Not on a Guatemalan passport alone. CBP’s Global Entry eligibility page, read on 10 November 2026, lists US citizens, US lawful permanent residents and citizens of 23 named countries, and Guatemala is not on that list, although El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico are. A Guatemalan with a US green card can apply as a lawful permanent resident, to Global Entry and to TSA PreCheck alike.
In short: Your status in the United States, or citizenship of one of the 23 countries on CBP’s list, decides eligibility, not the trip. Green card holders and US citizens can apply to both programs; a Guatemalan passport with a US visa does not open either one. On the way home from Guatemala, Global Entry works when you land in the US (Guatemala City has no US preclearance), PreCheck applies to flights leaving US airports, and Mobile Passport Control is a free CBP app, without an application, for US citizens, green card holders, Canadian B1/B2 visitors and returning Visa Waiver travelers with an approved ESTA.
Who can apply
| Your situation | Global Entry (CBP) | TSA PreCheck application (TSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemalan passport only, with or without a US visa | Guatemala is not on CBP’s list of eligible citizenships | TSA: only open to US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents |
| Guatemalan with a US green card | Eligible to apply as a lawful permanent resident | Eligible to apply as a lawful permanent resident |
| US citizen, including dual US-Guatemalan citizens | Eligible to apply | Eligible to apply |
| Guatemalan who also holds citizenship of a listed country | Can apply through that country’s arrangement, which may add requirements | Cannot apply to TSA’s own program without US citizenship or permanent residence; CBP says Global Entry members are eligible for TSA PreCheck benefits |
Sources: CBP eligibility (page last modified 27 October 2026) and the TSA PreCheck FAQ, both read 10 November 2026.
CBP’s list names citizens of Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, India, Japan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico (Mexican nationals), the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Guatemala is not on the list; CBP’s page carries no separate statement about Guatemala. Its FAQ explains that foreign nationals take part through their country’s arrangement with CBP, and TSA’s FAQ points foreign citizens to Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI rather than PreCheck.
Being eligible to apply is not approval. CBP lists reasons for refusal that include any criminal conviction or pending charge (driving under the influence included), customs or immigration violations in any country, and being inadmissible to the United States, “including applicants with approved waivers of inadmissibility or parole documentation”.
What it costs and how applying works
- Fee and length: $120 non-refundable for five years of Global Entry membership, which includes TSA PreCheck. Minors under 18 pay nothing when a parent or legal guardian is enrolled or has an application pending. CBP’s comparison table gives PreCheck on its own as $85 or less for five years.
- Background check: CBP says most applications are reviewed within 2 weeks, and some take up to 12 months or longer depending on criminal history.
- Interview: required for first-time enrollment. Bring a valid passport (all of them, if you travel on more than one) and, as a lawful permanent resident, your machine-readable permanent resident card.
- Children: CBP says Global Entry has no minimum age requirement; under-18s need a parent’s or guardian’s consent, and that adult must attend the interview.
- Enrollment on Arrival: a conditionally approved applicant can do the interview on landing at a participating US airport instead of booking an enrollment center, which can mean the flight back from Guatemala. CBP lists the airports and the arrival hours each one runs it.
TSA says you cannot switch or upgrade between programs: a PreCheck member who wants Global Entry applies as a new applicant and pays the $120. TSA adds that current PreCheck members may be eligible for expedited Global Entry processing if they give CBP their Known Traveler Number.
On the flight home from Guatemala
No US inspection before you board in Guatemala. CBP’s preclearance page counts 16 locations in 6 countries where its officers inspect travelers before US-bound flights, and names them: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Nassau in the Bahamas; and Calgary, Toronto, Billy Bishop Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg in Canada. Guatemala City is not on it (read 10 November 2026), so you clear US immigration and customs after landing.
Global Entry, at the US airport. CBP describes the program as expedited clearance for pre-approved travelers on arrival in the United States, available at major US airports. A green card holder uses the I-551 permanent resident card with the Global Entry processing technology; the Global Entry card itself does not work when entering by air. Members still have to declare all agricultural products, and CBP warns that failing to declare them can bring fines and penalties of up to $10,000. Members can still be selected for further examination.
Mobile Passport Control, if you have no Global Entry. The CBP app is free, needs no application, background check or fingerprints, and is open to US citizens, lawful permanent residents, Canadian B1/B2 visitors and returning Visa Waiver travelers with an approved ESTA. You scan your passport, take a selfie and answer the customs questions up to 4 hours before landing, for up to 12 people on one phone, then use the MPC line. On 10 November 2026 CBP listed 63 MPC sites, among them Atlanta, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Houston Intercontinental, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Dulles, JFK, Newark and Chicago O’Hare. If your flight is diverted to an airport without MPC, it cannot be used.
TSA PreCheck, for the onward flight. TSA describes PreCheck as expedited security screening for flights departing from US airports, including a US airport to a foreign country and domestic connections after you return. Its FAQ does not name any airport in Guatemala. To get it, the Known Traveler Number (for Global Entry members, the CBP PASSID) must be in the airline reservation and the PreCheck indicator must appear on the boarding pass; TSA adds that no traveler is guaranteed expedited screening.
The Guatemala side of the same trip has its own rules: see carry-on and liquids rules at Guatemala’s airport and the Guatemala customs declaration form. For which ID a Guatemalan passport holder can show at a US airport, see flying within the US with a Guatemalan passport; for entering Guatemala on a green card and a third-country passport, see Guatemala entry for green card holders.
Sources
- US Customs and Border Protection, Global Entry eligibility, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, Global Entry overview, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, How to apply, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, Global Entry FAQ, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, Enrollment on Arrival, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, Preclearance, cbp.gov/travel/preclearance, read 10 November 2026.
- US Customs and Border Protection, Mobile Passport Control, cbp.gov, read 10 November 2026.
- Transportation Security Administration, TSA PreCheck FAQ, tsa.gov/precheck/faq, read 10 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Guatemalan citizens get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck?
Not on a Guatemalan passport alone. CBP’s Global Entry eligibility page, read 10 November 2026, lists US citizens, US lawful permanent residents and citizens of 23 named countries; Guatemala is not among them, while El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico are. TSA says its own PreCheck application is only open to US citizens, US nationals and lawful permanent residents. A Guatemalan with a US green card can apply to both as a lawful permanent resident.
I have a US tourist visa and a Guatemalan passport. Can I apply for Global Entry?
CBP says foreign nationals take part through their country’s trusted traveler arrangement with CBP, and Guatemala is not on its list of eligible citizenships (read 10 November 2026). A US visa is not one of the categories CBP prints.
Does Global Entry work when I fly home from Guatemala?
Yes, at the US end. CBP describes Global Entry as expedited clearance on arrival in the United States, available at major US airports. CBP’s preclearance page lists 16 locations in 6 countries where US inspection happens before boarding; Guatemala City is not one of them (read 10 November 2026), so the inspection happens when you land.
Can I use TSA PreCheck at La Aurora airport in Guatemala City?
TSA describes PreCheck as expedited screening for flights departing from US airports, including flights from a US airport to a foreign country and domestic connections after you return to the United States. Its FAQ does not list any airport in Guatemala (read 10 November 2026).
What can a US traveler without Global Entry use on the flight home?
Mobile Passport Control, a free CBP app with no application or background check, open to US citizens, lawful permanent residents, Canadian B1/B2 visitors and returning Visa Waiver travelers with an approved ESTA. You submit your details up to 4 hours before landing at a participating airport; CBP listed 63 sites on 10 November 2026, including Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dulles and JFK.
How much does Global Entry cost and how long does it last?
CBP charges a $120 non-refundable application fee for five years of membership, and Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck. Minors are free when a parent or legal guardian is enrolled or applying. CBP’s comparison table gives TSA PreCheck on its own as $85 or less for five years.
