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Welcome to a regular feature on the Renés Points blog. This blog series covers in a “rookie” way either a Delta or travel-related theme and attempts to break down to a basic level each topic. You can read up on all the previous posts HERE. Now on to this featured topic.
Some travel practices seem obvious, basic, and elementary that we sometimes overlook them. That’s how I learned you must update your Global Entry profile whenever you renew your passport.
Quick Background
Like many of us, I enjoy receiving a Global Entry application fee statement credit as a perk from one of my travel credit cards. (In this case, The Platinum Card® from American Express.)
I arrived at JFK during the home stretch of a LAX-SLC-LHR-CDG-JFK-LAX mileage run/one-night stay in Paris. As a travel nerd, I was excited to use my recently renewed passport for its first US re-entry.
I strolled up to a Global Entry kiosk, laid my passport on the scanner — and was denied.
Huh?
The Global Entry kiosk displayed a message that my passport wasn’t valid for the program. So I tried it again. And again. And again.
Has it already been five years since I enrolled? I thought. Did I forget to renew? My TSA PreCheck worked fine two days earlier, so I doubted that was the issue. I did some quick math while referencing life and work events that occurred around the time I received Global Entry. I still had over a year left on my membership.
More than anything, I was worried there was a problem with my passport.
I used one of the non-Global Entry kiosks and was officially admitted back into the United States. So I knew for sure my passport was valid. Still, though, I was concerned about my Global Entry membership.
While walking to the AirTrain, I encountered the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Global Entry interview station in terminal four. I hoped someone inside could help me. I signed in and joined about a dozen interviewees. Then a CBP officer asked why I was there. I explained my story to him.
“Did you recently renew your passport?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you update your Global Entry profile with the new passport details?” he said loudly, clearly wanting to make an example out of me.
You know that feeling of hot adrenaline racing through your body when you realized you made a mistake? That happened.
“Uh, no,” I replied meekly. To be truthful, I never thought about it until that moment. I guess I assumed the State Department and Homeland Security talked to each other (silly me!) and automatically updated people’s profiles.
The CBP officer kindly updated my Global Entry profile on site and I was on my way a few minutes later.
Learn from My Mistake: Update Global Entry With Your Renewed Passport Data
Once your shiny, new passport arrives, log on to the new Global Entry-Trusted Traveler section on the Department of Homeland Security’s website (the GOES site is no more — you’ll have to create a new profile if you haven’t yet already).
Select “Update Documents (e.g., passport, driver’s license)” under “Update Your Info.”
That’ll bring you here:
Select “Edit” and update your passport details.
Also, be sure to remember to update your passport details on any applicable loyalty program profiles.
For example, here’s where to update your passport on the Fly Delta app.
Finally, book an international trip so you can use your new passport and updated Global Entry information! (check our Elite Mileage Run section!)
Final Approach
It can be easy to forget you must update your Global Entry profile with any changes to your passport. The process is very simple — just remember to do it any time you renew a passport. Then make sure to use it and see the world!
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Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
PSA could not update info on the web — had to go to the cbp office as a walkin — changes like this jumps the queue if you are a walkin. The nice agent told me the currently you cannot update in the portal and hence the visit — -ymmv —-just set your expectations accordinlgy
Thanks for the data point!
Just renewed my passport and tried going to the TTP website to update it. I have Nexus, but it kept giving me an error and wouldn’t take the new info. I’ll have to go through the process to find out if any of the Nexus locations are open. Challenges! LOL
Just updated my husband’s passport info online. Thank you so much for this reminder. It honestly never even entered my mind that I had one more step to take to make sure he’s good to go. You’ve saved us such a headache!
My pleasure!
Thank you! Funny enough, I head out to Bordeaux France on a river cruise next week and would never have realized this. Good catch and merci for sharing!
Have a great time!!
Thanks. Just received my new passport. There was nothing in the various materials that suggested updating global ID. Tips like this are why I follow this website. Updating the passport information on the global ID website was easy.
“Simplyu” updating passport renewal info on Global Entry web site is no longer working for most people. Do a search on “Global Entry unable to verify your document”. It’s taking upwards of 3 months for Global Entry IT systems to sync with CBP Passport data, which is absurd. They tell you on the web site it’s easy to update the passport info, but that is FALSE. They instruct to visit an enrollment center which is a real hassle given the lack of available appointments and various complicated restrictions that vary by each location about walk-ins. The whole thing is ridiculous just to update a renewed passport info.
I was able to easily update my new passport info on the Global Entry website a few days ago.
I just received my Passport Card today.
Question: Is there a field to update that number as well? Or, since it doesn’t participate in the program it doesn’t need to be updated? I didn’t notice a choice when I updated my Passport Book number and dates. I try not to login to that site, I don’t want to mess anything up, I fly so much I don’t want anything to get f’d in the background.
I didn’t see anything. That might be worth a stop to the CBP/Global Entry office next time you’re at an airport if you want to double check.
I know this is an old article now, but can a different countries passport be used or added instead?
Nope. US passport or Lawful Permanent Resident Card.