Hello, First post here. We’re on our second TSH housesit and we’re loving the life, but I have a question I haven’t seen addressed on this forum.
For sits that require flying, has anyone gone through the TSA (US only) or Global Entry application process? If so, can you describe your experience? Particularly with regard to having an address. It would be nice to breeze through airport security but since I don’t own a home I would not know how to handle address questions. I would probably be truthful and say that I’m a fulltime housesitter, but what do you think? Where would that conversation lead? Thanks for your input.
Hi @AnnieNai
Welcome to the forum and great question. I am also an American and in process for Global Entry, having my interview in January. I use the address of a family member. Same address I have used as my base for years.
Do you have an address that you use for other purposes as a legal address? I would be hesitant to say I am a housesitter as that can lead to another rabbit hole as it can be perceived as working (income producing).
Hi @AnnieNai. Welcome to the forum. I deleted my first response as I realized I’d misunderstood your question. I do have Nexus in Canada (which includes Global Entry) but also have a permanent home in Canada.
I will say that the interview I went through, which was on the US side (I live at the border and it was the closest) was far more extensive than I had expected.
I agree with your comment about declaring being a housesitter. When I’m going through immigration when going to a sit, I always say I’m visiting friends. Besides, by then most are new friends. In my video chat with the homeowners, I explain that immigration in some countries can’t imagine someone, at their own expense, going to housesit for free. It then can go down your ‘rabbit hole’ of visas and other red flags. I also coach my homeowners that, although it’s unlikely, they may be contacted by immigration for verification. Thankfully, it’s never happened, but I still like to be prepared.
Though I have never been questioned or asked to provide an address as to where I will be staying, I always have the addresses and contact info ready to provide if needed. I also let my friends know that they may be contacted.
I learned this from a HO who used do work away and have numerous international visitors. One of his people got turned away at the airport and sent back because she said she was working on a farm.
If you are a US citizen, you are considered a legal resident. You just have to provide a legal US address and the proof such as a driver’s license that is current with that address.
If you haven’t already done so, have a look here.
Welcome AnnieNai!
I’ve had global entry almost since the beginning - on my 3rd 5 year cycle now. GE actually includes a pretty extensive background check process - I think you would need some kind of a legal address. Where do you file your taxes from, what is on your driver’s license?
I only had an interview on my initial application and it was pretty simple - I did it while changing planes in Atlanta returning from an intl trip. Both renewals were no interview required - just listing additional countries I’d visited - and Vietnam and the Ukraine didn’t raise and red flags.
tom
Thanks for your replies and good suggestions. Several people have mentioned the term “legal address”.I’m not sure what that means . I have been using a mail forwarding company address for business, but I am not a resident of the State where the company resides. My situation most closely mirrors Amparo’s, I think, although I do not have a family address. Well, I’ll think on it some more. Thanks again.
I just went through the Global Entry process a few weeks back. First lesson I learned was that it was almost impossible to preschedule an interview unless you happen to live in a city with an international airport and do not mind waiting months (I live in e remote part of Alaska so this proved impossible.). Good news is you can do an interview upon entry (basically when you return to the U.S. you can do your interview on the spot assuming you have been conditionally approved via the website application ahead of time.) Only glitch I ran into is there was one person handling all of the GE folks and also doing the interviews so I had to wait for 3 international flights to get processed before I was able to actually do my interview and was not able to pick up my luggage in the meantime. Long story short is I waited so long they put my luggage into the abandoned area and I had to go searching for it.
Ok, now to your actual question I had to show proof of my actual physical residence in the U.S. via a property deed, mortgage statement or current utility bill. Not sure if there is a way around this but if you go to the global entry website it has a list of required documents for your interview and maybe you can find a way around this there. Good luck.
In 2003 John and I rocked up to our local STA travel, spent an hour booking a 9 month world trip to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and USA. It was a spontaneous decision and we were ready to go in 2 days armed only with our passports which were duly stamped at each border. ( At the time New Zealand gave us 6 months)
Having done a quick up to speed on Global entry with a British background check and putting aside the pandemic - are you saying that this is now a more complex procedure?
@CarolineJohn1 I’m afraid I can’t help you with this as a Brit with no experience of the US TSA or Global Entry systems.
But my advice is always to look at the official website in your country of origin/residency to get the latest, most up-to-date advice on immigration / visas / travel.
Anecdotal information is great to share and get tips, pointers etc. but at end of day I rely only on my own research because things can change so quickly (especially now) and depend on so many individual factors. All the best.
Hi @CarolineJohn1 As @Vanessa_A has said, it’s important to go to the authorized site/source for current and accurate information. @Amparo provided the US link in an earlier post, but I’ll add it here again, and provide the Canadian one. Vanessa, I’ll also add the option for those who are British, but I know very little about that.
Those with Global Entry / Nexus can also add their ‘Known Travel Number’ to the section of their profile with the airline. I believe it then adds the ‘TSA/PreCheck’ (that may not be the exact wording) to the boarding pass too, if I remember correctly. It’s been a while since I’ve flown so I’m relying on my memory.
Perfect summary and yes, in the US it adds TSA precheck, cannot speak for other countries or for any changes they may have implemented in the past.
What attracts me to it is obviously the ease of flow moving through the airports but that requires a complete background check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and that it is valid for 5 years for a very reasonable fee, currently $100 US. If you happen to have an American Express card (Platinum or Gold) they have on offer a complete refund as part of their benefits.
So it has many perks for some.
Addendum: Just did a quick search and there are several cards that offer reimbursement for the GE fee so check if this is something you could easily take advantage of.
And for some unknown reason, the fee in Canada has always been $50 US for five years. And we get the added bonus of not only an FBI interview, but also a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) check too.
I’ve done a renewal (no interview needed) and a name change (short interview) and both went through smoothly. I love my Nexus card
Nice Travel tip. Sometimes arriving to the USA the airport has a bank of machines that scan your passport, then a quick line to an interview booth. It sounds like your process is as fast and easy. I appreciate your suggestion.
We have global entry and the process was really quite straight forward. You need to have an address for the purposes of correspondence I guess, but there was no need to actually prove you live there. They want to know that you’re legitimately who you say you are through documentation (passport, drivers license, birth certificate etc) and that you’re not a criminal - they will do a background check through their own databases. Like others say, be honest and transparent and you should be fine. Good luck!
We are Britts and do have a legal address. Having had a 3 hour plus wait at Miami last time we flew into US we have recently applied for global entry. We have cleared the UK check and filled in the other online forms but can’t go any further until we get into the US. I read one comment that said you can be interviewed at the airport when you fly in……very interesting. We fly on 1st February. I’ll keep you posted.
Yes there are certain airports that do the interviews. My home base is one so that is one of the reasons to make a pit stop home in January.
Lots of details to catch up with.
I am here doing end of year stuff and shifting schedules to accommodate and take advantage of opportunities.
Too much fun
My Swiss husband had his Global Entry interview when we entered the USA (Boston Logan Airport) at the beginning of December. Just tell the officer who is directing the flow of passengers through immigration that you need to do the Global Entry interview and they’ll direct you where to go. At Boston Logan, my husband was interviewed by a regular immigration officer. It was a surprisingly easy and smooth process.
As a side note, my husband’s paperwork was processed very fast. I’m a US citizen and still waiting for the provisional approval so that I can do my interview.
I had to show proof of my actual physical residence in the U.S. via a property deed, mortgage statement or current utility bill. Not sure if there is a way around this but if you go to the global entry website it has a list of required documents for your interview and maybe you can find a way around this there. Good luck.
so I’m relying on my memory.
