Tsa

[ant000]

Can anyone tell me how long the whole TSA clearance takes?

Im heading to the US in 2 weeks to do my PPL and i still need to apply to the TSA for clearance.

The problem is I cant complete my application (upload a copy of my passport) untill i get my passport back off the embassy. They have it as ive applied for an M1 visa.

Thanks for the replies.

[S-Works]

then you are probably screwed. took me about a month.

[ant000]

Did anyone manage to sort it out in one week?

[IO540]

I got my passport back in a few days.

[Hour Builder]

Having done this before, and in the process of doing it again (I go back in April but am applying to the TSA now), I would firsty ask why you left it so late you silly fool :D
What school are you going to?
I am thinking that the TSA were pretty efficient, however only giving them a week might be pushing it.
HB

[ant000]

The school im going to is the reason i left it so late!! It took them 19 days before they sent my documents to me by fedex(I-20, and how to complete the TSA process).My documents, including the I20 arrived only a few hours before my interview with the embassy.

If i had received these docs 17 days earlier, like i should have, then i wouldnt have had these problems!
As you can imagine, im not very happy with the school and i havent even started training yet!


Does any one know if you can submit the application to the TSA without uploading the passport, and then forward on a scan of the passport to them when i get it?

[IO540]

You should email the TSA. They are normally very responsive (within 1 day, or better).

Keep the email short; like a lot of people these days they won't read past the first few lines of an email.

The school in question... is it in Florida, or Arizona? A lot of schools aren't geared up for doing the I-20, but in fact it takes under an hour for them to do it.

[ant000]

The school is in Florida. I think that could have been the cause of the delay in them sending it out to me, the fact that theyre not geared up for doing the I20.

If i dont get the TSA sorted before i go what are the implications? Would i have to cancel my flights and reschedule or would i be better off going and waiting over there for them to sort it out?

I presume there is no way i can begin training without clearance?

[RatherBeFlying]

As before said, get in touch with TSA keeping in mind that their promises (as with most gov agencies) don't count for much to find out just how soon you might expect to have the paperwork in your hands.

I would also get in touch with the flight school ASAP and start thinking of rebooking flight and hotel arrangements.

You may want to reconsider your choice of flight school if this is how they handle their business -- hopefully they don't have any of your money:uhoh:

[nouseforaname]

You will be able to get your finger prints done at a TSA office in Florida when you get there.

I've got the TSA clearance twice now and the first time I got intouch with them and e-mailed all my documents to a specific person whom i'd spoken to on the phone before. I got my clearance in about 2 days. Your cutting it fine my friend but i think you will be ok.

If I was you I would go over there anyway but don't fly until you get the clerance.

[Farrell]

as my learned friend just said. you should head to the US and sort it out from over there.

however, what is worrying me is the thought that you have only just applied for your visa. you are cutting everything very tight indeed.

if you have a photocopy of your passport you could scan that and send it, otherwise you will have to wait. for me, the TSA took about three weeks to give me clearance to get fingerprinted.

the most important thing is that you get your M1. the rest can be sorted out when you get there.

[ant000]

Thanks for the replies above.

Well i have finally got everything sorted. I also had problems with my visa but to my surprise, the american embassy were very efficient in sorting it out.

I emailed the tsa and explained my problem. They responded almost immediately. I was told that i could submit my application without the passport by indicating that i would fax it. When i did this i recievd the fingerprint instructions in about one day as well as instructions on how to pay.Ive since emaled them a copy of my passport so now the next step is to get fingerprinted in the U.S.

Overall both the embassy and the TSA were extremely efficient in processing my applications. If i had done everything correctly from the start im sure i could have got the visa and clearance from the tsa in one week!!

For anyone else going throught the process i would suggest giving yourself a lot more time to reduce the stress involved.

[DaveW]

It is possible to get fingerprinted in the UK, by FlightSafety at Farnborough.

Relevant TSA Page (http://www.tsc-csc.com/printoffices/GetAirportInfo.cfm?printofficeid=659)

[IO540]

It is indeed; in fact that is where I got mine done, but it took at good week for the fingerprint data to get from Farnborough to the TSA database.

So, whereas getting fingerprints (and everything else like the medical, the writtens, and perhaps all the FAA logbook flight time requirements :O ) done in the UK is a better form of risk management, it may be quicker to do the fingerprints in the USA in this case as that will cause a delay of perhaps only a couple of days.