Speedy entry into USA for Indian travelers is one of the positive outcomes of India’s PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington DC and meeting with President Donald Trump, which American dreamers in India eagerly looked forward to. Speedy entry into the US will be permitted to Indians with low-risk profiles upon arrival at certain US airports now onwards.
Following the historic meeting of PM Modi and President Trump in the White House, the Trump administration gave the much-awaited green signal to include India into the United States’ International Expedited Traveler Initiative, which is also known as Global Entry Program. India’s inclusion in the Global Entry Program is expected to deepen bilateral ties between India and USA in education, business and travel.
The Global Entry program is a customs and border protection initiative (CBP) by the US Department of Homeland Security, which helps expedite visa and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon landing in USA. Narendra Modi’s visit to Trump benefited Indian travelers by making India part of the brigade of countries including the UK and Switzerland within the purview of the Global Entry Program.
The US airports where the Global Entry program is available include New York, Austin, Washington, Newark, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. All these major airports have dedicated kiosks which the nationals of the Global Entry program member countries can access for speedy entry into USA instead of queuing up to get immigration clearance.
Low-risk travelers from the member countries present their machine-readable passport or US permanent resident card at the Global Entry kiosks where they undergo fingerprint verification to get customs clearance. With transaction receipts issued by the kiosks, they directly go to the baggage claim point and then exit the airport.
The first and foremost criterion of the US Global Entry program is that Indian travelers need to have low-risk profiles and get pre-approved for speedy entry to USA. They are required to go through a rigorous background check and an in-person interview. (Read more about the current American visa requirements.)
Needless to say, the process of applying for US visas for tourism, education, business, or immigration has become more rigorous than before, requiring applicants to provide their employment, residence, contact and social media details for past 15 years.
Though the Global Entry program facilitates low-risk travelers’ speedy entry into USA, it does not exempt them from further scrutiny or verification if required when or after they enter the US. President Trump credited India’s inclusion in the Global Entry program to Indians in America whose innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership has benefited both nations, according to him.
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Wow it’s an excellent program and friendships ?