Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is pushing for clarity on when the Global Entry Enrollment Center in Rhode Island will reopen. The four-year renovation project has left many in the state unable to schedule an in-person interview required to enroll in the program.
In a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Troy Miller, the delegation writes, “As you know, Rhode Island has only one Global Entry Enrollment Center. However, this center has been closed for renovations since July 6, 2020, making it difficult for Rhode Islanders to enroll in Global Entry. We respectfully request you provide our offices a briefing by May 31, 2024, on when the Rhode Island Global Entry Enrollment Center will reopen and request you inform us of any additional support that may be needed to quickly reopen this center.”
Global Entry allows low-risk travelers to bypass long lines at immigration by completing a background check and an in-person interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center. The Rhode Island Global Entry Enrollment Center has been closed for nearly four years, and the delegation says it’s disappointing that residents haven’t been able to conveniently schedule an appointment. The center is currently offering remote interviews, but new applicants in Rhode Island are forced to travel out of state to complete their in-person interviews.
The delegation says the renovations have taken too long and they’re concerned that it’s going to take even longer before the center reopens. The four-year renovation project has left many in the state unable to schedule an in-person interview required to enroll in the program.
Full text of the letter sent to Acting Commissioner Miller can be found below.
Dear Acting Commissioner Miller:
We write to request information on the status of the Global Entry Enrollment Center in Rhode Island. As you know, Rhode Island has only one Global Entry Enrollment Center. However, this center has been closed for renovations since July 6, 2020, making it difficult for Rhode Islanders to enroll in Global Entry.
Global Entry allows low-risk travelers to have expedited access through immigration at airports or at certain other border patrols, allowing them to bypass long lines when entering the United States. To enroll in Global Entry, the applicant must complete a rigorous background check and complete an in-person interview at a Global Entry Enrollment Center.
It is disappointing that our constituents have been unable to conveniently schedule an in-person interview for nearly four years as the Rhode Island Global Entry Enrollment Center has been closed for renovations. Since remote interviews are only allowed for renewals, new applicants in Rhode Island are forced to travel out of state to conduct their interviews to possibly access the benefits of Global Entry. This means Rhode Islanders have to drive almost two additional hours to conduct their interviews at the nearest open enrollment centers, making the interview process much more difficult and adding additional barriers to participating in the program. Although we understand that renovations take time, we have been unable to determine when the Rhode Island Global Entry Enrollment Center is expected to reopen.
We respectfully request you provide our offices a briefing by May 31, 2024, on when the Rhode Island Global Entry Enrollment Center will reopen and request you inform us of any additional support that may be needed to quickly reopen this center.
Sincerely,
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
There’s no need to make a special trip out of state to complete the in-person interview. Just apply for Global Entry online, get the conditional acceptance, and then use the process called “Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival” when you come back into the U.S. at most major airports. Just tell the U.S. Customs officer that you need to do “Enrollment on Arrival.” It took 10 minutes for my spouse to complete it at Boston Logan. It took our son, 10 minutes in Puerto Rico. If you arrive at JFK, it could take an hour. Plan accordingly.