Is Global Entry Free for Kids? The $0 Rule and Its One Condition
Is Global Entry free for kids? Since October 2024, under-18s pay $0 when a parent is enrolled in or applying for Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI. Rules and PreCheck.
The short answer
Is Global Entry free for kids? Yes, with one condition. Since October 1, 2024, applicants under 18 pay $0 when a parent or legal guardian is already a member of, or applying at the same time for, Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI. Without that, a child pays the same $120 as an adult. Every child still needs a separate application and an interview with a parent present.
If you’re booking an international trip with children, the Global Entry fee used to multiply fast: $100 per person, per child, every five years. That changed in 2024, and plenty of families still assume they’re paying for everyone.
This covers who qualifies for the free child application, what a minor needs to apply, and how the interview works with a parent in the room. It also explains what happens at the kiosk if only some of the family is enrolled. Finally, it covers TSA PreCheck for kids and a short carry-on checklist for flying with children.
What you need before you apply for your child
- Your child’s own valid U.S. passport (a passport for a child under 16 lasts five years; see how to get a baby a passport if they don’t have one yet)
- A separate Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) account for the child at ttp.dhs.gov
- Consent from a parent or legal guardian, given as part of the application
- Your own Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI membership, or an application of yours already submitted, if you want the fee waived
- A parent or legal guardian free to attend the child’s interview in person
Is Global Entry free for kids, and who qualifies?
CBP announced the change on April 2, 2024, and it took effect on October 1, 2024. In CBP’s words, applicants under the age of 18 are exempt from the fee “when a parent or legal guardian is already a member of, or concurrently applying for NEXUS, SENTRI, or Global Entry.”
That wording matters in two ways. The parent doesn’t have to hold Global Entry itself; NEXUS or SENTRI counts too. And the parent doesn’t have to be approved yet, since CBP’s SENTRI guidance adds that the waiver also applies while the parent’s application is pending or conditionally approved.
What doesn’t count is a parent with TSA PreCheck only. PreCheck is run by TSA, not CBP, and it isn’t one of the three programs named in the rule. A PreCheck-only parent who applies for Global Entry alongside the child does qualify.
Global Entry fees for kids, by situation
| Your situation | Child pays | You pay |
|---|---|---|
| You have Global Entry | $0 | Already paid |
| You apply at the same time | $0 | $120 |
| You hold NEXUS or SENTRI | $0 | Already paid |
| You have TSA PreCheck only | $120 | Not applying |
| No parent in a CBP program | $120 | Not applying |
The $0 rows come from CBP’s 2024 fee rule and the $120 rows from its eligibility page, both checked in September 2026. The $120 adult fee covers five years and is non-refundable whether or not the application is approved.
Are kids free on Global Entry if they applied before October 2024?
No refund applies to older applications. CBP’s FAQ states plainly that payments made before October 1, 2024 “will not be refunded.”
The rule does apply to any application for a minor submitted since then. A child still under 18 when their membership comes up for renewal should see the same $0 fee, provided a parent is enrolled or applying at that point.
Global Entry requirements for kids
There is no minimum age. CBP’s eligibility page says so directly, so a baby with a passport can hold a membership. Beyond age, the requirements for a minor are short:
- Parental consent, from a parent or legal guardian, for anyone under 18
- A parent present at the interview, whether it happens at an enrollment center or through Enrollment on Arrival
- The child’s own TTP account and application, even when the fee is $0
- A valid passport in the child’s name, the same document requirement as for an adult
The parent attending the interview doesn’t need to be a member. CBP states that children whose parents aren’t enrolled may still apply; the waiver is the only thing they miss.
How to apply for Global Entry for a child
- Apply for yourself first, if you aren’t already a member of Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI. Submitting your application is enough to trigger the waiver.
- Create the child’s TTP account at ttp.dhs.gov, signing in through Login.gov.
- Complete the child’s application, entering their passport details and your consent as parent or guardian.
- Check the fee shows $0 before you submit. If it shows $120, the system hasn’t recognized your membership or pending application yet.
- Wait for conditional approval, then book the child’s interview, ideally the same slot as your own.
- Attend the interview together, with the child’s passport and your own ID.
What happens at a child’s Global Entry interview?
The interview mirrors an adult’s in shape: a CBP officer checks the passport, confirms identity, and takes a photo. For anyone under 18, CBP requires a parent or legal guardian in the room, and with a young child it’s the parent who does most of the talking.
Booking the family together is the easiest route. Booking a Global Entry appointment covers how enrollment center slots and Enrollment on Arrival work, and both options require the parent’s presence for a minor.
Can kids use the Global Entry kiosk without their own membership?
No. CBP states that Global Entry benefits are member-specific and can’t be extended to anyone else, family included. A child without their own membership can’t follow you through the Global Entry lane when you land.
That’s the real reason the waiver matters. If one child isn’t enrolled, the family either splits up at arrivals or everyone goes through the regular line together.
For families who fly abroad rarely, CBP’s free Mobile Passport Control app is the alternative. It needs no pre-approval, and CBP describes it as letting one household submit a single arrival for several family members.
| Option | Child’s cost | Interview |
|---|---|---|
| Own Global Entry | $0 or $120 | Yes |
| Mobile Passport Control | Free | No |
| Regular line | Free | No |
Only the child’s own Global Entry also brings TSA PreCheck. It suits families who travel abroad most years; the app covers the occasional trip.
Do kids get TSA PreCheck with Global Entry?
A child with their own Global Entry gets a Known Traveler Number, and TSA PreCheck comes with it, the same as for an adult. Without that, TSA’s family rule applies instead, and it depends on age.
| Child’s age | PreCheck lane | Indicator needed |
|---|---|---|
| 12 and under | With your PreCheck | No |
| 13 to 17 | With your PreCheck | Yes |
| Own membership | Own KTN | Yes, their own |
Teens 13 to 17 also have to be on the same reservation as you, and TSA says they can be randomly excluded from receiving the indicator. If your child has no KTN of their own, leave that field blank on the booking.
For teenagers, that random exclusion is the gap. A teen with their own Global Entry isn’t relying on your reservation to get the indicator. Is TSA PreCheck worth it compares the two programs for adults.
Carry-on checklist for kids
Getting through security with children is mostly about what’s in the bag. TSA’s current guidance for families covers most of it:
- Formula, breast milk and juice above 3.4 ounces are allowed in carry-on and don’t need to fit the quart-size bag; take them out and tell the officer at the start of screening
- Ice packs and gel packs used to keep them cool are allowed too
- Baby food in cans, jars or pouches is allowed in carry-on
- Strollers and car seats go through the X-ray, with the child carried through the checkpoint
- Shoes and light jackets stay on for children 12 and under
- ID for the child isn’t required by TSA on domestic flights when they travel with an adult, though airlines set their own rules for proof of age
For the full list by item, see the carry-on luggage checklist and toothpaste and other liquids in carry-on.
What goes wrong, and what it costs
The most common mistake is paying $120 for a child who qualified for $0. The fee is non-refundable, so a child application submitted before yours can’t be refunded once you apply.
The second is the passport. A child’s passport lasts five years, and it can’t be renewed by mail; each new one means a fresh in-person application. Once you have the new passport, update its number in the child’s TTP account, or the kiosk won’t match it to the membership.
What to do if something isn’t working
- The fee shows $120, not $0. Confirm your own application was submitted or your membership is active, and that you’re listed as parent or guardian.
- No interview slot for the whole family. Try Enrollment on Arrival after your next international flight, with the parent present.
- The kiosk rejects your child’s passport. Check the passport number in their TTP account matches the one they’re carrying.
- Still stuck. Contact CBP through the Trusted Traveler Programs support channel on ttp.dhs.gov, or ask at an enrollment center.
Frequently asked questions
In short
Global Entry has been free for children under 18 since October 1, 2024, as long as a parent is enrolled in, or applying for, Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI. Each child still needs their own passport, account, and an interview with a parent there.
Rules change without much notice. This was checked against CBP and TSA’s published guidance in September 2026; if something here no longer matches what you were told at the enrollment center, tell us and we will correct it.
Sources
- CBP: CBP Announces Trusted Traveler Programs Fee Changes
- CBP: CBP Reminds Traveling Public About TTP Fee Changes
- CBP: Eligibility for Global Entry
- CBP: Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
- CBP: SENTRI eligibility for children
- CBP: Global Entry Enrollment on Arrival
- CBP: Global Entry and the Mobile Passport Control app
- Federal Register: Harmonization of the Fees and Application Procedures for the Global Entry and SENTRI Programs
- TSA: Can my family use the TSA PreCheck lane
- TSA: TSA PreCheck for families
- TSA: Traveling with children
- TSA: Breast milk, formula and juice and the 3-1-1 rule
- TSA: Do minors need identification to fly within the U.S.
- U.S. Department of State: Apply for a child’s passport under 16
- Featured photo: Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash
