by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:00 PM ET, Thu December 14, 2023
Cruisers hoping to get approved for Global Entry, the federal program that allows travelers to go through customs more quickly, can now complete the process at PortMiami.
Earlier this month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection staffers opened a Global Entry Enrollment Center at PortMiami. Travelers can now make appointments for help filling out their applications, as well as completing the in-person interviews required for enrollment in the program.
The facilities are located in states all over the country, often in airports, but this is the first time a seaport has hosted an enrollment center. At PortMiami, the enrollment center is located in Cruise Terminal D.
PortMiami with a cruise ship docked. (photo via iStock/Getty Images E+/simonkr)
“This is a proactive endeavor and benefit offered by the Miami seaport to help expedite the Global Entry application process for international travelers departing on a cruise,” says Carlos Martel, the federal agency’s field operations director at the Miami-Tampa Field Office.
Global Entry allows low-risk, pre-approved travelers arriving from international destinations via air, land or sea to pass through U.S. customs more quickly. Travelers with Global Entry can visit an automated kiosk, rather than waiting in often long lines to speak to a customs agent. U.S. Customs and Border Protection also recently rolled out a new Global Entry mobile app that speeds up the process even more.
Global Entry is valid for five years and includes TSA PreCheck. The non-refundable application fee is $100.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is also streamlining debarkation for cruisers by introducing biometric facial comparison technology at dozens of North American ports. This screening tool can speed up customs processing by up to 30 percent, according to the agency.
It’s been a busy year for PortMiami. A record-setting 7.3 million cruise passengers passed through the port this year, further strengthening its “Cruise Capital of the World” nickname.
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