Viajero Confiable, Mexico's Global Entry program

[gopbroek]

For Mexico there is already a much cheaper and easier method, have one person in your party request a wheel chair. At least in Cozumel and everywhere else I have been in central and northern Mexico, all other members of the party accompanies the wheel chair and bypasses the immigration line. I see groups 2-8 persons cluster and hang onto the chair and jump the line.
I have Global Entry and for the last few months in DFW, for re-entry, it really does not gain you much. DFW ICE got caught playing scheduling games during the sequester and then during the budget standoff, it culminated in one night last fall with 5 hour wait times. It was to over the top and caused an uproar and investigation. The end result, while not admitting error on the part of ICE, they have aggressively deployed the same kiosks that are used for GE for the general public which allows the passengers to rapidly pre-enter all the data used by the agent and get a ticket, like GE. The passenger still needs to still see an agent but the process is very streamlined and the wait times are minimal. I think this system will be in place in all major points of entry within a year, its common sense and actually works.
I still like the GE program as I pass through customs regularly but the main benefit, for me, is the TSA ‘PRE’ designation at domestic airports. Cost wise, this status can be assigned through multiple frequent flyer programs without paying $100 to the government plus currently in DFW the wait time for a GE interview is about 2 months

 

[mstevens]

I'm not so sure they couldn't require an extensive background check and fingerprints kept on file for anyone entering the country if they so chose.

Of course they could, but they don't.

GOES didn't require examining your hard drive, did they?

How would a website I'm accessing on one computer do that for drive in a different computer, and what good would that do months or years before travel anyway?

I bet that trusted traveler line looks mighty white.

Not really. It's full of Mexicans and Koreans as well as Dutch of Indonesian descent, Canadians with Inuk or Hong Kong ancestry, and so on.

---------- Post added February 11th, 2014 at 06:20 PM ----------

For Mexico there is already a much cheaper and easier method, have one person in your party request a wheel chair.

Not necessarily.

My Dad uses a wheelchair. Last time we flew in to CZM together at Christmas they sent him through the citizens line and the rest of us traveling with him had to stay in the regular line while he sat alone in the Customs area for 3 hours waiting for us.

they have aggressively deployed the same kiosks that are used for GE for the general public which allows the passengers to rapidly pre-enter all the data used by the agent and get a ticket, like GE. The passenger still needs to still see an agent but the process is very streamlined and the wait times are minimal. I think this system will be in place in all major points of entry within a year

My in-laws used this at DFW recently and it certainly did seem to speed things with Immigration - they got through just about as fast as my wife and son did with GE. It didn't help with getting through customs at all, though.

its common sense and actually works.

Agreed.

I still like the GE program as I pass through customs regularly but the main benefit, for me, is the TSA ‘PRE’ designation at domestic airports.

I fly to Mexico much more than I do domestically, but PRE-Check is still very nice when I'm on the way there.

Cost wise, this status can be assigned through multiple frequent flyer programs

I don't, and probably never will, have the fancy-ass status with any of those programs that's necessary for them to give me PRE-Check on my boarding pass. The $20 per year cost doesn't bug me and seems like a fantastic value. There's no sense having the general public foot the bill for Mossman's and G. W. Bush's failed applications, so it seems appropriate to have applicants cover the associated costs of their own applications.

 

[Mossman]

For Mexico there is already a much cheaper and easier method, have one person in your party request a wheel chair. At least in Cozumel and everywhere else I have been in central and northern Mexico, all other members of the party accompanies the wheel chair and bypasses the immigration line. I see groups 2-8 persons cluster and hang onto the chair and jump the line.

Not just Mexico. When J broke her ankle in Bonaire, we went to the head of the immigration line upon our return through Newark, then the head of the huge security line to re-enter the Newark departure terminal, and later head of the security line when we changed planes in Minneapolis. Also we got to board first. If you travel with a loved one, I wholeheartedly suggest breaking her ankle before you return home!

 

[ggunn]

I thought the point was to avoid lines and move fast.

My understanding is GE may randomly subject you to screening but still without the line.

There's a difference. If there's a separate kiosk to handle those folks separately, it doesn't affect the rest of us, but if they are just paying to cut in line, every one who does it holds up the rest of us. What if we all paid the hundred bucks? The Mexican government would be that much richer and we'd be right back where we started.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Pre-check had been working very well for me, until I hit San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Yes, the precheck line was shorter and faster than the other, I was still waylaid. First they swabbed my hands for some unexplained reason and then they took my carryon apart. Don't see too many SCUBA regs in SF, I guess?

 

[cvchief]

There's a difference. If there's a separate kiosk to handle those folks separately, it doesn't affect the rest of us, but if they are just paying to cut in line, every one who does it holds up the rest of us. What if we all paid the hundred bucks? The Mexican government would be that much richer and we'd be right back where we started.

Hmm... This seems to be going down hill to "each according to their needs" or "Gung ho" thing. If we cut in line, sure it holds you up. Sure kiosks are better, but technically they hold you up too as there is still a little manpower diverted to watch the kiosks. In Baltimore I think it is the flight crew line? So TECHNICALLY if he didn't have to watch us, but he could help the commoners too. Heck just buying the kiosk takes money away from something else right?

And (dare I mention it?) the invisible hand of the market would come into play. Somewhere between on person cutting in line and the whole line cutting in line so to speak, people will determine the cost begins to outweigh the benefit. At that point, people will stop being buyers and the benefit should return to the rest of us.

However that is capitalism, right? Survival of the fittest? Wait, is that Darwin? Either way, you could get off the plane sooner if those people had not paid more for first class right?

And doesn't Disney do that now? Like pay more and get a special line or something? I am all about buying the right to be special.

And you got something against the MX government collecting money? I think they have some of the worst tax collection in the world, don't they? I mean from a compliance perspective. Surely we should contribute.

 

[Mossman]

However that is capitalism, right? Survival of the fittest? Wait, is that Darwin? Either way, you could get off the plane sooner if those people had not paid more for first class right?

And doesn't Disney do that now? Like pay more and get a special line or something? I am all about buying the right to be special.

Wakatobi had an arrangement last time I flew to Bali where I just handed my passport to the Wakatobi rep after we landed and he went into some office and got them processed while we waited for our bags. Still had to clear customs, but at least we saved one long line.

Thai Air in Bangkok has a separate terminal for departing Business/First class passengers with its own security line. Flying in to Bangkok, you can purchase a Fast Track pass that gets you a special speedy immigration line. Then again, they already have so many terrorism and drug issues in that country, they probably don't care who comes in. I mean, who'd smuggle drugs into Thailand?

 

[Mike]

TSA can certainly check the hard drive of your laptop for secrets and porn.

uh oh...


LOL after multiple pages of some pretty good info about this new Mexican program, that's my contribution

 

[cvchief]

Well, reporting in on the process:
Well…. The office in terminal 2 is to the left of Santander bank in departures. Hence you line up with everyone who lost their fmm passport or whatever and is bitching about their plane leaving. You stand outside until the signal you into the office. The lady could not have been nicer. English wasn't great but my missus translated. They have one integrated machine for photo print and iris scan. She took us both back at the same time. They aren't too sure on using it yet I guess so that took time. missus' ridge detail required a lot of repeats to get. Then they lost the entry and had to do it all over again. They have a quick interview form. No English version was there. Basically yes no stuff. One question you answer yes and write global entry. Mine processed fine. Susan passed and got a letter at the end and they said there is a kiosk to the left by handicap line in IMN. We didn't notice it on the way in. Mine however did not pass. I am thinking Susan's had more time until they got mine done. She said I would get an email in a few days hopefully or she would call my cell the next day. If not come see her when we leave. Took close to two hours or so. Everything but them operating the machine was easy.
And the waiting. Some Brit was threatening to call his solicitor if he missed his plane.

 

[mstevens]

And I'm guessing that although you did this on the 25th, you still haven't heard back "the next day"?

I'm coming in to Terminal 3 in a few days, so my appointment is there. I now know to check off to the sides by the handicap line to see if there's a kiosk there.

Wife and kid will already be on the island so they're coming to meet me and are doing their enrollment interviews while I'm going through immigration and customs. I'm actually a bit relieved that it takes so long since their appointments are just before mine, and mine is the last one of the afternoon with only half an hour between landing and the appointment. It sounds as if they'll probably still be in their interviews when I get there. Doesn't mean they'll see me if I'm late, but it improves the chances.

I'll report in Friday night or Saturday.