International flyers counting on a two-minute exit from U.S. Customs are still out of luck. Nearly two weeks after the Department of Homeland Security suspended Global Entry to conserve resources during its partial shutdown, CBP has yet to reactivate kiosks at any U.S. airport. The agency recommends that travelers download Mobile Passport Control (MPC)—a free smartphone app that creates an expedited lane for U.S. citizens, green-card holders, Canadians and Visa Waiver travelers.
In a firsthand account published this morning, a Washington Post travel reporter cleared immigration at Washington Dulles in “minutes” using MPC, but noted inconsistent lane availability at JFK and other hubs. Airlines report growing bottlenecks at arrival halls, particularly during the evening transatlantic wave when many Global Entry users would normally breeze through.
![Global Entry Remains Suspended Amid DHS Shutdown—Mobile Passport Control Emerges as Work-Around]()
For travelers looking to get other paperwork squared away long before they land, VisaHQ can simplify visa and passport preparations through its intuitive online platform; you can explore its U.S. offerings at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
Business-travel managers are scrambling. Several Fortune 500 mobility teams have issued advisories urging executives to install MPC in advance, carry paper copies of connecting itineraries and allow at least three hours between U.S. arrival and onward domestic flights. Some are steering travelers toward pre-clearance gateways in Dublin, Abu Dhabi or Vancouver, where U.S. entry formalities occur before departure and are not affected by the shutdown.
CBP has not provided a target date for restoring Global Entry, and enrollment interviews remain paused. With congressional negotiations still stalled, mobility professionals should expect the outage to extend into the busy spring-break period and adjust travel policies accordingly.
In a firsthand account published this morning, a Washington Post travel reporter cleared immigration at Washington Dulles in “minutes” using MPC, but noted inconsistent lane availability at JFK and other hubs. Airlines report growing bottlenecks at arrival halls, particularly during the evening transatlantic wave when many Global Entry users would normally breeze through.
For travelers looking to get other paperwork squared away long before they land, VisaHQ can simplify visa and passport preparations through its intuitive online platform; you can explore its U.S. offerings at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
Business-travel managers are scrambling. Several Fortune 500 mobility teams have issued advisories urging executives to install MPC in advance, carry paper copies of connecting itineraries and allow at least three hours between U.S. arrival and onward domestic flights. Some are steering travelers toward pre-clearance gateways in Dublin, Abu Dhabi or Vancouver, where U.S. entry formalities occur before departure and are not affected by the shutdown.
CBP has not provided a target date for restoring Global Entry, and enrollment interviews remain paused. With congressional negotiations still stalled, mobility professionals should expect the outage to extend into the busy spring-break period and adjust travel policies accordingly.
