Trusted Traveler app replaces Global Entry app: what to do
The old Global Entry mobile app and Trusted Traveler Programs app stopped working on September 15, 2026. U.S. Customs and Border Protection replaced both with a new Trusted Traveler app for Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST services. Existing members do not need to reapply. Download the official replacement, sign in with the same credentials and check that the correct membership appears before the next international arrival.
The short answer: Global Entry has not ended. Only the apps changed. If you used the old Global Entry app for mobile arrival, install the new Trusted Traveler app before flying, verify your account over a reliable connection and keep your passport plus the airport's normal Global Entry process as a backup.
CBP says the free app currently supports mobile arrival at 85 airports and multiple preclearance locations. Availability still depends on the program, membership status, eligibility, device and location. Airport signs and CBP officers remain the authority on the day.
This guide was checked on September 20, 2026, five days after the replacement took effect.
What changed on September 15, 2026?
CBP combined two separate tools into one app. The old Global Entry mobile app handled arrival confirmation at participating airports. The old Trusted Traveler Programs app handled account and membership tasks. Their replacement now brings supported arrival and membership functions together.
| Tool | Status after September 15 | What travelers should do |
|---|---|---|
| Global Entry mobile app | Discontinued | Replace it with the new Trusted Traveler app if you use mobile arrival |
| Trusted Traveler Programs app | Discontinued | Use the new app or official TTP website for supported membership tasks |
| Trusted Traveler app | Current official app | Sign in with existing credentials and check the transferred profile |
| Mobile Passport Control | Separate CBP app | Use only if eligible for MPC and following the MPC arrival process |
| Airport Global Entry process | Still available where offered | Follow signs and CBP instructions if the app is unavailable or not needed |
The change does not cancel a Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST membership. CBP says existing credentials continue to work, profile and membership information transfer, and the app transition does not change approval requirements.
It also does not turn the app into an instant enrollment route. The app can point a new applicant to the official enrollment website, but CBP says the application is completed on that separate site. Global Entry applicants still go through the program's eligibility, vetting and interview process.
How to find the official Trusted Traveler app
Use the download links on CBP's Trusted Traveler app page, rather than trusting a sponsored search result or a link in an unsolicited message. The official listings are:
- DHS Trusted Traveler in Apple's App Store, published by US Customs and Border Protection
- Trusted Traveler on Google Play, published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Check the publisher before entering a password or travel document. The Apple listing currently requires iOS 18.0 or later. Android compatibility is shown for the particular phone in Google Play. Store requirements and app versions can change, so verify them on the device you will carry.
The new icon and listing are different from the two retired apps. That caused understandable confusion during the same-day changeover. An old app remaining on a phone is not proof that it still connects to CBP services.
Set up the new app before an international flight
Do not make the customs hall the first place you test a new login. Complete these steps while you have reliable Wi-Fi or mobile data:
- Open CBP's official page and follow its Apple or Google Play link.
- Install the new Trusted Traveler app and open it once.
- Sign in with the credentials associated with the existing Trusted Traveler Programs account.
- Check the displayed name, membership, document details and status.
- Update the phone's operating system only if there is enough time to test the app again before departure.
- Keep the passport and any other required entry documents in hand luggage.
- Save the CBP help page and the arrival airport's official customs information.
If membership information is missing or wrong, use the CBP Help Center and TTP FAQ. Do not submit a second application just to repair an app display problem. CBP explicitly says current members do not need to reapply because of this transition.
Installing the app does not guarantee that mobile arrival will be offered for every trip. The service shown depends on the program, member, device and port. A traveler who sees no arrival option should check the location, account status and current CBP instructions rather than repeatedly creating profiles.
How Global Entry mobile arrival works in the new app
The new app carries over the Global Entry mobile arrival capability. At a supported location, an eligible Global Entry member can use the app to submit the requested travel document information and a photo, then follow the on-screen and airport instructions for inspection.
The exact path can differ by airport. Some locations use kiosks, some use camera-based processing, and some support the mobile app. CBP can change the route based on operations, and an officer can direct a traveler to another lane or further inspection.
Use this sequence as preparation, not as a substitute for the app's current prompts:
- After landing, confirm that the airport or preclearance location supports the service.
- Turn off airplane mode when permitted and connect through mobile data or trusted airport Wi-Fi.
- Open Trusted Traveler and select the arrival service shown for the account.
- Complete only the details and image requested in the app.
- Keep the resulting screen available and follow signs to the designated Global Entry area.
- Present the passport and answer an officer's questions when asked.
Do not submit an arrival hours in advance because a third-party article says that is convenient. Use the timing and location instructions displayed by CBP for the actual trip. A screenshot of an old receipt is not a reusable entry document.
Which airports support the Trusted Traveler app?
CBP's September 9 launch release says 85 airports and multiple CBP preclearance locations support the new app. It does not make every function available to every trusted traveler at every one of those locations.
Check the current location information inside the app and on the official CBP page before relying on mobile arrival. The important distinction is:
- App availability: whether the phone can download and open Trusted Traveler
- Account availability: whether the signed-in membership exposes a service
- Port availability: whether that airport or preclearance location supports mobile arrival
- Operational availability: whether CBP is directing arriving passengers to that process at the time
A list saved weeks ago can be stale. If the app does not present the arrival option or airport staff direct passengers elsewhere, use the Global Entry process operating at that port.
Trusted Traveler app vs Mobile Passport Control
Trusted Traveler and Mobile Passport Control are different CBP apps. Neither replaces the other.
| Question | Trusted Traveler | Mobile Passport Control |
|---|---|---|
| Is enrollment required? | Trusted Traveler services require the relevant approved or eligible program status | MPC does not require Trusted Traveler Program enrollment |
| Who is it mainly for? | Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST applicants or members, with services varying by program | Eligible U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, Canadian B1/B2 citizen visitors and returning Visa Waiver Program travelers with approved ESTA |
| Can it support arrival processing? | Eligible Global Entry members can use mobile arrival at participating locations | Eligible travelers can submit passport and declaration details at participating locations |
| Does it replace a passport? | No | No |
| Can it handle a group? | CBP has not published one universal group rule for every Trusted Traveler service in the new app | CBP says an MPC submission can include up to 12 people |
MPC may be useful to an eligible traveler who does not have Global Entry or is waiting for approval. A Global Entry member should not assume MPC and Trusted Traveler have the same lane, prompts, group rules or inspection flow. Choose one process for the arrival and follow the airport's directions.
Can NEXUS and SENTRI members use mobile arrival?
The app supports Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST at launch, but available services vary. A NEXUS or SENTRI member may have Global Entry benefits when the membership and traveler meet the relevant rules. That does not mean every member will see every Global Entry mobile arrival option.
Sign in and check the services displayed for the actual account. If the mobile arrival feature is absent, use the eligible airport process and ask CBP through its official help route. Do not change citizenship, class of admission or document information simply to make a tile appear.
FAST is primarily a commercial-trade program. Its inclusion in the app does not turn it into an airport passenger shortcut.
What should families do with the new app?
Every traveler must have the status and documents required for the process being used. The current CBP transition page does not publish a single family workflow that applies to every Trusted Traveler program, airport and device.
Before travel, open the app and check whether it offers a group function for the account and arrival. If it does, follow the current prompts and confirm that each person is eligible. If it does not, plan for each member to use the process CBP provides at the port.
Parents should not assume that adding a child's photo or name to one phone grants the child Global Entry membership. For Mobile Passport Control, CBP separately states that an eligible group of up to 12 can be submitted together. That MPC rule should not be copied onto Trusted Traveler without an official instruction.
What if the app or mobile data does not work on arrival?
A phone problem should not leave a traveler without an entry plan. Keep the physical passport available and follow the Global Entry signs or instructions at the port. If a member cannot use mobile arrival, the airport's operating CBP process remains the fallback.
Prepare for the common failure points before departure:
- Download and sign in before boarding the international flight.
- Charge the phone and carry an allowed power bank in hand luggage.
- Keep enough free storage for the app and operating-system requirements.
- Save airline, hotel and onward-transport details offline.
- Know the account email and recovery method without storing the password in a screenshot.
- Keep mobile data roaming settings under control to avoid accidental home-carrier charges.
- Do not depend on one airport Wi-Fi login that may require SMS access.
One recent traveler discussion reported being unable to download the replacement while in the customs area at Chicago O'Hare because mobile data was unavailable there. That is one traveler's account, not a verified airport-wide rule, but it shows why installation belongs on the preflight checklist.
If the app returns an error after a submission, do not create several competing arrivals unless CBP tells you to retry. Show the screen to an officer and follow the instruction given at the port.
Where mobile data helps after landing in the United States
The Trusted Traveler app is a government service. A Roaming eSIM does not provide Global Entry eligibility, speed up a CBP decision or guarantee that the app works inside an airport. It can provide a separate mobile-data connection for a compatible, unlocked phone after landing, subject to the selected package and local network conditions.
That connection can be useful for opening the app, retrieving onward transport, messaging family and checking a changed gate or hotel transfer. Airport Wi-Fi may be enough. A home plan with included U.S. data may also be the simpler choice. Compare what is already included before buying another plan.
The public Roaming eSIM catalog was checked on September 20. It listed 37 United States options. Examples included 1GB for 7 days at USD 1.80, 3GB for 15 days at USD 4.40 and 5GB for 30 days at USD 6.80. Those examples listed AT&T and Verizon in their coverage fields, up to 5G where available, and top-up support. Prices, inventory, network access and top-up eligibility can change, so the selected product card and checkout are authoritative.
Where Roaming eSIM has a practical edge: an international visitor can compare the current allowance, validity, retail price, named networks and top-up field before departure, install an eligible plan on a compatible phone, and use the published 24/7 support route if setup needs attention. That is more predictable than hoping to buy a data plan after reaching customs, but it is not better than an existing plan that already provides suitable U.S. data at no extra cost.
Use the United States Roaming eSIM page to compare current plans. A two-country itinerary may suit a USA and Canada Roaming eSIM, while broader routes can compare North America and global coverage.
Before buying, check whether the phone supports eSIM, decide when to install a travel eSIM and estimate the allowance with the travel data calculator. The mobile boarding pass offline study also explains why critical airport information should not live in one online-only app.
Ten questions about the new Trusted Traveler app
1. Is Global Entry being discontinued?
No. CBP replaced two mobile apps, not the Global Entry program. Existing approved memberships remain active, subject to their normal status and expiry.
2. Does the old Global Entry app still work?
No. CBP says the Global Entry mobile app and Trusted Traveler Programs app stopped functioning on September 15, 2026. Use the new Trusted Traveler app.
3. Do existing members need to reapply?
No. Sign in with the existing account credentials. CBP says the profile and membership information transfer to the replacement app.
4. Is the new Trusted Traveler app free?
Yes. CBP describes it as a free app. Program application fees and eligibility rules remain separate from downloading the app.
5. Can I use the app at every U.S. airport?
No. CBP reported support at 85 airports and multiple preclearance locations at launch, but services vary by program, eligibility, device and location. Check the current app and airport instructions.
6. Should I use Trusted Traveler before departure or after landing?
Install, sign in and verify the profile before departure. Complete the arrival step only when the app and CBP instructions say to do so for the supported location.
7. Is Trusted Traveler the same as Mobile Passport Control?
No. MPC is a separate app for its own eligible traveler groups and arrival process. It does not require Global Entry enrollment, while Trusted Traveler services depend on the relevant program and membership status.
8. Can one phone cover my whole family?
Do not assume so. Every person needs the required eligibility and documents. Follow the group options shown in the current app. CBP's separate MPC app explicitly permits groups up to 12, but that rule is not a universal Trusted Traveler rule.
9. What if my membership is missing after sign-in?
Review the account used, then contact the CBP Help Center. Do not reapply merely because the app has not displayed transferred information correctly.
10. What if I cannot get mobile data in customs?
Use trusted airport Wi-Fi if available or follow the standard Global Entry process operating at the port. Keep the passport ready and ask a CBP officer where to proceed. Install and test the app before the flight so a download is not required in the arrivals hall.
CBP sources and when this guide will be updated
The replacement date, account transfer, supported programs, current app functions and 85-airport figure come from CBP's app guidance and September 9 release. The distinction between Global Entry and MPC comes from CBP's Mobile Passport Control guidance. Device requirements come from the official Apple and Google Play listings.
Community discussions were used to identify points of confusion, not to establish CBP policy. Roaming eSIM product examples came from the public catalog on September 20, 2026. We will review this page when CBP changes supported locations, app requirements, mobile-arrival rules or the official family process.
