New green card + global entry

[madhatter204 36]

Hi all, 

 

I have Global Entry on my UK passport. Became a US permanent resident and got my GC in March. Went on a short international holiday & came back through Boston earlier this month. Asked the staff member next to the GE line if I could use it with a new GC, when it was tied to my UK passport. He, as I suspected, said no, so I lined up in the (long!) citizen/resident line. When it was my turn I asked the agent to tie my GE to my GC and he was confused and said I could have just gone through the GE line -- I tried to explain about it possibly recording a wrong entry type etc but he was insistent that I could just use GE - "if you have GE, you have it" was his direct quote. 

 

Was he correct? I'm reading that you scan your GC at the GE kiosk, so I feel like he was incorrect but I didn't know the right terminology/argument at the time to get him to do it. Or have things changed? Can I just use the GE line next time and get them to sort it out? 

 

Thanks!

Edited July 21, 2023 by madhatter204
Clarification

[ineedadisplayname 444]

I didn't have Global Entry before getting the GC. Probably you will need to go to a Global Entry enrollment center and update your documents to add the green card to your existing profile.

 

Once that is done you would scan your GC as instructed instead of the passport.

Not sure how being UK citizen with already existing global entry would complicate the process, but I would call the closest center to your location and try to add your GC.

 

[madhatter204 36]

Thanks for your reply! The Boston Terminal E Arrivals area is an enrolment center (where I originally got GE as I entered on a previous tourist trip). I guess that's why I'm confused that he would say it was fine since there's that dual role! I'll try giving them a call though. 

[madhatter204 36]

OK I think I need to go to an Enrolment Center/EoA, but the EoA was closed when I arrived in Logan at 11pm. That kind of explains it, and I think the CBP agent was misinformed. Helpful thread here if anyone comes across this issue. 

 

[Pinkrlion 2,612]

GE is tied to your passport not your GC. The kiosk will ask you for your GC to scan but otherwise. Easy to use

[Mike E 11,727]

AFAIK, and according to what several CBPOs told  me, LPRs are required to tie their GE status to their GC and not use their foreign passport at the kiosk. My foreign passport never worked at a GE kiosk.

 

An LPR’s sole entry document is an I-551, not a foreign passport.

[straddler 12]

Last time I went through JFK they’d updated the kiosks to full facial recognition and no need to scan anything or receive the ticket. 
 

I had to to the same thing last year, (also U.K. citizen who had GE associated to ESTA). I just turned up early for a flight at JFK and went to GE enrolment centre with my GC,  took 2 mins for them to update my profile with the new info

[OldUser 5,136]

I had no issues travelling on my passport and GE while I wasn't a LPR.

 

Being LPR with GE I had mixed experiences. A few times I entered the US using facial recognition alone with no questions asked. A few times the kiosk asked me to scan documents. As @Mike E pointed out, the right document to scan would be GC and not passport, when you become LPR.

But since I have expired GC and extension letter, that doesn't work so I have to see agent on some entries. It does not prevent me from enjoying a much shorter GE line instead of loooooong regular line.

 

I tried updating docs on the system. The GC info is there, but at enrollment center, GE folks just won't add information about extension, I tried multiple times. So have to see human whenever kiosks are not in facial recognition mode.

Edited July 24, 2023 by OldUser