TSA Precheck timing-how long before approval?

[frannn]

We are planning to sign up for TSA Precheck but then realized we may not have enough time. We have about 45 days- how long does it take to get approval once we complete the online application? Also wondering about how to list our names when applying. DH's ID reflects only his middle initial while DD's has her full middle name. Should we copy whats on our IDs or birth certificates? Thanks!

 

[rlk]

We are planning to sign up for TSA Precheck but then realized we may not have enough time. We have about 45 days- how long does it take to get approval once we complete the online application? Also wondering about how to list our names when applying. DH's ID reflects only his middle initial while DD's has her full middle name. Should we copy whats on our IDs or birth certificates? Thanks!

My husband, youngest son, and I signed up at Staples at the beginning of the summer. We all received our TSA numbers within three days. My oldest son also signed up at Staples about a week after we did and he had to wait about 2 weeks for his TSA number.

We used the names exactly as they are on our passports.

 

[LadybugsMum]

Getting an appointment for the interview will probably be the bigger issue. You should get your KTN within 24-48 hours after the appt. I'm not sure if you can check appointment availability ahead of time or not, but do the application and then take the soonest available appt.

 

[reddog21]

Getting an appointment for the interview will probably be the bigger issue. You should get your KTN within 24-48 hours after the appt. I'm not sure if you can check appointment availability ahead of time or not, but do the application and then take the soonest available appt.

100% agree it took me 3 weeks to get the appointment but had my number in 4 days. I would get the first appt available then check periodically to see any new times open up. We had several open up before our org appt but they were just at times we couldn’t make it.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I got my appointment a couple weeks after I applied and got our numbers days after that.

 

[EACarlson]

Interview appointments for Pre aren't nearly the problem that they are for Global Entry. I had my number within 4 days after they took the prints, my wife got hers a day or so later. Start the process as soon as you can. Name needs to match exactly what is on the ID. If the ID doesn't match the birth certificate and you don't have a passport, they may deny you since the documents don't match.

 

[AgentMama]

Appointments are super easy to get here for TSA. My brother just did his and got his number within 48 hours. Global Entry is very difficult for appointments.

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

My husband, youngest son, and I signed up at Staples at the beginning of the summer. We all received our TSA numbers within three days. My oldest son also signed up at Staples about a week after we did and he had to wait about 2 weeks for his TSA number.

We used the names exactly as they are on our passports.

Staples??
I wasn’t aware of that!

 

[EACarlson]

Some Staples, not all. https://www.identogo.com/staples

 

[rlk]

Staples??
I wasn’t aware of that!

Yes, check the link the PP posted. The Staples near me had appointments available immediately and was so easy.

 

[rwdavis2]

Appointments are super easy to get here for TSA. My brother just did his and got his number within 48 hours. Global Entry is very difficult for appointments.

We have been waiting since March after applying for Global Entry.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Yeah we had no issue going to staples for ours but because of my work schedule it took a couple weeks to get in. I had to go out of town to get it. I had booked at my town AAA as they were doing it there for a week but then they cancelled it

 

[kittercats85]

I also did mine at Staples. I was able to get an appointment a few days after I filled out the online form but my husband had to wait a few weeks. They did offer walk in appointments but it said that scheduled appointments would always be taken first. But I guess if you had time to wait for it, it could be effective as well.

 

[gharter]

When we originally applied, it took about a week after our application to be able s=to set a "final interview" time. Once that was done, we had our number in 1-2 days.

 

[Shannon G]

We have been waiting since March after applying for Global Entry.

When I applied for global entry a few months back, I stalked the web site for an appointment - people cancel & appointments pop up, but you have to be lucky enough to be checking at the right time and grab it quickly. I just kept searching over & over while watching tv one night, and was able to get an appointment that was within a week of getting my conditional approval.

 

[easyas123]

We have been waiting since March after applying for Global Entry.

When I applied for global entry a few months back, I stalked the web site for an appointment - people cancel & appointments pop up, but you have to be lucky enough to be checking at the right time and grab it quickly. I just kept searching over & over while watching tv one night, and was able to get an appointment that was within a week of getting my conditional approval.

If it helps - there is a ap for this! The ap does not allow you to schedule a interview, what it does do it pop up with notifications when there is a available day/time at your pre - selected locations where you are willing to travel to interview.

We applied - my husband had his conditional approval (or whatever it is called) and ability to go interview in 24 hours. I'm still waiting, and it's been a good month. We wonder if my husband got approved so fast due to his already being cleared for base passed on Ft. Meade/NSA & Ft. Belvoir - but who knows. I've read it can take upwards of 9 months to hear back.

The app is called Global Interview. Again, it doesn't let you schedule - just alerts you to openings. And I was told by a border agent that they often release openings on Tuesdays, sometimes Mondays. No idea if it's true or not...just passing it along!

We have a international flight later this year, might do the walk-in interview when we arrive, although honestly the last thing I feel like doing is waiting around after a long vacation and a 10 hour flight.

 

[Donna M]

I used Staples, got an appointment for a few days out but walked in that day around 10:00 and waited for the person in front of me to finish up. No one was there waiting. My dh did the same thing the next day and did not have to wait either. Numbers came within a couple of days.

 

[Shannon G]

We applied - my husband had his conditional approval (or whatever it is called) and ability to go interview in 24 hours. I'm still waiting, and it's been a good month. We wonder if my husband got approved so fast due to his already being cleared for base passed on Ft. Meade/NSA & Ft. Belvoir - but who knows. I've read it can take upwards of 9 months to hear back.

Wow - within the last few months, 4 of us (me, my oldest daughter, my friend, & her daughter) all applied for global entry in preparation for a trip in 2023. We all had our conditional approval within a few days (mine was approved the day after I applied).

 

[Mrs.AMC]

If it helps - there is a ap for this! The ap does not allow you to schedule a interview, what it does do it pop up with notifications when there is a available day/time at your pre - selected locations where you are willing to travel to interview.

We applied - my husband had his conditional approval (or whatever it is called) and ability to go interview in 24 hours. I'm still waiting, and it's been a good month. We wonder if my husband got approved so fast due to his already being cleared for base passed on Ft. Meade/NSA & Ft. Belvoir - but who knows. I've read it can take upwards of 9 months to hear back.

The app is called Global Interview. Again, it doesn't let you schedule - just alerts you to openings. And I was told by a border agent that they often release openings on Tuesdays, sometimes Mondays. No idea if it's true or not...just passing it along!

We have a international flight later this year, might do the walk-in interview when we arrive, although honestly the last thing I feel like doing is waiting around after a long vacation and a 10 hour flight.

We had our conditional approval for an interview within 24 hours after submitting our application but we didn't have an office in our city so we did our interview when we returned from an international flight. It just turned out to be so much easier. It was just as easy as travelling 2 hours to an interview office. It was during our layover anyway. It didn't take long. With interviews so hard to come by it does seem like lots are doing them upon a return so there was a few others ahead of us and behind us too.
We had our GE number within a couple of days. We already had TSA Precheck for about 10 years so I don't know if that had anything to do with it how quick our process went or not

 

[jo-jo]

I used Staples, got an appointment for a few days out but walked in that day around 10:00 and waited for the person in front of me to finish up. No one was there waiting. My dh did the same thing the next day and did not have to wait either. Numbers came within a couple of days.

DH and I having been going back and forth on this. We may only fly a few times more in our lives. But decided to go for it.

Did you make an appointment but happen to be at staples and took care of it?

Staples by us, doesn't have an appointment for three weeks, I'd rather try for a walk in a few days. I'd be curious if it's waiting 1 hour or 5.