Australians will become eligible for easier passage through American airports with participation in the US Global Entry program set to begin early next year.
The program allows pre-approved, low-risk travellers from selected countries to use automated kiosks to speed up their processing times upon landing in the US.
They’ll also get access to faster security screening for domestic flights.
American citizens can already use self-service “SmartGates” at Australian airports, but a plan to open up Global Entry to Australians stalled after being first flagged in 2018.
“It’s good for Australian businesses, and it’s good for our friendship,” said Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who made the announcement in Washington DC.
“This program and our participation in it is a sign of our closeness and our trust.”
A two-step process
Australia’s participation in the Global Entry program will occur in two stages, with 1,000 frequent travellers able to apply from January 2025.
They’ll need to have travelled to the US at least five times in the previous 12 months.
However, that requirement will be lifted when phase two begins and the number of Australians able to enrol becomes unlimited.
That second, expanded stage will require legislation to be passed through the Australian parliament, and is expected to begin “later” in 2025.
Australians approved for Global Entry will skip the general lines upon arriving at an American airport and will instead present at an automated kiosk.
They’ll also get access to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) “PreCheck” program, which provides faster security screening for domestic US flights.
Who will be eligible?
The program will be open to Australian citizens who meet a set of requirements on both the Australian and US sides.
Applicants will be subject to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Current or former members of the Australian Defence Force will be checked for military convictions.
The Department of Home Affairs will make a preliminary assessment on whether someone should be approved, but the final decision rests with US authorities.
Applicants can be denied for reasons such as having any criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, violations of customs laws in any country, or providing false information on the application form.
The US charges a non-refundable fee of $US100 ($154) per Global Entry application. If approved, it lasts for five years.
Australia will also charge applicants for the cost of processing background checks.
However, those fees haven’t yet been set and they’ll be waived for the 1,000 people who become eligible in phase one.
What’s behind the delay?
The Global Entry program is already open to citizens of more than a dozen other countries, including the UK, Germany, Singapore, Bahrain and Brazil.
Australia and the US agreed to start working towards an agreement in 2018 but it was delayed due to the pandemic.
Asked to provide details on the hold-up, Senator Wong said she’d “asked the same question”.
“I understand this was flagged many, many years ago, but didn’t come to fruition,” she said.
“It’s the previous government, so you’d have to ask them, but I’m just pleased that we’ve managed to land it.”
Senator Wong is in the US for the annual AUSMIN talks between Australian and US foreign and defence ministers.
