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Global Entry for Children: Free Under 18, but Everyone Needs an Interview

Two things surprise most parents: every family member — including a newborn — needs their own Global Entry membership to use the lane together, and since October 1, 2024, kids under 18 are free when a parent or legal guardian is a member or applies alongside them. (Haya exists, in fact, because finding an interview slot for the founder's newborn son took weeks of refreshing the scheduler.)

How a family application works

  1. Each person — adult or child — gets their own application at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Kids under 18 skip the fee when a parent/guardian is a member or applies at the same time; adults pay $120.
  2. Each application is vetted independently, so conditional approvals often arrive at different times — that's normal.
  3. Every applicant needs an in-person interview. For minors, a parent or legal guardian must be present to consent. Enrollment on Arrival works for kids too, on any international trip home.
  4. Booking interviews together is the hard part: you need multiple open slots at the same center at the same time. As of August 2026, 20 of the 123 Global Entry enrollment centers we monitor list no open interviews at all, and another 7 have nothing within the next two months.

Book the whole family together

Cancelled interview slots open up every day — they're just gone within minutes. Haya watches the official CBP scheduler every 5 minutes, around the clock, and alerts you the moment a slot opens at your enrollment center. Email alerts are free; push and SMS alerts for near-term slots are on Pro.

Get free appointment alerts →

Group Alerts (Pro) watch for 2–6 slots opening inside the same window at your center — built for exactly this problem.

Frequently asked questions

Does my child need their own Global Entry membership?

Yes. Every traveler using the Global Entry lane needs their own membership, regardless of age — including infants. Each child gets their own application, background check, conditional approval, and interview.

How much does Global Entry cost for children?

Free. Since October 1, 2024, CBP waives the application fee for applicants under 18 when a parent or legal guardian is already a Global Entry member or applies at the same time. Adults pay $120 for five years.

Do children need a Global Entry interview?

Yes — the in-person interview applies at every age. For applicants under 18, a parent or legal guardian must be present at the interview to give consent. Interviews can be at any enrollment center or via Enrollment on Arrival.

Can a baby or toddler get Global Entry?

Yes, there is no minimum age. An infant needs their own passport and application; at the interview the officer verifies documents and takes a photo — fingerprints are captured for older children only, and the officer will adapt the process for infants.

My child is conditionally approved but my application is still pending — what should we do?

Applications are vetted independently, so family members are often approved at different times. You can wait and interview together (conditional approval stays valid for 730 days), or take the child to an interview now — a parent or legal guardian must attend either way, but the parent does not need to be a member yet.

Can we do the kids' interviews together with ours?

Yes, and it is usually the practical choice — but you need enough interview slots at the same center around the same time, which is the hard part at busy locations. Haya's Group Alerts (Pro) notify you when 2–6 slots open within a window you choose, so families can book together.

Does my credit card's Global Entry credit cover my child's fee?

Card credits generally reimburse one application fee per card. In practice it rarely matters for kids: under-18 applications are free when a parent or guardian is a member or applies at the same time — so save the card credits for the adults.

Do children get TSA PreCheck with Global Entry?

A Global Entry membership includes TSA PreCheck at any age — add the child's Known Traveler Number to their reservations. (Separately, TSA also lets children 12 and under join a PreCheck-enrolled parent in the PreCheck lane without their own membership.)

More Global Entry guides

Conditionally approved? Next steps + getting an interview sooner Enrollment on Arrival: interview at the airport, no appointment Interview checklist: what to bring (and what happens there) Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck vs NEXUS vs SENTRI All enrollment centers and current wait times