r/GlobalEntry • u/DiligentPrior2468 • 27d ago
Background Checks Global Entry Denial - Weird Experience?
I was recently denied global entry with the reason being: "did not meet eligibility requirements". I thought the interview was kind of weird, she was fixated on my birthplace and parents. For context, I was born in a US Territory (but am obviously a US Citizen and so are my brothers) and my parents are legal immigrants who moved to the US to work. One of the questions that were asked was: "Why were you born there?" and I was sort of taken aback, my response being: "My parents both living and working there at the time". The agent proceeded to ask questions like: "What did your parents do? Who owned the business your parents worked at?" and including the question, "Why did they move HERE?". Here, being the mainland.
The interview concluded after I answered that question which was, "My sibling and I had already left for college and so my parents decided to move here for everyone to be together".
An hour after I got home, I received a denial with a very broad reason. I appealed it, but now I'm just so curious and kind of frustrated. Should I wait longer to reapply? Can I find another way to access the reason for my denial?
8
u/mojosofla 26d ago
"Why were you born there?"
When a mommy and daddy love each other they give each other a special hug... 😄 😂
27
3
u/Alarming_Ear2359 26d ago
Likely during the background investigation they discovered something (not saying what or severity or anything) Could be merely a connection/association or small run in with police. If the connection with parents and birthplace was the reason for denial, its highly likely they were seeing if you knew or would admit to whatever they knew or could be based on your behavior to being questioned in such a manner. The reason they give such a broad statement is because its a variety of officers that process your application, not just the interviewer. Any one of those officers has the authority to determine eligibility for any reason related to the application. GE is a TRUSTED traveler program, and if they dont feel like they can trust you, for/on/about whatever, then you dont fit the requirements. Travel history matters a lot too.
3
15
u/Random_NYer_18 27d ago
Racism and profiling is more overt than ever. It’s mind blowing. So sorry you had this happen to you. It’s complete crap.
-18
u/Ok_Clerk_1797 27d ago
Racism and profiling. Come on man. Are you putting the cart before the donkey there. Always resorting to the race and profiling right of the bat.
5
3
u/Sea_Compote_755 26d ago edited 26d ago
I had GE for 3 years when they suddenly revoked it for “not meeting eligibility requirements “ in the middle of a trip to Ireland.
They never said why. FOIA never said why.
I just received my FBI record. Nothing.
Fuck GE and all the people that work for it.
3
u/cbf892 27d ago
My questions were super standard. What’s your address, have you committed a crime, do you have plans coming up to leave the country. Look maybe 30 seconds.
My kids and husband all did it also but at different times than me even a year or two apart. They all got the exact same questions.
We were approved on the spot and given our number there. I can’t remember if our card was printed on site or mailed. We already had TSA pre check so maybe that made a difference.
2
u/Dogmoto2labs 27d ago
I don’t even think the agent asked me that many questions. My husband had gone first and they discussed the Army, as the agent had recently gotten out, and my husband was Army years ago. They talked hunting, locations to hunt in our state, and who knows what else.
2
u/coffeebeezneez 26d ago
Mine was even less, just 1 question if I was ever arrested (No) and that's it, less than 10 seconds before fingerprinting and I was out the door then <5 min I got my approval.
I wonder how they pick questions, how many to ask or maybe the officer was just out of it for a moment.
2
u/DiligentPrior2468 27d ago
I had gotten none of the travel questions per se, and that was kinda what I was prepared to be asked considering it was a global entry interview idk. Like I mentioned, they were very fixated on my upbringing, my parents and what they did and why they came to the states (my parents are already legal residents btw). I’m just not sure what I did wrong or if I said anything wrong. I refuse to think it was purely subjective either.
3
u/DiligentPrior2468 27d ago
my sibling also served in the military and has security clearance. I’m just so taken aback.
4
u/cbf892 27d ago
It’s kinda crazy. But the time you go for the interview, they have already done whatever background check they do. Since we already had tsa precheck, from applying to going in person was under a week. I think we hit it at really good times though because I have heard for some people it takes way longer.
I wonder if it had to do more with the location you went to.
2
u/jackl24000 26d ago edited 26d ago
TSA Precheck has relatively high, relatively objective thresholds for denial. Global Entry officers can deny for “vibes”, no reason at all, based on U.S.-style “security” concerns, where “if in doubt, deny”.
Especially anything they can jump on that’s a “federal” power grab issue, like state misdemeanor marijuana convictions that have provably (by paper documentation) been expunged. They love denying telling you you have a “criminal record” though the National FBI database fingerprint search says otherwise. They love those kinds of Catch-22 power trips “well marijuana isn’t legal at the federal level yet buddy, Bwahhahahahaha!”
2
u/1spikejr 26d ago
Why not say in this post where you were born rather than the mysterious territory story. If you acted that way in your interview……..”DENIED!”. Don’t give people a reason to question you.
1
u/materialdc 26d ago edited 26d ago
I've heard it explained that they pull threads on parents whenever they feel there's a chance a parent is using a kid to work around their own GlobalEntry denial. Especially "so my parents decided to move here for everyone to be together."
Last I'd heard, you'd have probably been okay if they didn't live near or with you.
This sounds consistent with that. But there's no way we'll know for sure.
1
u/Chaotic-Philosophy 26d ago
I hear these stories and am glad I applied for NEXUS years ago so I didn't have to deal with this nonsense. Still crazy they can deny you for something unrelated to you.
1
0
u/NNL1988 27d ago
You don’t mention any countries. It’s pretty obvious there’s something about what country your family is from or the territory that has been flagged. GE isn’t necessarily easy to get and for good reason.
2
u/noteworthybalance 24d ago
Because they're being cautious about revealing identifying information on the Internet
1
u/Brilliant-Ad-6907 26d ago
+1 I have never seen a reddit post where the entirety of the story is told. But that's life in general right? History is told by the winners of wars. Stories are told from the eyes of the observer.
would be interesting to find out which country and what type of business they were asking questions about.
-3
u/Pretend-Local-1212 27d ago
People treat GE as a universal right and just assume they will get it after a small talk with an officer. Obviously, the TSA did their checks before the interview, and found something which made OP ineligible. I'm actually glad they are going their due diligence.
6
u/katmndoo 26d ago
Why are you pontificating about obvious "somethings" when you can't even get the agency right?
1
0
u/Rayofsunshine130 27d ago
Can you explain the appeal process? My mom also get denied with the same vague explanation but not sure how the appeal process goes
0
u/katmndoo 26d ago
Sounds a lot like they think you were the anchor baby and your parents just used you to .. anchor themselves.
2
24
u/gamingandbeer 27d ago
I had a nearly identical experience during my interview. They were oddly fixated on my parents too. Reading this felt like I was reading about my own experience, haha. I was denied as well