Thanks to Custom & Border Protection's Global Entry Program, it's never been easier for Americans abroad to expedite the normal hassle and expense of international travel.

As part of CBP's "Trusted Traveler Program," enrolled Americans  can look forward to short lines, brief or no inspections, and prompt service. For global real estate investors who can pass CBP's thorough application process, jet-setting to and from your vacation home paradise becomes as easy as 1-2-3.

Below, we'll explore some of the reasons why Global Entry is a clear winner for both experienced travelers, and those just beginning their international odyssey.

Global Entry

Designated low-risk travelers can apply for the program through the CBP website. After approval, enrollees are granted the privilege of skipping the usual customs process, and instead use reserved walk-through kiosks.

Included with enrollment are TSA-PreCheck privileges, allowing members entry to their departure gate without body scans, carry-on inspection, or security pat downs. They also receive immediate access through reserved TSA PreCheck/Global Entry lines.

While U.S. citizens are the most common applicants, Global Entry is also available for citizens of Germany, Mexico, Canada, and the U.K. Valid for five years and easy to renew, acceptance into the program grants the enrollee unmatched VIP treatment whether flying to or from home.

"Global Entry makes international travel so much easier that you'll never want to go back to the standard TSA checkpoints. I recommend it to anyone who plans to visit The Bahamas frequently." -Chris Williams, CEO of Legacy Global Development

Expedited Security

Global Entry enrollees not importing large amounts of declared items or prohibited objects can skip customs upon arrival back in the U.S. Global Entry kiosks provide instant processing and reentry without lines. As the program expands, some vacation home destinations like the Nassau airport in the Bahamas now enjoy their own Global Entry sites, further reducing the strain of back-and-forth travel and allowing pre-clearance services (see below).

CBP's list of participating locales is growing rapidly, as popular vacation destinations realize the litany of benefits for both their guests and local economies.

Hassle-free Luggage & Transport

Transporting luggage, souvenirs, or the majority of consumer goods internationally is substantially easier with Global Entry privileges. Besides expedited inspection and processing services, enrollees are also permitted to avoid customs upon arrival, making it easy to acclimate to an international traveler lifestyle without the expense and delay of bringing personal items back and forth.

While international travel used to mean waiting, waiting, and more waiting, Global Entry enrollees can now make travel what it's supposed to be: part of an adventure.

Pre-Boarding Clearance

Global Entry is a relatively new program, but expanding rapidly. For popular destinations like the Bahamas, more and more flyers can now take advantage of pre-clearance services, allowing an approved traveler to dispense with the hassle of the normal re-entry process before they've boarded the flight home.

For Global Entry enrollees, this means a travel experience that requires far less time spent waiting, arriving early, or assembling luggage for inspection, and more time to enjoy the trip with minimal stress.

Global Privileges

Global Entry doesn't mean VIP status just entering the U.S. As the program expands, countries like Ireland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Bahamas now extend the same status to approved travelers. For an eligible applicant eying a second home in an exotic corner of the world, there is no better time to join the international real estate marketplace than with the receipt of your Global Entry card.

As we've seen above, programs like CBP's Global Entry make the prospect of the international traveler's lifestyle easy, affordable, and accessible to any person that qualifies. Without the hassle of security and customs, access to your vacation home paradise is only a plane ticket away.

Schedule a Discovery Stay to see our homes in person and to enjoy an epic getaway in paradise!