What to Expect Before, During, and After the Call
One of the most common questions travelers ask before scheduling a consultation is: what actually happens during the call? It is a fair question. Many people have never spoken with a Global Entry lawyer before. Some are worried they will be pressured to hire a law firm. Others are unsure whether they even have a case.
The purpose of the consultation is to help answer those questions. It is not a high-pressure sales call. It is an opportunity for us to learn about your situation, evaluate the available information, discuss potential strategies, and determine whether legal representation is likely to add value.
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What Should I Bring to the Consultation?
The good news is that you usually do not need much. If available, it is helpful to have your Global Entry denial or revocation notice, any relevant court records, customs documentation, prior appeal decisions, FOIA responses, and other records you believe may be relevant.
However, do not worry if you do not have these documents. Many clients contact us before they have gathered any records at all. The consultation is often the first step in figuring out what records actually matter.
What We Discuss During the Consultation
Every consultation is different. However, most conversations focus on several core topics.
What Happened?
We begin by understanding the facts — when were you denied or revoked, have you previously had Global Entry, have you already appealed, do you know why the government denied or revoked you, and have there been any criminal, customs, travel, or other issues that may be relevant?
What Information Is Available?
Next, we discuss the available records — court records, customs records, FOIA responses, appeal decisions, and other supporting documentation. Sometimes the issue is already obvious. Sometimes additional investigation may be necessary.
What Is the Government’s Likely Concern?
This is often the most important part of the conversation. Global Entry appeals are fundamentally risk-assessment cases. The key question is often not whether an incident occurred — the key question is whether the government believes that incident affects your status as a low-risk traveler under 8 CFR § 235.12. Understanding that concern is often the first step toward developing a strategy. Global Entry Appeal Strategy & Winning.
Is There a Realistic Path Forward?
This is usually the question clients care about most. The answer depends on the facts. Our goal is to provide an honest assessment based on the information available — including strengths, weaknesses, risks, possible next steps, and whether legal representation is likely to add value. We believe realistic expectations are important.
What If You Do Not Know Why You Were Denied?
This is extremely common. Many denial notices provide very little useful information. That is okay. Part of the consultation involves discussing potential issues, available records, whether FOIA may be useful, and how the denial might be investigated. You do not need to have all of the answers before scheduling a consultation. Guide to unexplained Global Entry denials.
What If Your Case Is Difficult?
Many consultations involve criminal history, DUI issues, customs violations, marijuana-related incidents, revocations, association concerns, and unexplained denials. The purpose of the consultation is not to determine whether your case is perfect — it is to determine whether a realistic path forward exists.
What Happens After the Consultation?
Representation May Make Sense — if we believe legal representation is likely to provide meaningful value, we will discuss the next steps. What We Do in a Global Entry Appeal.
Additional Information May Be Needed — sometimes additional records or investigation are necessary before a final recommendation can be made.
We May Decline Representation — not every case is appropriate for representation. If we do not believe a realistic path forward exists, we may decline the matter. When We May Decline a Global Entry Case.
What We Do Not Do
The consultation is not a guarantee of approval, a promise that representation will be offered, a formal legal opinion, or a commitment to a particular strategy. It is an evaluation process designed to determine whether representation is likely to provide meaningful value and whether a realistic path forward appears to exist.
The Bottom Line
A free Global Entry consultation is an opportunity to discuss your situation, evaluate the available information, identify the government’s likely concern, and determine whether a realistic path forward exists. You do not need to have all the records. You do not need to know exactly why you were denied. And you do not need to decide whether you want to hire a lawyer before the call. The goal is simply to understand the situation and determine what makes the most sense moving forward.
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