Baja4Rnr
Junior Nomad
Posts: 31
Registered: 1-3-2007
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Using SENTRI
I have my GE card and added my vehicle to use the Sentri lanes and was approved in June. However I was never sent any information or instructions on
how to proceed through SENTRI lanes. So my question is do I just go through the SENTRI lanes and show my GE card and assume they have my vehicle
approval or is there something I need to show?
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 5-26-2008
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There's nothing else that you need to do! Just make sure that you have activated your card on the website before you use it.
[Edited on 7-31-2019 by Pacifico]
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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Baja4Rnr
Junior Nomad
Posts: 31
Registered: 1-3-2007
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I’m assuming you mean my GE card, right?
Thanks Pacifico!
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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vehicle
The vehicle you are driving needs to be on your account (or whatever they call it) - the first time returning to the US with that vehicle you will, in
all probability, be directed to secondary for a vehicle inspection. I'm pretty sure the vehicle needs to be on SENTRI app.
After the first visit to secondary you won't deal with that again unless you change vehicles.
John M
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1106
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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You may not ever be moved to secondary for vehicle inspection, my understanding is they don't do that anymore and in 3 years my vehicle has never been
inspected. Look up where the SENTRI lanes are, they are separate from the normal lanes. One or two of the travel sites have pretty specific
directions which I found helpful. Personally I like to cross at Otay-Mesa. As you get close to the agent, there is a machine that will ask you to
present your card for scanning. Just hold it out (and I believe everyone in your car must present theirs, too). Then you just hand it to the agent
when you get there. They will ask a couple of questions and you'll be on your way. Once it took me a whopping 30 minutes to cross, but that was late
afternoon on a Sunday! Usually 15 minutes or so. Good luck.
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Secondary
BajaMama - the trip I got to secondary was the first time I used SENTRI - I had been forewarned when I had my interview that that would happen. I
believe in the earlier days, you had to take your vehicle with you when you had your in-person interview, and it was "approved" at that time.
More recently the approval comes with you initial re-entry - or so was my experience.
Our longest wait was about 15 minutes at Tijuana. We usually return at Mexicali east with two or three minutes tops.
John M
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 5-26-2008
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Yes, activate your GE card on the website. I just went through the other day with a friend who was using his GE card for the first time and he thought
he had activated it, but didn't. We got sent to secondary for about 15-20 minutes. In the end, they told him to activate it again when he got home,
which he did. He must have forgot to finish the process the first time...
[Edited on 8-1-2019 by Pacifico]
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9225
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico  |
Yes, activate your GE card on the website. I just went through the other day with a friend who was using his GE card for the first time and he thought
he had activated it, but didn't. We got sent to secondary for about 15-20 minutes. In the end, they told him to activate it again when he got home,
which he did. He must have forgot to finish the process the first time...
[Edited on 8-1-2019 by Pacifico] |
He could have done it on his phone in 2 mins.
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 5-26-2008
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| Quote: Originally posted by JZ | | Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico |
Yes, activate your GE card on the website. I just went through the other day with a friend who was using his GE card for the first time and he thought
he had activated it, but didn't. We got sent to secondary for about 15-20 minutes. In the end, they told him to activate it again when he got home,
which he did. He must have forgot to finish the process the first time...
[Edited on 8-1-2019 by Pacifico] |
He could have done it on his phone in 2 mins.
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Probably, but use of cell phones is prohibited in secondary. He also was confident that he already activated it, so he thought it was a mistake...
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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