In 2008, the Houston Airport System (HAS) continued its tradition of piloting important new transportation initiatives and a key example involves something called the “Global Entry Program.”

The program was unveiled at a June news conference at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and featured representatives from both the Houston Airport System and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In fact, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff himself was on hand to explain to passengers how the program was going to improve their traveling experience.

“This program is a big step forward in terms of automating and electronically basing our system for new entry,” Secretary Chertoff said. “It represents a kind of international registered traveler.”

Global Entry allows U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who are frequent international travelers and who have not been found guilty of a criminal offense, charged with a customs or immigration offense, or been declared inadmissible to the U.S. under immigration legislation, to apply for an expedited screening and processing into the country.

Those enrolled in the program will be able to bypass the regular passport line and proceed directly to the Global Entry kiosk upon returning to the United States.

At the kiosk, the traveler will activate the Global Entry system by placing their passport or permanent resident card into the document reader. The kiosk will then instruct the traveler to provide their fingerprints electronically, stand for a photograph and answer several questions using the touch screen.

Once the process is successfully completed, the traveler will be issued a transaction receipt which must be presented to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer as the participant leaves the customs inspection area.

“Essentially with the implementation of the program and biometrics, travelers will get through the customs lines much quicker,” says Richard Vacar, HAS director of aviation. “This process will take a fourth of the actual time that it would take to go through the customs process with a CBP officer.”