Reply
Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,039
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Application was conditionally approved, but there are no interviews at my state airport for 26 months.  I booked the interview at an airport in another bordering state for April 2022.  Is this common?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,295
Registered: ‎03-27-2010

@SydneyH Nothing is common anymore....our new reality.

Contributor
Posts: 31
Registered: ‎11-04-2011

We're in California, so we had a choice of several major airports ... LAX, SFO, etc. We picked SFO because that's closer to our home, but the soonest appointment that we could get was about 4-months out. And this was in 2019. I imagine it's a longer wait now. 

 

Safe travels! 

Super Contributor
Posts: 252
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

26 MONTHS???  As in 2+years?   That's ludicrous. 

I got my first GE in 2017, and the wait was about 4 months, if I remember right.  This was for an appointment at SFO.  The whole thing is kind of stupid. The person who conducted the interview pretty much just reviewed my application.  There didn't seem to be any value added by the interview.   No doubt some kind of criminal check is done prior to the interview, so I did not/do not see the purpose of the interview itself.  

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,719
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

No, it is not normal but times have changed.  We flew to New Orleans having scheduled an appointment two months in advance.  Well worth the wait for us.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,039
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@Calgal2too wrote:

26 MONTHS???  As in 2+years?   That's ludicrous. 

I got my first GE in 2017, and the wait was about 4 months, if I remember right.  This was for an appointment at SFO.  The whole thing is kind of stupid. The person who conducted the interview pretty much just reviewed my application.  There didn't seem to be any value added by the interview.   No doubt some kind of criminal check is done prior to the interview, so I did not/do not see the purpose of the interview itself.  


It's my understanding that photos and fingerprints are taken at this stage....

Super Contributor
Posts: 252
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I don't recall being fingerprinted, but I could be wrong.  It was many years ago.   My photo was taken for the card, but we get a passport by submitting a photo via mail, in conjunction with an online application.   We could also provide fingerprints along with a photo if that's required.  

it just seems like an outdated approach to a relatively new "problem".   As a process person, this kind of thing drives me crazy. 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,742
Registered: ‎10-30-2010

I had mine from several years ago, it has since expired, I can't remember what it was called but it was the lesser standard. Basically just having a card to for entering from Mexico and Canada. My previous job I use to travel to Mexico at least once a month, so it was needed when I would cross back into the US.

 

I had to travel to India for a work trip and my boss at the time said let's just walk over and get  you upgraded, and that's what we did. It was in LAX and it was no big deal this was all before COVID.

 

I do remember having to be fingerprinted.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,397
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

They are really backlogged due to Covid!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,238
Registered: ‎10-14-2016

 

My city seems to be up to date.  I have my appointment in two weeks.   Could have had it sooner but I needed it on a day I was off work.