Yes, a permanent resident can get TSA PreCheck. The program is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents, and Green Card holders apply through the same process citizens use.1Transportation Security Administration. Who Can Apply for TSA PreCheck Fees run from roughly $77 to $85 depending on the enrollment provider, and approved members get five years of expedited screening.
Who Is Eligible
TSA limits PreCheck to three groups: U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents.1Transportation Security Administration. Who Can Apply for TSA PreCheck If you hold any other status — a work visa, a student visa, temporary protected status — you cannot apply. Green Card holders sit on equal footing with citizens for this program because permanent residents have already cleared extensive federal background checks during the immigration process.
TSA can still deny you for certain criminal convictions, false statements on the application, or federal security violations.1Transportation Security Administration. Who Can Apply for TSA PreCheck Those specifics are further down.
Which Documents to Bring
At the enrollment center, you need one original identity document from TSA’s accepted list. For most permanent residents, that is your Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) — the Green Card. You do not need a passport in addition.
The accepted documents for permanent residents are:
- Permanent Resident Card (I-551), the standard Green Card.
- Unexpired foreign passport containing an immigrant visa with the notation “Upon Endorsement Serves as Temporary I-551 Evidencing Permanent Residence of 1 Year.”
- Unexpired Re-entry Permit (Form I-327), issued to permanent residents who travel abroad for extended periods.2Transportation Security Administration. Required Documents for TSA PreCheck Application
The name on your document must exactly match the name you enter on the application. If you changed your name through marriage, divorce, or court order since your Green Card was issued, bring the original name-change document along with your ID.2Transportation Security Administration. Required Documents for TSA PreCheck Application
How to Apply and What It Costs
The application runs in two stages. You start online at tsa.gov/precheck and pick one of three enrollment providers: CLEAR, IDEMIA, or Telos.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck Each provider runs its own centers, so choose whichever has a convenient location. The online form asks for your full legal name, date of birth, five years of address history, and questions about criminal history. Answer honestly. TSA cross-checks against federal databases, and inconsistencies lead to automatic denials.
Then you schedule an in-person appointment, though walk-ins are accepted. The visit runs about ten minutes. An agent checks your identity document, takes your photo, and collects your fingerprints. Payment happens at this visit, not online — first-time applicants cannot pay during pre-enrollment.4Transportation Security Administration. How Do I Apply for TSA PreCheck
Fees for a new five-year membership are $76.75 with IDEMIA, $76.75 with Telos, and $85.00 with CLEAR. They are non-refundable, even if the application is denied.3Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck Many travel credit cards reimburse the PreCheck or Global Entry fee, so check your card benefits before paying out of pocket.
Renewal is cheaper and can be done online. IDEMIA charges $58.75 online or $66.75 in person; Telos charges $69.95 online or $58.75 in person; CLEAR charges $69.95 online or $79.95 in person.5Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck Renewals
After Approval: Your Known Traveler Number
Most applicants get results in three to five days, though some cases take up to 60 days.6Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck FAQ Once approved, TSA assigns you a Known Traveler Number (KTN). That number is what triggers PreCheck screening at the airport, and you need to add it to every airline reservation.
Enter your KTN in the traveler profile on each airline’s website or app. Your full name and date of birth in the reservation must match what you gave during enrollment exactly. Even a missing middle name can keep the PreCheck indicator off your boarding pass.7Transportation Security Administration. How Do I Add My Known Traveler Number (KTN) to Previous Reservations If you already have flights booked, contact the airline to add your KTN to those reservations.
Criminal History That Can Block You
TSA sorts disqualifying convictions into two categories. Some are permanent bars. Others are time-limited.
Permanent Bars
Certain felony convictions disqualify you for life. They include espionage, treason, sedition, murder, federal terrorism offenses, crimes involving transportation security incidents, dealing in explosives, and threatening to detonate a lethal device at a public facility.8eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.103 – Disqualifying Criminal Offenses Attempt and conspiracy for any of these carry the same permanent bar.
Interim Bars
A second group of felonies disqualifies you only if the conviction was within seven years of your application date, or your release from incarceration was within five years of the application date.9Transportation Security Administration. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors These include firearms offenses, robbery, extortion, bribery, fraud and identity fraud, drug distribution or importation, arson, kidnapping, rape or aggravated sexual abuse, assault with intent to kill, voluntary manslaughter, and smuggling or immigration violations. Once enough time has passed, you become eligible again.
If TSA Denies You
If TSA finds you ineligible, it sends a Preliminary Determination of Ineligibility letter. You then have 60 days to respond. You can request an appeal, a waiver, or both.10Transportation Security Administration. What if I Receive a Preliminary Determination of Ineligibility Letter From TSA The waiver matters most for interim disqualifications. TSA weighs the circumstances of the offense, restitution, completion of court-ordered treatment, medical documentation of restored mental capacity, and other evidence of rehabilitation. TSA’s support line is 1-855-347-8371, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
Name Changes: A Common Pitfall for Permanent Residents
Permanent residents run into name-mismatch problems more often than most travelers. If you naturalize and adopt an anglicized name, or change your name after marriage, your PreCheck benefits stop working until you update your records. The name in TSA’s system must match the name on your boarding pass, which must match the name on your ID. A break anywhere in that chain means no PreCheck indicator.6Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck FAQ
To update your name, contact the enrollment provider you originally applied with. Expect processing to take up to 45 days. If your membership is up for renewal around the same time, you may have to renew in person rather than online.6Transportation Security Administration. TSA PreCheck FAQ Handle any name change well before a planned trip.
PreCheck or Global Entry?
If you travel internationally, look at Global Entry before settling on standalone PreCheck. Global Entry costs $120 for five years and includes TSA PreCheck benefits as part of the membership, plus expedited customs when you re-enter the United States.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions Permanent residents are eligible and use their I-551 card at Global Entry kiosks on arrival.
TSA itself suggests Global Entry for anyone flying internationally four or more times a year.12Transportation Security Administration. What Is the Difference Between Global Entry and TSA PreCheck The extra $35 to $45 over standalone PreCheck pays for itself quickly if you clear customs regularly. For domestic-only flyers, PreCheck alone is the simpler and cheaper choice.