TSA Precheck

[kiwimum]

Completed  online application for TSA precheck  on Saturday evening and secured an appt for documentation check, fingerprints, etc for Monday morning.   Fortunately San Diego has a processing site at the local Staples.  Received confirmation and KTN number Tuesday afternoon.  
Amazed at the speed of approval.
 

[CruiserBruce]

It can go really quick, with the appointment for the in person appointment always being the slow part for us.

[Z'Loth]

It's much easier to get a TSA-Precheck only appointment than a Global Entry appointment. 

[kiwimum]

14 minutes ago, Z'Loth said:

It's much easier to get a TSA-Precheck only appointment than a Global Entry appointment. 

Unfortunately I am not eligible for Global Entry.  

[Astro Flyer]

7 hours ago, Z'Loth said:

It's much easier to get a TSA-Precheck only appointment than a Global Entry appointment. 

When we considered Global Entry the earliest appointment was a year later unless we wanted to fly hours from LAX to Texas or Seattle…crazy! Instead we went to Staples & like ‘kiwimum’ had our KTN the next day.

 

[klfrodo]

After having pre-check for years, applied for and received after the program first stared, it was a breeze to pass through TSA.

Then, a couple of years ago, Pre-Check lines were backing up terribly. So I then applied for and received CLEAR. With Pre-Check and CLEAR, I was getting thru even faster than before.

Now, with everybody and their brother with Pre-Check, and CLEAR becoming more popular, I just hope the biometric, NBC detection equipment, and facial recognition becomes more accepted, and we can do away or dramatically reduce security lines at all.

 

[Z'Loth]

On 6/16/2023 at 9:40 PM, Astro Flyer said:

When we considered Global Entry the earliest appointment was a year later unless we wanted to fly hours from LAX to Texas or Seattle…crazy! Instead we went to Staples & like ‘kiwimum’ had our KTN the next day.

 

No kidding. According to some reports, the backlog for an interview appointment is up to 18 MONTHS. You might be better off to take a overnight trip to Mexico and then doing a "Interview On Entry" once conditional approval was granted. And, they are also saying that if you aren't traveling internationally more than once-twice a year, you are better off using TSA-Precheck, but you cannot apply the unused portion to a Global Entry application. 

This is why you need to double-check the expiration of your passport and your TSA-Precheck or Global Entry. If it's less than a year to expiration and no travel is expected in the near future, then apply for the renewal now... and hopefully, it'll be done before Christmas. 

[SelectSys]

On 6/19/2023 at 11:35 AM, Z'Loth said:

You might be better off to take a overnight trip to Mexico and then doing a "Interview On Entry" once conditional approval was granted

My brother and sister-in-law did exactly that as part of a scheduled trip to Mexico that coincided with their conditional approval.  They did the interview at LAX and said the whole process was super quick.

[Mary229]

Mine was super fast and it sure makes life easy.   I have never had an issue with long waits coming home to my home airport so I haven’t bothered with global entry. 

[FlyerTalker]

34 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Mine was super fast and it sure makes life easy.   I have never had an issue with long waits coming home to my home airport so I haven’t bothered with global entry. 

 

Many times, GE will eliminate any wait.  On my most recent arrival, I walked up to a GE kiosk.  Without needing to scan my passport or any other input, the kiosk camera identified me and sent me off to the CBP officer who waved me through to baggage claim.

 

Total time standing at the kiosk was under 10 seconds.

 

On 6/19/2023 at 11:35 AM, Z'Loth said:

No kidding. According to some reports, the backlog for an interview appointment is up to 18 MONTHS.

 

And, for my recent renewal, I was able to find a local appointment three days after my conditional approval.  And other times were available four, five, eight and nine days later.  Plus the option for Zoom interview.  Much depends on where you are trying to get your appointment