Do you want the coveted “trusted traveler” status that gets you through airport and border security? It will soon cost you a lot more to apply.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, is raising application fees for many of its trusted traveler programs for the first time in 15 years. Starting October 1, applications for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI will all require an upfront fee of $120.
“The original fees for each of the three programs are no longer sufficient to recover the costs incurred by CBP in administering the programs,” Alejandro N. Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security, wrote in the final rule published Tuesday in the Federal Register.
These three particular expedited clearance programs are intended for U.S. citizens, residents, and nationals re-entering the country by land, sea, and/or air, as opposed to TSA PreCheck, which is reserved exclusively for air travel originating from the United States.
The new rule has been in the works since 2020. While it does not directly impact the price of TSA PreCheck, the three CBP programs slated for price increases include free TSA PreCheck benefits for qualified travelers, which could result in an indirect price increase for people who want to bundle benefits.
On the other hand, the new pricing structure could reduce costs for some families because it eliminates application fees for minors whose parents have already applied.
Why “trusted traveler” rates are rising
Currently, all trusted traveler initiatives charge different amounts, and the SENTRI (Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection) program actually has different fees throughout the entire approval process.
According to CBP, when the programs first started, each was run individually, but as they have expanded, the application process has been greatly simplified. Now, the agency says it wants to “harmonize” the fee structure as well.
This means for globetrotters that application fees are increasing significantly, especially for Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI. Here’s a closer look at the programs and their fees.
- Global Voice: It currently costs $100 and includes TSA PreCheck. Allows expedited security clearance for land, sea, and air entry into the United States. Request processing time can take up to six months. Membership lasts five years.
- LINK: It currently costs $50 and may include TSA PreCheck for qualified applicants. A Canadian-U.S. program that allows for expedited customs clearance by land, sea and air (including pedestrian entry) to or from Canada. Application processing time can take up to 14 months. Membership lasts five years.
- SENTINELS: It currently costs $122.25 total, with fees broken down into stages. The application fee is $25. An FBI fingerprinting fee and a service fee are charged separately to reach the grand total. Benefits largely mirror NEXUS but exclude sea travel and include Mexico. Application processing time can take up to 12 months. Membership lasts five years.
Since the new $120 fee will be charged upfront, applying to Global Entry will cost $20 more once the rule goes into effect in October. For Nexus, this means the application fee will increase by $70. To simply apply, the fee for the SENTRI program will increase by $95, but the cost of the entire approval process will decrease by $2.25.
Of course, simply asking doesn’t guarantee approval. Applicants must pass a rigorous background check — that is, be checked against terrorist and criminal databases — and then pass an in-person interview. (For renewed members, CBP recently began allowing remote video interviews.)
During the rulemaking process, CBP said the higher fees are not intended to result in faster application processing times.
Shakedown on credit card travel rewards
One of the major side effects of the new pricing structure concerns high-end travel card rewards. Many of the best travel rewards credit cards include benefits that cover the cost of memberships for trusted travelers.
For example, Capital One’s Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Under the new fee structure, your statement would not cover the full cost of Global Entry.
Other credit card providers such as American Express, Chase and Bank of America offer similar cash back credits for Global Entry.
Money has reached out to the four card providers to see if they plan to increase their benefits as prices rise. Bank of America said it has no plans to raise its premiums to cover the increased fees. Capital One and American Express declined to comment on their plans, and Chase did not respond by press time.
More from Money:
The 50 best places to travel
These are the 4 best money moves for April
Credit Score Problems: Another 1.2 Million Americans Just Became ‘Subprime Borrowers’