Minnesota residents will be able to enroll in the Transportation Security Administration’s TSA PreCheck® application program inside Rochester International Airport (RST) from Monday, Aug. 30 through Friday, Sept. 3.
The temporary enrollment center will be held in the airport conference room. There is no permanent TSA PreCheck enrollment center located in Rochester, so the temporary availability is a convenient and timely opportunity to become a Trusted Traveler.
The application process allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to enroll directly in TSA PreCheck – an expedited screening program that allows travelers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt; keep their food items in their carry-on bag; laptop in its case; and their 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels bag in a carry-on, in select TSA airport checkpoint screening lanes. More than 200 airports participate in TSA PreCheck nationwide and dozens of airlines participate in the program.
In July 2021, 96% of travelers eligible for TSA PreCheck waited five minutes or less to be screened at airports nationwide. Additionally, children 12 and under are permitted to use the TSA PreCheck lane when traveling with an eligible parent or guardian on the same itinerary.
As an added benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic, TSA PreCheck travelers generally have the least amount of physical contact during the security screening process in the TSA checkpoint.
To participate in this enrollment opportunity, travelers should pre-enroll and make an appointment online. After completing the pre-enrollment steps, applicants type in the location “Rochester, MN” and click on the search button to select the enrollment site for “Pop Up: RST, 8/30-9/3”) and then click “Next.” 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, and individuals can choose a different date and/or time using that drop-down menu. The enrollment center will be open from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Passengers do not have to purchase an airline ticket to access the enrollment center.
Applicants must bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status. Visit the Universal Enroll website to determine which documents to bring along based on citizenship status.
Travelers can make an appointment online at https://www.tsa.gov/precheck and then complete the application process in person at the enrollment center. Walk-ins are available. At the enrollment center, applicants will need to provide fingerprints and proof of citizenship or legal residency and pay the $85 fee for a five-year membership.
After completing enrollment, successful applicants will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) via U.S. mail that is valid for five years. The enrollee should enter the provided KTN in the “Known Traveler Number” field when booking airline reservations. The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, via phone call to the airline reservation center or with the travel management company making reservations. Additionally, the KTN can be entered in participating airline frequent flyer profiles, where it will be stored for future reservations.
