Sentri Pass thread
 

I got great news via Email today. Santa must have sent it, but I was not home Xmas day, so I just got it today.

Dear GOES User,
GOES ACCOUNT INFORMATION
There has been a recent change to the status of your application.
Please login to your GOES account for more information.
Thank you,
Customs and Border Protection

The earliest available date is March 13. However, they don’t list LAX on the attached calendar.
On their website it does show LAX and Long Beach as one the ones available. I guess I got to call the locations and ask about the confusion.

I had submitted my application on November 7th. Which means this part took only 50 days.

Over all it looks like about 5 months to get the pass.

It's at the 2nd or 3rd floor of the bradley terminal

Very nice! have not met any of you Baja Travelers personally, but hope to travel the pristine coastline one day soon with you guys and get on to some awesome bites and beautiful sites! Passport arrived a few weeks ago, guess I gotta get SENTRI now to travel with the crowd :doh: :reel: Happy Holidays!

I got the address and the phone number, but why is it not in the list they offer, once I click on where to go?

I just called them, but only a recorded message of where to send an Email with question was the reply.

I will try tomorrow, as probably they are off today.

Thanks for the list.

It does not show Long Beach, but it does show LAX.

That is my first choice. I may have to pay a visit.

I have an interview on Feb 10, at 06:30 AM in San Ysidro.


I went to the LAX office, and they said they do not do interviews there.


The list by jruiz lists Lax, but I think that is for Global Entry. When I was there, a person in front of me was told to wait behind the line to be called. I did not asked him for what?

When you go pay attention to the correct exit. If you miss the exit, you will miss your appointment and have a wait at the san ysidro border coming back from tijuana! And it will be without a sentri pass. Mexico is literally the exit after the one you shouldnt miss.

Thanks for the tip.

I looked it up on Google Maps. It looks like a parking lot with a shack on one corner!

Its a pretty big building, you cant miss it. I recommend parking in the outlet mall parking lot which is right across the street. Tons of free parking. Good luck hashem and make sure not to tell them about your drug running...






Jk you will be fine.

I guess the Google Map picture is an old one for the new address, because in my invitation letter it says there is a new location (the new address) to go to.

I will take Exit 1B Via de San Yisdro which ends in Calle Primera, which turns to Willow Rd., which ends in Camino De La Plaza., which will take me to Virginia Av.

That parking lot is where I went to wait for the ride to fly to Cedros Island several years ago.


I had a little incident in the parking lot of the 7/11 across the street before getting to the outlet parking lot before the Cedros trip.

Just got back from visiting Bob and Ross down at Las Encantadas, trip back was super easy - pulled into the lane that leads to the Sentri crossing at Mexicali and couldn't even see the end of the line on the other side of the wall. All I know is it was long, and it was not moving.
Drove and drove and drove, and finally caught up with the Sentri line - 6 cars in front of me - looked at the time: 11:04am. At the last minute the line split off into 2 Sentri booths, drove up to the booth and handed him my card - he looked at it, looked at the computer and waved me through - looked at the clock again: 11:08.

4 minutes to cross the border - doesn't get much better than that!

Thanks for the update.

And the best part is it costs now only $122.50 total for (5) years.

I thought the $25.00 application fee is separate from the $122.50, but it is included.

I wonder why more people do not get the pass?

I moved my appointment from March 14 to Feb 10 due to cancellation. I check the calendar everyday to see if there are more cancellations closer that Feb 10.

Ok im going to do mine at Otay mesa feb 23 at 6am.:luxhello:

Well shucks, i just submitted my application and payment today so i should hope to be fishing with you guys by June/July? :confused::(

Guess I'll be leading the non-SENTRI convoy per invite :eek::rolleyes::doh::drool5:

Tight Lines

On the positive side;


You will appreciate the Sentri pass once you had to wait in a long line.

Its worth it to keep checking interview dates I moved mine up from march 14 to feb 16.Thanks Hasham

Good for you jack.

I have been checking it everyday.

may have been clarified previously, but any one get their approval in less than a month and a half? The wait is causing near agony :confused: :rolleyes: :the_finger:

Also, anyone know what the wait times look like in the inland area and where the appointment locations are? The Superior Court in Down town Riverside here?

Cheers!
:cheers1:

My approval took 3-4 months. Totally normal, they are busy. And the locations will be down on the border, san ysidro, otay mesa, mexicali, etc

Dang, thanks brother.. Wishful thinking. Do you guys usually have a non sentri convoy on your trips or it's fend for yourself if your not with the pack? (Referring to MakoLand trips of course :) ) Wanting to commit to the March gonzaga trip to fish with you guys but not sure how this timeline will play out.

:cheers1:

I would say in the last year or so there has really been on an upward of the amount of people going out for sentris. If i had to guess, I would say there is still 60-70% of baja travelers without sentris, but that number is changing fast. Carpooling is one thing, it would make taking someone without a sentri, useless to have one yourself. Which is why it will kind of be a prerequisite of mine to have a sentri to carpool. Convoy would be a little different as a sentri has no time saving advantage until basically the very end of the trip when you get back to the border. But once you make it in line, I think you can pretty much fend for yourself. But this is where the guys with sentri will be flyin through. 10-20 minutes. Could be an hour to up to four hours without.

TOOK Makobob 1hour and 44 minutes to cross on this trip.
I did my application on 12 December.
Still waiting Application waiting review. EXPECT to set dates for interview in next couple of weeks.

So I will be Sentri less for a while, BUT these trips are easy with or without the Sentry, I just get a few hours more in paradise. Too bad it is spent waiting in line.

MY KAYAK WILL ARRIVE SOON!!!! My boat will come in? My sentri is coming, but for now still WAITING.

Tight Lines amigos.

You getting another Kayak?

NO, just saying. Tight Lines

My original earliest appointment was on March14th.

Then luckily as I checked their Calendar on a daily basis, I was able to find a cancelation and moved it to Feb 10th.

I still check it often to see if I can move it closer yet.

Only takes 5 minutes to register a DRONE, but MONTHS to get a Sentri...........
.....................???????

PASSED THE INTERVIEW.

I WAS TOLD I SHOULD HAVE IT IN TWO WEEKS, THEN I HAVE TO ACTIVATE IT.

Yes activate it as soon as you get it. I forget who said it but you only have 30 days to activate and then you have to jump through hoops to get it done if you miss that window. Great news Hasheem

Thanks Robert.

It is in the information packet that they gave you.

I can put an informative post regarding my experience with Sentri pass interview, how to get there, etc., BUT it will only relate to the San Ysidro location.

Is there enough interest here for it.

It will be time consuming, and before I spend the time, I like to know if anybody would like to see it.

SENTRI vs Global Entry
 

I remember weighing the pros and cons of getting one vs the other when I applied and interviewed last year. Cheaper, faster to get, same benefits as SENTRI plus you get to use it at other countries expedited travel programs.



https://www.easysentri.com/global-en...ons-costs/#Int
https://www.dhs.gov/trusted-traveler-comparison-chart

Its $20 more for a five year card. Thats 4 dollars a year. With added benefits. Sentri includes everything global entry does and more.

Help me with the "more" part

Come on man, you posted the chart...

Read through the first link

So it is cheaper and more places to get an appointment. Quotes from the link


Conclusion:

So there you have it: Global Entry vs SENTRI

From a benefits standpoint (not counting the International Arrangements) they are the same.

But in a comparison of Global Entry vs SENTRI application process…Global Entry comes out ahead due to its cost and number of interview locations available.

Through the SENTRI pass may be the only option for some wishing to have what Global Entry offers.

Look,

If you are a U.S. citizen and have a U.S. Passport you can Stop Reading This Article.

Get Global Entry.

It’s Cheaper and has more locations for a interview

NOT the same by my reading of it.

Global Entry is only good for those traveling by air.

Cut and Paste from the Website (emphasis Mine):

What is the Global Entry Program?

"The Global Entry program is the US government’s fast track border crossing program for people traveling by air. The Global Entry pass expedites travel for predetermined low risk citizens entering the United States from international airports. Global Entry membership is valid for 5 years. If you only fly between the US and Canada, you should download the NEXUS card application. The Global Entry card is perfect for frequent travelers and regular fliers who are flying into the USA on a regular basis; however there is no restriction on the amount of foreign trips taken.

Now, if someone here with Global Entry can verify that they successfully used it in a Sentri lane in Calexico, Otay or San Ysidro without getting sent into secondary I'd like to hear about it!

Would a global entry program user's vehicle registered in the SENTRI program be convincing enough?

Logged in to my GOES account and it indicates that I have SENTRI even though I only applied for Global Entry. Any SENTRI applicants have Global Entry?