GAO: Trusted-traveler programs are popular

Enrollment in trusted-traveler programs to win expedited processing at border crossings quadrupled during the last five years, according to a Government Accountability Office report Friday.

But Customs and Border Protection has had trouble keeping up with the applications, according to the 76-page report.

Global Entry, a program to expedite the return of air travelers from overseas, led the way by topping 1 million members by January, according to the GAO.

The other programs are Nexus with 950,393 members for crossing the northern border, Sentri with 369,745 members for crossing the southern border and Fast with 78,414 members among commercial truckers at northern and southern borders.

With nearly 1 million people entering land, sea and air borders each day, the advantage to the expedited programs is getting through customs and immigration lines faster.

Global Entry costs $100 for five years. Applicants provide biographical information and travel history for a criminal-background check, then fingerprints and an interview.

If successful, participants can swipe their passport at an airport kiosk, which digitally takes their customs declaration, and then skip the line processing hundreds of other people from the flight.

"Trusted travelers generally experience shorter wait times than regular travelers," the GAO said.

Customs and Border Protection calculated it saved $15.5 million in personnel costs at border inspection booths last year, according to Jim Crumpacker, director of Department of Homeland Security's office dealing with the GAO.

Of the 31 airports with kiosks, the biggest share of travelers using Global Entry are Houston's Bush and Raleigh-Durham at 5% and Chicago's O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Newark, Salt Lake City and Washington's Dulles at 4%.

Customs and Border Protection is also allowing citizens of Germany, Qatar, Panama and the United Kingdom to participate in Global Entry, and has agreements to include Israel and Saudi Arabi! a.

Trusted traveler programs have become popular. Applications grew to 895,830 last year from 233,833 in 2009, according to GAO.

Enrollments grew to 857,529 last year from 209,117 in 2009, GAO said.

The use of Global Entry kiosks nearly doubled to 1.9 million entries last year from 1.1 million in 2012. But there is room for growth, with 77 million entries from aboard at airports last year.

By August 2013, Customs and Border Protection had a backlog of 90,000 applications awaiting vetting and 33,000 applicants awaiting interviews. At that point, the agency reduced the maximum length of interviews to 15 minutes from 20.

The agency also eliminated interviews for renewals that didn't have any derogatory material against the applicant. One enrollment center holds group briefings for new members about how the programs work.