How long for TSA pre approval check?

[Pooh2]

We got Pre-check about a month ago. We applied online and booked an appt for about a week later for the interview. The interview took about 10 minutes each, got fingerprinted and got our approval letter about 10 days later in the mail.
They were taking walk-ins at the TSA Precheck center as well.

 

[mousefan]

we went to satellite pre check center on April 28th just walked in (no appointment )with papers in hand , completed the forms with agent and out the door in about 15 minutes and today in mail came our approval letter with our traveler id

you can search for centers here : https://universalenroll.dhs.gov/locator?serviceCode=11115V

 

[rascalmom]

I applied at the IND airport - they have a location in the food court area of the terminal. I fly through there often, so I just took my documents with me and did a walk-in appointment. It took about 10 days (maybe a bit less) to get my KTN.

I got the random pre-check often up to that point if I was traveling on an airline on which I had status. I'm not sure that's related, but I got it much more often than when I flew other airlines. I travel with a laptop always, so its nice to not have to pull that out and the lines move faster.

 

[jo-jo]

I looked at the link posted but I don't see when you need to go for an interview. Are they just at airports?

 

[rigs32]

My city does the interviews through a background check company and not at the airport, so it really depends. Sadly, we don't have the ability to get global entry here because there are only domestic flights from our airport I assume.

That said, at FLL, I had a huge pre check line but it still went much faster than regular because you don't have to take shoes off and remove things from your bags.

Last time I flew, there was only one person in front of me in the pre check line, but she'd gotten it free and never been through before so it took her much longer than normal to get through. I still can't explain why, but she somehow took almost ten minutes to put her bags on the belt and go through the scanner.

Frankly, that's the one reason I don't like random free pre check assignments - people who don't know what they're doing slow things down for everyone else who paid.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

DH and I did the online application last Sunday and went in for our interview and fingerprints on Thursday. It only took 48 hours for DH to get his approval and number! Of course, no sign of mine.....It's likely because DH has pretty high security clearance because of his job with a military contractor.I expect mine will take the normal 2 weeks.
eta: Nope, I guess it was not DH's existing security clearance; I just got my notification of approval. Two days is excellent!

 

[Galahad]

If you ever travel abroad, Global Entry is the way to go. You get both TSA pre-check and expedited re-entry into the U.S. One of our destinations recently was the U.K. and once we had checked in and out of the U.K. being holders of Global Entry we were given U.K.'s version of it as well. I would assume that other countries would offer the same thing (though there is no automatic reciprocity yet) (ETA: DW and I both have security clearances. Got our Global Entry Cards about a week after our interview and fingerprinting)

 

[Lintasare]

I will be traveling to India 3 times this year so I am definitely looking into Global Entry. The pre-check is just a bonus.

 

[Jillpie]

I often get it, even though i never applied for it, they do it randomly ? I thought it was cause Im sexy

You will surely get it every time. You need not apply, they should just know better when you walk thru their line come on now.

 

[klmall]

We have flown four times round trip in the US since January for a total of 10 different flights on the same airline (We were house hunting in another state). DH was splurging and wanted to be more comfortable due to his scoliosis so we went First Class each time though it bothered me to spend the money!

For whatever reasons or luck we got TSA Pre nine out of the ten times! We asked a few fellow First Class passengers on a couple of the flights and they reported the same good luck!

Anywho, the one time we didn't get TSA Pre I actually went to the wrong line and was turned back; I hadn't even checked my boarding pass closely enough to notice assuming that traveling First Class gave us the edge.

And at least 2 of these flights were right after the Brussels bombings when we saw heightened security everywhere in the airports.

No matter why we got TSA Pre I am so grateful especially hearing about the horrible airport security lines this past week.