“I am offering Global Entry to every Belgian citizen that can qualify which means they will never ever ever have to wait in an immigration line again when they travel to the United States“, tweeted Bill White, Ambassador of the United States to Belgium.
White says that the proposal was reportedly forwarded to our country with the support of President Donald Trump (R), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R), and the relevant security services. According to White, the Belgian government has not yet responded.
Ambassador White tweeted this in the context of his convocation to Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés), regarding the the University of Ghent / Nathan Cofnas affair.
Belgian passport holders are now for ESTA, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
ESTA and Global Entry: two different ways the US speeds up international travel
For many European travellers, two US travel programmes can be confusingly similar: ESTA and Global Entry. Both involve advance screening by US authorities, but they serve very different purposes.
ESTA: permission to travel without a visa
The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an online travel authorisation for citizens and nationals of countries participating in the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP). It allows eligible travellers to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
Travellers must apply online before travelling by air or sea. ESTA is an automated screening system operated by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which checks information supplied by the applicant against relevant security and immigration databases. An approved ESTA does not guarantee admission: the final decision is made by a CBP officer at the US border.
An ESTA is generally valid for multiple trips for up to two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. It is therefore essentially a pre-travel authorisation, rather than a trusted-traveller programme.
Global Entry: faster border clearance
Global Entry goes a step further. It is a voluntary CBP Trusted Traveler Program for travellers who undergo a much more extensive vetting process and are considered low-risk.
After applying, applicants must pass a background check and, if conditionally approved, attend an interview with CBP. Successful members can then use Global Entry facilities when arriving in the US, allowing them to complete the immigration and customs process more quickly than most other international passengers.
Membership currently costs $120 and is valid for five years. Global Entry members who are eligible also receive access to TSA PreCheck, which can speed up security screening when departing from US airports.
Importantly, Global Entry does not replace ESTA or a visa. A citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country may still need an approved ESTA to travel to the US, even if they are a Global Entry member.
Which countries participate in Global Entry?
The programme is available to US citizens and lawful permanent residents, as well as citizens of 22 foreign countries under bilateral arrangements. The current list is: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
The list has expanded in recent years. Japan became a full Global Entry partner in 2024, El Salvador joined in 2025, and Costa Rica was added in December 2025.
Canada is a special case: Canadian citizens generally access Global Entry benefits through NEXUS, the joint US-Canadian trusted-traveller programme, rather than applying directly for Global Entry.
For a Belgian traveller, the distinction is therefore straightforward: Belgium is part of the Visa Waiver Program, so Belgians can travel to the US with an ESTA, but Belgium is not currently a Global Entry partner country. Global Entry is consequently not an option for Belgian citizens solely on the basis of their Belgian nationality.
That could change.
