BajaNomad

SENTRI renewal questions

Whale-ista - 5-2-2014 at 03:18 PM

Just submitted my SENTRI renewal application, after letting it lapse a few years ago. After using the ReadyCard lane at Otay, and getting into the much shorter SENTRI line in error, I've realized the SENTRI is much better.

(Of course, now I'm hearing the SENTRI lanes are getting way overcrowded also... )

I had delayed applying for various reasons, including concerns over costs, but the charge for the renewal was only $25 since I was still in the system. So that was good news.

A few questions for those of you who have recently gone thru this:

1) Anyone know full costs? How much more will be added to the process once it is (hopefully quickly) approved?

2) Can 1 person register more than one vehicle? If so, do I need to make more than 1 trip to the office for the physical inspection and interview, or carpool down with both on the same day?

3) Can a camper shell on pickup truck be used in SENTRI? Mine has a small overhead for storage, no cabinets or bed though, so wondering if they will allow it. (I've read varying opinions/posts about this over the last year)

I may have more questions as the wait period commences. As instructed: I will log in next week, and check to see if there has been any progress...

Thanks for any information based on your recent experience with SENTRI.

durrelllrobert - 5-2-2014 at 03:29 PM

]http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/sentri


Required Fees[/b
Application Fee: $25.00 per person (or a maximum of $50.00 total for husband, wife and minor children)

Fingerprint Fee: $14.50 (applicants 14 years and older)

System Costs Fee: $80.00 per person (or a maximum of $160.00 total for a husband, wife and minor children)

Total Fee: $122.25 per person

If an approved participant wishes to register more than one vehicle for use in the SENTRI DCL lane (maximum of 4 vehicles), or an approved participant wishes to be registered in more than one vehicle (maximum of 8 persons per vehicle), an additional fee of $42.00 per vehicle will be assessed. Enrollees will be charged a $25.00 replacement fee for a lost, stolen, or destroyed card and a $42.00 replacement fee for a lost, stolen or destroyed vehicle ID tag.

[Edited on 5-2-2014 by durrelllrobert]

Whale-ista - 5-2-2014 at 04:53 PM

Thank you. I appreciate your help.

I didn't realize they still had ID tags for vehicles? I thought they had discontinued those.

Could others who have been thru this with truck shells comment on how trucks are treated?

And does anyone who has recently renewed a SENTRI have an approximate timeline for the process?

elgatoloco - 5-2-2014 at 04:56 PM

We renewed before expiration. Filled out info online 12/30/13 and we received new cards 2/26/14. :dudette:

bajaguy - 5-2-2014 at 05:02 PM

No ID tags for vehicles anymore

Basic "shells" are ok, any storage compartments may be a disqualifier.......they want to be able to look in for a quick check, not open doors or storage areas.

Each vehicle you want in the program has to be inspected

It can be as much as 8-10 weeks to get conditional approval

I'm not sure you are doing a "renewal". If you let a SENTRI expire, you have to start the process over, including the vehicle.

You can renew SENTRI up to a year prior to expiration, if you keep SENTRI current, it is not necessary to inspect the vehicle
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
Thank you. I appreciate your help.

I didn't realize they still had ID tags for vehicles? I thought they had discontinued those.

Could others who have been thru this with truck shells comment on how trucks are treated?

And does anyone who has recently renewed a SENTRI have an approximate timeline for the process?

Whale-ista - 5-2-2014 at 05:31 PM

Thanks for truck shell info. I do have a raised platform with storage under a sleeping area, so that might have to be removed.

As for status: When I log in to my account, the "application type" on the website page says "renewal." I already have an issued ID# that the system recognized when I submitted the latest application.

bajaguy - 5-2-2014 at 05:35 PM

OK, I mis-read your initial post.....I thought you said you let the SENTRI lapse.........
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
Thanks for truck shell info. I do have a raised platform with storage under a sleeping area, so that might have to be removed.

As for status: When I log in to my account, the "application type" on the website page says "renewal." I already have an issued ID# that the system recognized when I submitted the latest application.

dasubergeek - 5-3-2014 at 09:57 PM

Because surely there has never been a U.S. Government computer system that was anything less than 100 percent accurate and perfect. :lol::lol::lol:

When my (naked, spray-in bedliner) truck was inspected they said a standard shell was okay as long as it didn't have curtains in the shell windows, that a regular toolbox would be fine as long as it was able to be inspected by the inspector without having to climb in the bed of the truck, and that anything else was iffy or outright not allowed.

The vehicle inspection (for a replacement vehicle) was nearly nil... it took longer to greet the very nice interviewer inside and explain why I had taken out an appointment than to actually have the vehicle inspection done.

Expect any interaction to take 8-10 weeks to clear; it seems like they re-check your bona fides every time you renew, get a new vehicle, etc.

Oh, and my truck is blissfully sticker-free, other than the "Cruz Roja Mexicana" donation stickers that I can't get off without searching for my straight-edge razor. It turns out that the vehicles with SENTRI stickers were attracting things like magnetically-attached drug caches with GPS units, and OCR technology advanced far enough that the computer could read the license plate without a need for the barcoded sticker.

GBuff10 - 6-9-2014 at 10:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by elgatoloco
We renewed before expiration. Filled out info online 12/30/13 and we received new cards 2/26/14. :dudette:


Elgatoloco, for your renewal, did you have to go in for an interview or did the new cards just get mailed to you? And, if they just got mailed to you, did your online status change to "Approved" or notify you in some way to look for the new cards in the mail?

Filled out the renewal mid-May (before my membership expired), but online status still says "Pending Review."

Thanks for any insight you can give.

FYI

bajaguy - 6-9-2014 at 10:47 AM

You can renew up to a year BEFORE your SENTRI expiration date

elgatoloco - 6-9-2014 at 11:19 AM

We did not go in for interview. Did notice status change to approved while checking online and then received cards in mail shortly after. Can not recall if they sent email on status or not.

GBuff10 - 6-9-2014 at 11:37 AM

@Bajaguy, Yes, we will never make the mistake again of waiting until it's almost expired. Learned our lesson.

@Elgatoloco, Thanks for the quick response! Hopefully our experience is similar.

Keri - 6-9-2014 at 01:36 PM

Anyone add a second car at a later date. How did that go. Do we have to do a complete interview again. What papers will I need,k