Australian travelers will soon be able to get through U.S. customs faster than some of their international peers.
Beginning in 2025, Australians can apply for Global Entry, a program that gives low-risk travelers expedited customs and security clearances when entering the United States from abroad. Those approved will also be granted access to TSA PreCheck, another program that allows trusted travelers to use a dedicated security line that is typically faster and simpler than standard lines at more than 200 U.S. airports.
“Joining the Global Entry Program is a mark of the closeness and the strength of the relationship between our two countries,” said Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Minister, in a statement announcing the agreement.
As for Americans, Australians keen on joining Global Entry must apply in advance, pay a one-time nonrefundable $100 application fee, and pass an interview process with a Customs and Border Protection officer. Unlike Americans, they’ll also be subjected to a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, which will make the preliminary assessment on whether someone should be approved before passing the application off to U.S. authorities for final say. Those who are green-lit will have access to the program for five years, after which time they’ll need to reapply.
Australia’s participation will be limited initially. In January 2025, 1,000 frequent travelers (classified by having traveled to the United States at least five times in the previous 12 months) will get first dibs on applications as part of a trial period. A second, expanded stage, where anyone can apply, will occur after the required legislation passes through Australia’s parliament later in the year. No firm date has been given for when that will be.
Countries outside the USA where you can apply for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Australia isn’t the first country to have Global Entry agreements. These are all the countries whose citizens can apply for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck:
- Argentina
- Australia (2025)
- Bahrain
- Brazil
- Canada
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Dominican Republic
- Germany
- India
- Japan
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- Panama
- Republic of Korea
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
To find out how to apply for Global Entry if you are a citizen of one of the above countries, you can click through the individual international agreements that the U.S. has with each country on the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) website.
Australia and the United States started working toward adding the former to Global Entry in 2018; however, the agreement was delayed due to the pandemic. U.S. citizens already have access to the SmartGate program when entering Australia, which lets them bypass border officers through a facial recognition kiosk, similar to Global Entry. However, no pre-registration is necessary—Americans just need to be traveling with a valid U.S. passport and be at least 16 years old.
In the meantime, Australians (and nationals from 40 other countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program) already have access to Mobile Passport Control (also known as Mobile Passport), a free mobile app that lets travelers use a dedicated, often shorter, customs line once airside in U.S. airports. The app prompts fliers to fill out a document in advance, upload a selfie, and complete a digital customs declaration. Once the information is submitted, the app creates a QR code to give to border agents, who may ask a few questions before waiving travelers through. Mobile Passport Control is available at more than 30 airports nationwide.
