TSA Precheck Question

[Shannon G]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, but it IS transportation related in a way, so...

I am helping my mom apply for TSA Precheck. She does not have a valid passport, so will need to bring certified copies of her birth certificate and marriage certificate. My question is do they actually take those and keep them at the interview, or just look at them & give them back? Just trying to determine if she should get another certified copy before she goes.

 

[OKW Lover]

The look (and copy IIRC) but you do get them back before you leave.

 

[Shannon G]

The look (and copy IIRC) but you do get them back before you leave.

Thanks!

 

[LadybugsMum]

A copy was made of my passport, but they didn't keep the passport itself.

 

[KPeterso]

Definitely made a copy and gave me back the original when I got precheck. I had to special order it from my birth state as I could not find my original one. I would have been mad having to order and pay for the copy and then not getting it back.

 

[Tess]

Probably depends upon the state--not that the TSA would keep it.

In MI, I was told I needed to bring my Driver's License, Birth Certificate and Marriage License. I thought it odd because MI has the "Enhanced" driver's license. They have already inspected these documents with regard to name change, etc. Got to our TSA appointment and all I needed was my Enhanced DL--she specifically said that she didn't know why that is on the website when it has already been verified through our SoS.

 

[_19disnA]

When I applied for TSA a couple of years ago, their website listed a choice of documents to bring to the interview. I don't believe the requirements are state specific and are the same for everyone.

They made photocopies during the interview and returned all of the originals to me. My impression is that everything gets stored electronically in their database and they would have no need to actually retain the physical copy (i.e. where would they file them and what good would that do?) I scheduled my interview at the airport when returning from a planned vacation. Good to know that if you are LATE for your appointment, you had to go to the end of the line with everyone else showing up without an appointment. The process was fairly quick and I got the approval about a week later as I recall.

 

[mikehn]

I just renewed mine last week. In addition to live interviews, now they do zoom interviews. I opted for a zoom interview. The agent asked me to hold up my passport to the camera so he could see it. That was it.

 

[kristenrice]

Probably depends upon the state--not that the TSA would keep it.

In MI, I was told I needed to bring my Driver's License, Birth Certificate and Marriage License. I thought it odd because MI has the "Enhanced" driver's license. They have already inspected these documents with regard to name change, etc. Got to our TSA appointment and all I needed was my Enhanced DL--she specifically said that she didn't know why that is on the website when it has already been verified through our SoS.

I had enhanced state ID's for my kids (ages 12 and 15 at the time) and that was all they needed when I got TSA-pre for them. I had their birth certs and SS cards with me, but after they pulled out their ID cards, the rep told me that was all they needed. FWIW, DD12 didn't need TSA-pre at the time of application because she was only 12, but when we were going to travel, she would be 13, which is why we got it.

 

[Lilsia]

I just renewed mine last week. In addition to live interviews, now they do zoom interviews. I opted for a zoom interview. The agent asked me to hold up my passport to the camera so he could see it. That was it.

I wonder if this is new. When I renewed my a couple of years ago, I just had to fill out the form online. I did not have to do any kind of interview.

 

[Donna M]

I just applied this past Thursday, went for a walk in interview on Friday, and got my KTN on Saturday. Super quick, there was one woman before me. I wouldn´t call it an interview necessarily, more like he just verified what I had entered on the application, took a digital copy of my passport, took a photo and fingerprinted me, and took my money, less than 10 minutes. Here in NH some Staple stores conduct the interview. It was such an easy process.

But, to add some stress for an upcoming trip, I read somewhere that your ticket and tsa name need to match exactly, middle name or just initial. So I had to have my middle name added to some upcoming tickets which took forever.

 

[_19disnA]

Some others have talked about that middle name issue on here, but has never been an issue to me. I have never used a middle initial/name on any airline website when buying a ticket. None of us know for sure exactly how their match to the TSA database works, I can only speak to what my experience has been. You should enter that KTN (known traveler number) to all of your online airline profiles to make sure you get pre-check.

 

[Donna M]

Some others have talked about that middle name issue on here, but has never been an issue to me. I have never used a middle initial/name on any airline website when buying a ticket. None of us know for sure exactly how their match to the TSA database works, I can only speak to what my experience has been. You should enter that KTN (known traveler number) to all of your online airline profiles to make sure you get pre-check.

Are you saying that your tsa form has your middle name, but your tickets do not, and you have not had any problems getting through precheck?

 

[_19disnA]

Correct, has never been an issue for me.

 

[DebbieB]

I’m not sure what my TSA has but my passport has my full middle name. I’ve never had an issue with my tickets showing no middle name or just A.

 

[Jimsig]

I wonder if this is new. When I renewed my a couple of years ago, I just had to fill out the form online. I did not have to do any kind of interview.

Sometimes when you renew they will have you interview again. Not sure how often it happens but it can.

 

[JanJan324]

I just renewed mine last week. In addition to live interviews, now they do zoom interviews. I opted for a zoom interview. The agent asked me to hold up my passport to the camera so he could see it. That was it.

Was that global entry, not precheck? I can guarantee you that precheck interview do NOT have the zoom option(I'm a company employee).

 

[gharter]

They made copies and fingerprinted you. It took us all of 10 minutes and since has been worth every penny.

 

[mikehn]

Thanks for pointing it out, so to correct my previous post, my Tsa precheck comes with my global entry program. Apparently that may have a different set of interview procedures than tsa precheck that come with other programs, or even as a stand alone.

 

[gharter]

We just renewed ours online. So simple, took about 5 minutes per person.
Its still worth every penny.