Australians will have access to easier entry to the US from late 2025, on the proviso of background checks before departing, as a long-mooted deal between the two countries was struck in Washington DC.
Global Entry, a program run by the United States Customs and Border Protection, allows “expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States” for citizens from Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and now Australia.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that the program will initially be available from January 2025 for frequent travellers to the US, before the program is opened to all Australians.
“Joining the Global Entry program is a mark of the closeness and the strength of the relationship between our two countries,” she said.
“The foundation of the friendship between Australia and the United States is the friendship between our people. This program will deepen these links and make it easier to foster greater commercial ties.”
Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany and Singapore, already have access to Global Entry.
Australians visiting famous cities like New York may be able to skip the lines from next year. Photo: AAP
What does it mean?
Eligible travellers will be able to gain faster access through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security at airports by completing a pre-flight check.
Travellers must “undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrolment” to access the program, which allows them to pre-complete paperwork and skip lines at major airports within the US.
Reduced screening times will also apply to domestic flights within the US, with the first people to experience the program consisting of about 1000 Australians who have visited at least five times over the past year.
Australians travelling to the US can access 90-day visa-free travel, but can face long waits at busy international and domestic airports because of the country’s border security.
Travel to the States
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 600,000 Australians each year were travelling to the US.
Wong said that entry into the program was flagged “many many years ago, but didn’t come to fruition”.
“It’s the previous government, so you’d have to ask them,” she said.
“I’m just pleased that we’ve managed to land it.”
Australia and the US began discussions about entry into the program under the Morrison government, but plans and talks were scuppered by the pandemic.
The United States’ TSA security checks are some of the most stringent in the world, with Smartraveller warning that authorities “have broad powers to decide if you’re eligible to enter and may determine that you are inadmissible for any reason under US law”.
“Expect enhanced screening procedures, including for domestic flights within the US. You can be denied boarding if you show signs of illness,” Smartraveller said.
“US authorities actively pursue, detain and deport people who are in the country illegally. Be prepared to show documents proving your legal presence.”