Also have to say this is not the case. Mrs. K got PreCheck on all her boarding passes from FCO (Rome) to CLT to DFW to SAT this past May. Obviously PreCheck was of no use at FCO but she did use it at CLT as you have to go through a TSA checkpoint after clearing Immigration and Customs. This was before I got GE and even though we were flying first/business I didn't get PreCheck.

That hasn't been the case for over a year.

Ok, then I shouldn't have read the older postings ;)

I can only help you with the last part as I haven't been through ORD T5 in 18 months, but international travel no longer makes you ineligible for Precheck. I think the rules changed about a year ago. In fact, Air Canada now participates, and it's possible more international airlines will in the future. Ironically, I saw a Precheck lane at TBIT at LAX even though none of the airlines in that terminal are technically Pre eligible. The lane was closed at the time, so I don't know if they'd randomly pull people into it or what...

When I was traveling back from Sydney last week on Delta I printed my boarding passes at the hotel before heading to the airport. They all printed with "TSA Precheck". When I got to the airport and checked my bag, they gave me new copies of the boarding passes. None of them indicated "TSA Precheck". They did give me a slip of paper which allowed to go through the expedited lines in Sydney with reduced screening requirements.

The lack of the precheck label wouldn't have been a big deal except that one has to go through security again at LAX before moving on to connecting flights. I ended up digging out my original boarding passes and using those to gain entry to the Precheck line.

ETA: I should have noted that I have GE.

I have GE, Air Canada recently joined the Pre✓ program. They require a boarding pass reprint at an airport to get the logo, and on my last trip I was too lazy to do it so I just headed to security (lines were short).

Got the three beeps anyway.

...so you're non-"Pre✓ed" boarding pass might have worked when TSA scanned it.

Thanks. I likely would have gotten the 3 beeps once I got up to the scanner. Good point. The lines were separate with the pre-check line being MUCH shorter. So I was happy I kept the original boarding passes as it gained me access to the shorter line.

Just got approved for GE today in Long Beach :) Interviewer was cool. I had an assault charge that was dismissed in 2009 show up on their screen, but I was ready for it. I also mentioned some drug thing I had in 1998 but I couldn't find info on that when I went searching for it myself, and it didn't show up on their screen either.

Now to get my wife to do it ! :)

I would warn you that actually using the GE can result in a very annoying experience. I had a DUI on my record from almost 25 years ago. I disclosed it, showed up on screen during interview and seemed not to be an issue. Received approval with days and now have GE.

Actual use, 2 flights, one in January and one this past week. Both times got a Black X and had to go to secondary screening, where they make you sit and wit an unknown amount of time, while they check everything out. Most recently for me was a 20 minute wait and then they tell me it is because I have a "criminal history".

25 years of international travel, never an issue entering the US, now that I am an approved GE and use the process, I now take 20-30 minutes longer to get out of the airport and am treated like a criminal for a DUI I can barley remember it was so long ago.

I won't be using it again and will go back to process of running to passport control to be first in line and out of the airport without incident in 15 minutes. No more Kiosk for me, then X Mark, then criminal treatment.

That's ridiculous. :( If the criteria is that tight then they ought not have given you GE in the first place. Beyond words.

They're supposed to submit a form to have you cleared from this process. It's annoying because they should do it upon GE approval but in reality they wait until you get the X with your fingerprints. It's annoying.

Yeah that's what I thought, and they called me after the first failure in January and it seemed that is what would happen, but nope, same experience second time in March.

I filed a complaint with CBP outlining the issue, let's see if that helps. Probably just land me on a list to get strip searched now...

A friend had the same problem with the BLACK X.
What he did was when the machine gave it, he went to front of line with regular form and did not use the machine's - just as you do if the machine has problems recognizing your fingerprints etc. But he called them and they told him why (DWY) and how to have it removed.

I would just wonder if the machine marks you with a X won't they try to find you if you don't go through secondary screening? Would show up in the system that you got the X but then disappeared. Might be worse because if the pull GE you lose TSA PC also and you might end up on a list for secondary screening always.

The X does not actually mean secondary screening, it means additional scrutiny. For example, if you declare meat products, you get the X, even if they are fully legal, and depending on the case, Customs does not even send you to secondary.

If you get the X for smudged fingerprints, you just go to a regular line and they clear you in.

I would think that in this case, by going through regular immigration, your record still shows you have passed the proper inspection. But that would be for the DHS to confirm ....

GenevaFlyer