Global Entry

I travel a bit: not a lot, but a bit. And as everybody knows, part of traveling now-a-days means waiting in line at the Security Check-Points; you and 10,000 other weary travelers.

What a hassle! Take off your shoes & coat. Remove any metal you might have on you. Empty your pockets. Take out any liquids you have in your carry on. Walk through the x-ray scanner thingy. Oops! I forgot my belt! Go back and do it again. Ugh! I got selected for a more thorough bag search AGAIN!

You know the drill.

But did you know you could get PRE checked and there-by avoid all of that hassle? For a small fee of just $100.00 you can get a Pass Card that lasts for 5 years. It’s easy:

Go online to globalentry.gov

Fill out the proper forms

Pay the fee

Get an appointment to go in person to TSA for fingerprinting

And that’s it. You’re done.

For the next five years, you get to go to the head of the line (or to a much smaller line). You don’t have to remove your shoes and all that. And, if you’re coming from a foreign country, the card makes going through customs that much easier, to!

I just signed myself up – so I’ve got some smooth sailing ahead of me for my next Earthwatch Expedition!

Oh, and if you don’t need the international entry, you can go to tsa.gov/precheck instead.