Australians will soon enjoy easier travel to the United States.
Australia has officially joined the U.S. Global Entry program that commences in 2025. Eligible Australians will benefit from expedited immigration and customs clearance upon arrival.
In the first phase, about 1,000 Australians who have travelled to the United States five or more times in the past 12 months, will be granted expedited entry into America.
However, the second phase, which requires laws to be passed in Parliament in Canberra, will open the program for all Australians.
Speaking on the announcement, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said the Albanese government is delivering on Australia’s participation in the Global Entry program for thousands of travellers.
“Today’s signing is an important step, and we’re working hard to ensure that from January 2025, the first group of eligible Australians will experience expedited immigration and customs clearance channels when they arrive in the U.S.,” he added.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong called joining the Global Entry program a sign of the close ties between the countries.
“The foundation of the friendship between Australia and the United States is the friendship between our people. This program will deepen these links and make it easier to foster greater commercial ties.”
Over 1.3 million Australian tourists visit the United States each year spending over US$8.7 billion.
Australia also has around 500 defence personnel and families posted in the United States.
Australia joins other nations, including the UK and Singapore, with its participation in the program that also includes the sharing of time-sensitive transit information with the United States.
Although Australia’s participation in the Global Entry program was initially announced in 2018, it faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
