Share a rather unpleasant experience on global entry interview in Seattle

[yippy_j 17]

My status: Conditional green card expired. Received my extension letter

 

So I went to Sea-Tac airport for my global entry interview today. Based on what I have read so far, I was expecting a rather quick conversation with the officer but I was totally wrong. The officer asked me what my previous status was, which was F1. Then he started to ask me very specific question about the timeline when I transitioned into green card, when I got my opt and whether I fell out of status any time before I got my green card. I was caught completely off guard since

1. it was very early in the morning

2. I thought they had done some background check on me already

 

So I asked the officer, can't you see it on my application?

Then he became super defensive asking me:" you don't know what I can see." 

At one point he was requesting me to give him my previous i-20 information for the global entry approval. 

By the very end of the interview, I told him I might not have the i-20 papers anymore. I tried really hard to remember the timing of me transitioning into green card and the period of me working for different employer and explain to him. At very last, he approved my application mumbling tons of stuffs and talking to himself.

 

I want to share my experience to just let you guys know be prepared with the timelines of you status. Not every immigration officer will let you sly thru the global interview easily

[geowrian 22,335]

He probably could see the info already, but they want to both verify the information and want to make sure you're being honest with him / not being evasive.

He also seems like somebody that is kinda full of himself.

 

Congrats on the approval.

[CanadaToCT 5]

I"m curious how you were able to apply and be approved as I thought you have to have a valid physical card for Global Entry? When I've looked at applying, it won't let me continue with the application with an expired card while I wait for the ROC to be complete.  

 

Just curious since I wanted to apply for Global Entry, but have not been able to figure out how while I'm waiting for the ROC review to be complete.

[yippy_j 17]

10 minutes ago, CanadaToCT said:

I"m curious how you were able to apply and be approved as I thought you have to have a valid physical card for Global Entry? When I've looked at applying, it won't let me continue with the application with an expired card while I wait for the ROC to be complete.  

 

Just curious since I wanted to apply for Global Entry, but have not been able to figure out how while I'm waiting for the ROC review to be complete.

 

I applied it before my conditional green card expired. Only schedule the interview after my green card expired. So I think the system won't let you enter an date for expiration before today.

[fascinating123 38]

So...what would have happened if you didn't have satisfactory answers to these questions? I mean beyond the obvious of not having your Global Entry approved. I can't imagine the gentleman in this case having any say over whether or not your ROC was approved or your eventual citizenship application (assuming that's your ultimate goal).

[CanadaToCT 5]

32 minutes ago, yippy_j said:

 

I applied it before my conditional green card expired. Only schedule the interview after my green card expired. So I think the system won't let you enter an date for expiration before today.

That's what I thought.  Thanks.

[ApplyingforN400 126]

4 hours ago, fascinating123 said:

So...what would have happened if you didn't have satisfactory answers to these questions? I mean beyond the obvious of not having your Global Entry approved. I can't imagine the gentleman in this case having any say over whether or not your ROC was approved or your eventual citizenship application (assuming that's your ultimate goal).

Well he is a federal agent thats taking notes of what you’re saying. 

If you stick to your legitimate timelines nothing will or can come of it. But if everything is mixed up and you start talking out of your ###, of course it can be used against you. 

[NYCruiser 423]

Not sure whether the Global Entry will be valid for entry into the US using the Kiosks. My spouse and I got the Global Entry, however, when his Green Card was valid. It is now expired. At JFK, the CPB officer told us that he cannot use the Kiosks. When we tried to scan the card, the system rejected as GC expired. 

 

You basically now have a GE card that is good for TSA Pre-check. I do have a better process to get you in faster through the lines IF you are travelling with your USC spouse. Ask the line attendant that your card won't scan, so she will have your Spouse sign in using his or her US Passport, then at JFK they will let you go through the USC Immigration lines which are shorter. You are both processed together. (It worked the last two times for us at least).

 

As I said before, Terminal 4 Immigration lines are very fast though

[Neonred 3,446]

7 hours ago, yippy_j said:

My status: Conditional green card expired. Received my extension letter

 

So I went to Sea-Tac airport for my global entry interview today. Based on what I have read so far, I was expecting a rather quick conversation with the officer but I was totally wrong. The officer asked me what my previous status was, which was F1. Then he started to ask me very specific question about the timeline when I transitioned into green card, when I got my opt and whether I fell out of status any time before I got my green card. I was caught completely off guard since

1. it was very early in the morning

2. I thought they had done some background check on me already

 

So I asked the officer, can't you see it on my application?

Then he became super defensive asking me:" you don't know what I can see." 

At one point he was requesting me to give him my previous i-20 information for the global entry approval. 

By the very end of the interview, I told him I might not have the i-20 papers anymore. I tried really hard to remember the timing of me transitioning into green card and the period of me working for different employer and explain to him. At very last, he approved my application mumbling tons of stuffs and talking to himself.

 

I want to share my experience to just let you guys know be prepared with the timelines of you status. Not every immigration officer will let you sly thru the global interview easily

Congrats.  You were lucky you got approved.  My wife and I applied and had an interview last year.  I was born here and my wife natualized several years ago. 

 

At the interview we had all the usual questions, then the interviewer asked me if I had ever bought anything from China.  I told him yes, I have ordered items on ebay that have been shipped to me from China.  Then he asked me if I had ever bought a watch from China.  I told him, truthfully, that I had never bought a watch online especially from China.  He looked at me and asked the same question again.  Then it dawned on me that a few years ago my wife bought a watch on ebay that she never got as it was a knock off and intercepted by customs.  I told the interviewer about what happened.  We had to fill out paperwork telling them we did not want the watch.  This made us immediately ineligible for global entry. We were rejected.  Didn't even get TSA precheck out of it.

[NYCruiser 423]

4 minutes ago, Neonred said:

Congrats.  You were lucky you got approved.  My wife and I applied and had an interview last year.  I was born here and my wife natualized several years ago. 

 

At the interview we had all the usual questions, then the interviewer asked me if I had ever bought anything from China.  I told him yes, I have ordered items on ebay that have been shipped to me from China.  Then he asked me if I had ever bought a watch from China.  I told him, truthfully, that I had never bought a watch online especially from China.  He looked at me and asked the same question again.  Then it dawned on me that a few years ago my wife bought a watch on ebay that she never got as it was a knock off and intercepted by customs.  I told the interviewer about what happened.  We had to fill out paperwork telling them we did not want the watch.  This made us immediately ineligible for global entry. We were rejected.  Didn't even get TSA precheck out of it.

Wow...this has been the most amazing thing I have heard all week!!! A watch???? I did notice as a USC I had to be interviewed AGAIN for a renewal Global Entry Card. Had to schlepp all the way to JFK, pay $18 to park and half a day off work.....for what? To retake my fingerprints and and tell me to destroy my old card....:-(

[AK_2014 113]

7 hours ago, CanadaToCT said:

Just curious since I wanted to apply for Global Entry, but have not been able to figure out how while I'm waiting for the ROC review to be complete.

Here's our data point, in case it helps: My wife successfully applied for Global Entry while waiting for ROC. We followed instructions from an officer, who said to add exactly one year to the expiration date of the conditional green card (i.e. the one-year extension noted in the letter) when asked to enter the GC expiration date in the online application. She did that, had the interview, and was approved with no issues.

 

(Actually using Global Entry was another matter; she was able to cut the line and go to the front to speak with an officer, but could not use the kiosks themselves until the 10-year GC eventually came. We knew this in advance. To us, though, it was worth it to have PreCheck together during the ROC wait.)

[Daisy.Chain 317]

My husband applied for and got GE with a conditional card, and it worked great going through customs. He's got an extension letter now though, so especially if he flies alone he prepared for long lines. Seems a bit of a waste after paying for the GE, but I think it is still worth it if you fly frequently.

[CEE53147 559]

I am pleased that the interviewing officers are being vigilant. They are just protecting all who are here.

[fascinating123 38]

13 hours ago, ApplyingforN400 said:

Well he is a federal agent thats taking notes of what you’re saying. 

If you stick to your legitimate timelines nothing will or can come of it. But if everything is mixed up and you start talking out of your ###, of course it can be used against you. 

I mean you don't have to tell me not to trust federal agents, that's par for the course.

 

But, ROC is not AOS. I would hope that USCIS is not re-examining their original findings when they approved the conditional Green Card in the first place. The purpose of ROC (supposedly) is to make sure the PR is still married to the same US citizen and that the marriage is still legitimate.

 

Also by "unsatisfactory answers" I don't merely mean having an inconsistent story. Plenty of people who did AOS did in fact fall out of status, and were it not for the marriage would have had to go back to their country of citizenship. Precedent is that legitimate marriages overrule that fall out of status. I'm wondering if a previously approved Green Card (approved with the knowledge that the applicant had fallen out of status) would have ROC denied because of the current climate.

 

This story is a prime reason why I won't be suggesting that my wife apply for Global Entry. She for sure wouldn't remember her timeline. She barely remembers what she had for breakfast yesterday.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

12 hours ago, Neonred said:

Congrats.  You were lucky you got approved.  My wife and I applied and had an interview last year.  I was born here and my wife natualized several years ago. 

 

At the interview we had all the usual questions, then the interviewer asked me if I had ever bought anything from China.  I told him yes, I have ordered items on ebay that have been shipped to me from China.  Then he asked me if I had ever bought a watch from China.  I told him, truthfully, that I had never bought a watch online especially from China.  He looked at me and asked the same question again.  Then it dawned on me that a few years ago my wife bought a watch on ebay that she never got as it was a knock off and intercepted by customs.  I told the interviewer about what happened.  We had to fill out paperwork telling them we did not want the watch.  This made us immediately ineligible for global entry. We were rejected.  Didn't even get TSA precheck out of it.

Wow