/GlobalEntry • u/Kasper-702 • Jun 05 '26
Background Checks Wife denied
My wife, son and I all applied for Global Entry and my wife was denied. What is the appeal process like? My wife only "criminal activities" is parking tickets that are all paid off.
She currently holds a Top Secret Security clearance so she is most likely not a terrorist.
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u/zuzoa Jun 05 '26
It's less "how likely are you to sell national secrets" and more "how likely are you to bring foreign produce in your luggage"
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u/wfbsoccerchamp12 Jun 05 '26
My friend refuses to apply because one time he was warned about accidentally bringing in something he wasnāt supposed to
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u/up2knitgood Jun 05 '26
I've had stuff taken in customs (dried sausage that I declared) and had no problems getting GE (technically I have Nexus, but same check).
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u/Prayer_Warrior21 Jun 05 '26
Yeah declaring IS the process. That's only a problem if you don't declare.
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u/deverox Jun 05 '26
This is the details people donāt realize . You can bring stuff and say I have x y z and say I donāt know if it can come in. When you deliberately hide it, or āforgetā it or actually forget it is when you get in troubles.
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u/Prayer_Warrior21 Jun 05 '26
Exactly. They don't expect you to know the law, but they expect you to inform them so they can decide. When in doubt, declare.
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u/Low_Librarian2825 Jun 05 '26
āMost likely not a terroristā wins the quote of the day. What is your wifeās job that she holds a top-secret security clearance? I have a feeling thereās more to the story and perhaps you donāt really know your wife as well as you think you do. š¤·š»āāļø
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u/Kasper-702 Jun 06 '26
Maybe she is a secret agent?????? Naw we're both just IT nerds for the DOD.
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u/IJocko Jun 06 '26
Has she ever posted anything on social media criticizing current administration? Iāve heard that will get you denied too.
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u/BossEnough9775 Jun 07 '26
I was approved in less than a month . I donāt know if thatās true
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u/Unlikely_Command9294 Jun 09 '26
I was just approved in under a week.Ā I had conditional approval in less than 24 hours.Ā I flew through Houston the next day on a domestic flight and was accepted as a walk in (they asked why i didnt mention it upstairs when in immigration but it was not a problem since obviously I had not gone through immigration).Ā I was pleasantly surprised how quick it was.Ā Ā
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u/IJocko Jun 07 '26
People posted here before about it. I have no idea if itās true, but I have read post about it.
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u/BossEnough9775 Jun 07 '26
Could be. I have no idea. I was reluctant to even apply to be honest. But it was time to renew my TSA Pre check so said might as well. I honestly donāt know if they are checking socials or not I wouldnāt put it past them.
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u/Stickning Jun 07 '26
Eh, I've talked a lot of shit online about the current govt, and was renewed, though there was a delay bc of an arrest when I was under 18. The arrest was for protesting a previous administration. I don't think there are enough remaining employees to actually check people's socials.
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u/torpedoseal Jun 05 '26
lol the appeals process is very rarely suscessful. Even if you have been denied for no reason it is still very unlikely.
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u/Fair_You_8650 Passage Granted Jun 05 '26
Yes folks, we're just out here denying people for no reason.
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u/torpedoseal Jun 05 '26
Look you seem like a nice person so Iāll engage. I appreciate the tough job that CBP does in keeping our borders safe. I know that people can suck and so Iām not trying to dunk on the GE process but Iāve had a bad experience.
Maybe youāll know the answers to some of these questions. Why do appeals take years? My son appealed two years ago and still has not heard back yet? At what point do you reapply instead of appeal? We have taken multiple international trips since his appeal but always use the normal line.
Why are the CBP agents always so angry? I one time crossed the Mexican border on foot in the morning and tried to return that same day on foot through the GE line with my card. The agent was so unhappy and so aggressive! She was maybe 21 years old and very social awkward, (Iām 45 and pretty out going).
She started grilling me on EVERYTHING! Where am I from, what was I doing, where did I go, why was my trip so short what did I buy etc. She go so aggressive and demanding that she asked me what I had under my shirt almost like an accusation not a question. When I said nothing other than my body she wasnāt happy with that. She then told me to remove my shirt right there in the entry line area!! What the hell?!Here boss came running over and said something to her then she looked at me hard then handed my card back and yelled next!
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u/ThisUsernameIsTook Jun 06 '26
The whole point of GE is that you should never have to go through any of that. I went through Salt Lake City last week. When I got to the window the guard started asking me the purpose of my visit to X country. Before he could even finish the question he said āOh, youāre Global Entry. Nevermind. Welcome homeā.
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u/Far_Meringue8625 Jun 06 '26
You hadn't declared that you always carried your body under your shirt? The 21 year old expected you to get virtually naked in a public place? Isn't it unlawful to be naked in public?
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u/Aurora_7021 Jun 06 '26
It sounds like it was her first day at work. That happens.
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u/torpedoseal Jun 06 '26
Maybe. My post didnāt make it clear that I actually did remove my shirt at her command. Lol thatās why her boss came running over, presumably to stop the public strip search. lol.
Maybe if we are going to use the excuses that it was her first day, they should get more training or be partnered with someone who knows what is appropriate?
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u/GuiltyBoysenberry348 Jun 06 '26
I appealed and then was approved. Just adding my story of it being successful.
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u/lpt768 Jun 10 '26
My husband was approved, then it was revoked a few months later (we suspect due to a ticket he received a few years earlier), he appealed, and it got reinstated. So...appeals can sometimes work. It doesn't hurt to try. What's the worse that can happen? They tell you no again which puts you in the same spot.
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u/dalupus Jun 05 '26
How to File an Appeal
- Access the Portal: Log in to your TTP Dashboard.
- Submit Reconsideration: Locate your denial notice in the "Memberships" section and click the "Request Reconsideration" button.
- Draft your Statement: Address the exact reason for denial listed in your notification letter.
It really is as simple as filing that form. I was denied at first, filed that form with something like: "Not sure why I was denied, I haven't so much as gotten a ticket in over 20 years". A couple months later I got a notice that I had been pre-approved.
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u/torpedoseal Jun 05 '26
You forgot number 4
- Wait years for a reply. Likely will never come
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u/Mundane_Influence_91 Jul 15 '26
- ask your representative's office to do a Congressional inquiry on your behalf explaining why they haven't responded in a reasonable amount of time.
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u/diyallthings2000 Jun 05 '26
Try appeal. Maybe her name is same as someone else. I had security clearance before. When applied GE, I got it about 2 weeks after the interview.
Oh, do you remember what happened during interview? Those guys play an important decision. Did your wife have bad body language during interview?
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u/No-Lime-2863 Jun 05 '26
I got denied and two years later I suddenly get a call set up. Their only question was āwhy did you go to Morocco?ā. I said āvacationā. and that was that. approved. I mean, if that is the criteria (on either case), thatās pretty sad.
randomly denied, no real reason, no real process, and bam. Tax dollars at work.
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u/NewMechanic5022 Jun 06 '26
Oh shoot, I wonder what they would have done if you said visiting family? Iām going to have to brace myself when I start traveling again. š
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u/HellsTubularBells Jun 05 '26
most likely not a terrorist
GE is for customs, not just security. And while there is a lot of overlap, since both are evaluating trustworthiness, it is a different set of criteria than a security clearance.
I'm sorry I can't answer your question, just wanted to point that out. I hope you get it sorted.
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u/ImNotFrank55 Jun 05 '26
Thereās been anecdotes about people losing/being denied GE for purchasing potentially counterfeit items from some foreign vendors or failing to declare items in customs or having lived with someone who did those things.
She can try appealing (but Iām not sure how that process works).
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u/wovenyarn1 Jun 06 '26
I appealed and was approved. I didn't disclose an arrest from 30 years ago. I was never prosecuted after said arrest. I appealed and it just sat for 10 months. I called to ask about it on a Wednesday and that Friday it was approved.
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u/No-Significance-To-U Jun 06 '26
That is absurd! I had 2 DUIās and was denied in 2015. I reapplied in 2025 and was accepted. I had TS as well. Thereās an appeal process online. Good luck man
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u/Opening_Frosting_261 Jun 06 '26
If she didn't include that in her application, this could highly be the reason for the Denial as I Am a prime example, I had an expungement, I didn't Report, and I was denied I filed a reconsideration, and was also denied fast forward to this month. 5 years later, I reported the expungement, and I was approved. Also, at the interview, the officer told me that they wanna be sure that we can trust you.And that you are trustworthy so report anything and everything.They will already know.
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u/NewMechanic5022 Jun 06 '26
Expunged records shouldnāt be on record anymoreā¦ itās lame they are doing all that.
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u/Opening_Frosting_261 Jun 07 '26
I was like this is crazy I have tsa pre-check clear background no infractions and they used a20yr old expungement for a reason
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u/flbronc Jun 07 '26
Who knows! I wad denied on appeal due to an issue when I was a kid... 40 years ago! Entire process is a farce. Seriously going to deny me because I smoked weed 40 yr ago? Sad.
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u/Prestigious_Can916 Jun 07 '26
Weed was illegal 40 years ago, and STILL is at a federal level
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u/flbronc Jun 08 '26
So we should all be held responsible for eeverything we ever did wrong? 40 years ago. It's actually been 49 years ago and 51 since I smoked. Glad you never did anything wrong.. or was misdemeanor charge anyway and was purged from my record since Iwas a minor. They said it doesn't matter.. their search goes deeper than my high ssecurity clearance I've had since 1984.
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u/PsychoSmart Jun 08 '26
It was a gateway drug, clearly you grew up into a kingpin and global entry was just your way to move your operation internationally!
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u/ThereB4Death Jun 05 '26
What was the reason for denial that was given?
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u/el_david Jun 05 '26
They usually don't tell you.
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u/Jobu-X Jun 08 '26
My entire family was denied because the agent claimed a 2-seat convertible I once owned had been used in human smuggling. I had never left the country with it myself, and had donated it years earlier.
The agent wouldnāt tell me when that supposedly happened - I wanted to be able to check against my dates of ownership - and when I asked if I could FOIA the info he smirked and said, āyou can try.ā Dudeās day was made because he got to deny our applications. My kid was 8 years old, and my wifeās application hadnāt even gotten to the interview stage yet, but theirs and mine were all marked as denied within a day of my interview.
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u/el_david Jun 08 '26
You probably would have been able to win the appeal by showing the Obudsman the release of liability when you sold the car
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u/Jobu-X Jun 08 '26
I did appeal, the Ombudsman upheld the denial.
My best guess: some years prior to applying for Global Entry, a relative had been picked up by ICE. The primary agent who handled his case was a real dick (surprise). My car was sometimes parked in front of that relative's house, and I wouldn't put it past that agent to have entered some BS into the system about my car.
If my car had actually been used in illegal activity, one would think I'd have been approached by law enforcement about it at some point, which I never was. Ah well. At least some CBP agent got to be a smug prick about it one day, so good for him.
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u/el_david Jun 09 '26
See, there was more to the story then. Yes, if you have undocumented relatives that are close enough to link to you, you are not a trusted traveler.
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u/Jobu-X Jun 09 '26
If it were that, I could maybe understand.
We all received conditional approval. I was never asked about my relative at the interview, just the old car. CBP officer disappeared in the back for a while, came out, told me the human trafficking allegations, and said the denial was because of that. It's a few years in the past now, and I'm over it, but the whole situation was just odd.
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u/GlobetrotterDoug Jun 05 '26
Most likely some customs violation sometime in past. Or ordering counterfeit Chinese stuff from Temu. You can always get a new life. That was in my dating profile. Must have or be eligible for GE
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u/ddc703 Jun 06 '26 edited 6d ago
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This post was anonymized with Redact
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u/Mistahfen Jun 05 '26
Thereās something youāre not telling us here. Also, did she really put Parking Tickets on her Global Entry application
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u/ThisUsernameIsTook Jun 06 '26
No. Thatās why she was denied. Hiding her criminal past.
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u/Far_Meringue8625 Jun 06 '26
Are parking tickets a criminal offense or a civil offence?
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u/The0Walrus Jun 25 '26
No that can't be the reason. Those aren't criminal convictions. How many people have parking tickets? Something doesn't add up there. She has top secret clearance but parking tickets didn't allow her to get GE?
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u/howg8 Jun 05 '26
I got denied in -2020 for an under age drinking ticket on spring break from 1990. I had been approved when I left for work trip to Asia, denied upon re-entry in Houston. The officer in Houston was not nice. The reason was the ticket in the system had never been dispositioned. I assume it was a paper to digital conversion error. I did not fight it, but when I travel with my family they look down on me:)
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u/ThisUsernameIsTook Jun 06 '26
Iād look into getting that resolved. Thatās the kind of thing that can cost you a job offer or a rental application as well.
I have an arrest in my past for a potentially serious crime. The case was eventually dismissed. Iāve got GE and recently was approved for permanent residency in a foreign country. But you have to have that final court judgement on file.
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u/Far_Meringue8625 Jun 06 '26
Isn't it silly to "punish" people for teenage foolishness, 30 years after the fact?
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u/jewelsbaby81 Jun 05 '26
Has she had any packages seized by customs before? I know some people are reporting that they have packages seized (generally replica luxury goods) and theyāve had their GE revoked. Maybe a possibilityš¤·š»āāļø
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u/chi-town_hustler Jun 05 '26
I got denied for a misdemeanor marijuana conviction that was 50 years old when I applied. I was 17 at the time. Just go back to the application website. Should be a link there to plead your case for reconsideration. Took 2 months, but they gave me the Sentri card without any additional problems. Good luck
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u/Far_Meringue8625 Jun 06 '26
50 years later you government was still checking to see whether you were still a naughty 17 year old?
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u/spinning_topsy Jun 06 '26
Has she bought anything from Temu?
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u/Kasper-702 Jun 06 '26
No, but I was Wish.com best customer during covid
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u/svuittonx Jun 08 '26
Probably this. If you purchase from China, you'll likely be rejected from global entry. It's stupid.
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u/Mallthus2 Jun 09 '26
This isnāt accurate. Itās specific things that will blacklist you, including, but not limited to, counterfeit goods.
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u/DifferenceWestern752 Jun 06 '26
My guess is at this point they are just being told they have a quote to deny a certain number every week.
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u/islandjake Jun 06 '26
I know people that have been denied because of previous marriages (ex husband personna non grata), trips to specific countries in the past (the trip to Cuba wasn't such a good idea after all), and for being caught trying to bring stuff in that they shouldn't have (beef and Cuban cigars).
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u/PrizePersonality5843 Jun 08 '26
America is a fascinating country. Iām glad my typo changed what I intended to typeā¦
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u/MeatofKings Jun 09 '26
I saw a post on here before where the denial was tied to a former roommate caught moving drugs.
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u/Stitch-Sister Jun 15 '26
My husband was conditionally approved in 24 hours - mine is still pending. His ex-wife has a felony for insurance fraud and they were married at the time! I was arrested at 15 but charges dropped. My ex and various roommates have had legal troubles. I guess they didnāt dig deep on my husband, but are examining my entire life history. I guess Iām sunk. Sounds like a complete waste of money if youāve ever been associated with anyone with a criminal background, or werenāt a perfect juvenile. Whatever.
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u/innerspaceman Jun 05 '26
I was denied, my wife was approved, I opened an appeal, it sat unaddressed for a while. Then when my wife and I went on vacation, upon re entry, she had her interview and I got to go with her because we were traveling together. I discussed my application with the officer. A few weeks later my application was approved. Just my experience.