TSA brings its PreCheck enrollment to Westchester for a one-week test

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has decided to follow in the footsteps of the Customs and Border Protection Service (CBP), which used Westchester County Airport (HPN) on June 28 as a temporary one-day enrollment center for their Trusted Traveler/Global Entry program and bring their TSA PreCheck in-person enrollment process to HPN for a week from Aug. 5-9.

As the TSA said in a publicity release:

“Travelers need only to make an appointment online (appointments are being taken now) and complete their enrollment in-person or as a walk-in. Locate the enrollment center in the arrivals area near baggage claim. The center will be open from Monday, Aug. 5, through Friday, Aug. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon and afternoons from 1 to 5 p.m.

To participate in this enrollment opportunity, travelers should make an appointment online and pre-enroll online. It typically only takes 10 minutes to pre-enroll. After completing the pre-enrollment steps, applicants select the enrollment site for “White Plains, N.Y.” and select “Pop-up: HPN.” Applicants can select an appointment time using the drop-down menu to choose a date and time. The drop-down menu will show the first available time available, but individuals can choose a different date and/or time using that drop-down menu.

Applicants must bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status. Visit the Universal Enroll website for a list of required documents to prove identity and citizenship.”

The application fee is $78 and is good for five years. It must be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Fingerprints and a photograph also are required during the in-person enrollment session.

After completing enrollment, successful applicants will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) via U.S. mail within about 10 days that is valid for five years. Many individuals are approved in just a few days after completing the in-person appointment, so applicants are encouraged to check your status online.”

The TSA does not mention that for a fee of $100, usually refunded by credit card companies, air travelers can enroll in the CBP’s Trusted Traveler/Global Entry program which not only provides TSA Pre-Check Known Traveler Number clearance, but gives U.S. citizens entering the country from an international destination the opportunity to cut long lines at border entry locations and identify themselves through facial recognition, fingerprints, and passports.

The CBP offering is, like that of the TSA, also for five years, but it is a much more comprehensive system that costs just $22 more.

The two government agencies are competing for the air traveler’s dollar with programs promoted by separate taxpayer-funded public relations offices.