can i trust travel.state.gov

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Save time getting through airport security with Trusted Traveler Programs

When you become a member of a Trusted Traveler Program such as TSA Precheck and Global Entry, you can spend less time in airport security lines and at border crossings.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) manages the Trusted Traveler Programs. These include TSA Precheck and Global Entry . As a pre-approved member, you can use expedited lanes at U.S. airports and when entering the U.S. by land or sea. TSA Precheck is for travelers departing from U.S. airports. Global Entry is for travelers entering the U.S. from international destinations by air, land, or sea. There are also programs for entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico . 

To apply, you will need to pay a fee and provide documents proving your identity. Depending on the program, you may need to complete an interview. If approved, your program membership will last 5 years.

Apply for a Trusted Traveler Program

LAST UPDATED: December 15, 2023

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An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Border Security

Trusted Traveler Programs

Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) provide modified screening for preapproved members. The programs improve security by being more efficient during screenings, and facilitate legitimate trade and travel at ports of entry. They allow members to use expedited lanes at the U.S. airports, and when crossing international borders.

Use the tool on the Trusted Traveler Programs website to find the right program for you, or to learn more about all of the Trusted Traveler Programs that DHS offers.

TSA PreCheck®

The TSA PreCheck ® program expedites traveler screening through participating TSA security checkpoints.

• Global Entry

Global Entry allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the U.S.

The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing when entering the U.S. and Canada.

The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) is a program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the U.S.

The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) is a commercial clearance program for known low-risk shipments entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.

• Trusted Traveler
• Trusted Traveler Comparison Tool
• TSA PreCheck

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP)

Login.gov is for secure sign in only. Your Login.gov account does not affect or have any information about your Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) application, membership, or eligibility. Please do not send Login.gov sensitive data about yourself or identifying membership numbers.

Login.gov can only answer questions about the sign-in process and creating a Login.gov account.

Please contact the Trusted Traveler Programs directly if you have questions regarding:

• Application status or changes to your application
• Eligibility
• Scheduling or changing appointments
• Or other related concerns

Important notes:

• Your Known Traveler Number (KTN) will not change when you create a Login.gov account
• You do not need to pay for TTP again when you create a Login.gov account unless it is time to renew your membership

To access your Trusted Traveler Programs account information, visit https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/ .

If you sign in directly from the Login.gov homepage, you will only see your Login.gov account information.

Simple Flying

What is a trusted traveler program & how can i apply.

From TSA PreCheck to Global Entry, each program boasts unique benefits.

• Trusted traveler programs provide modified screening for pre-approved members and expedite travel processes.
• TSA PreCheck is popular for domestic travel, allowing low-risk travelers to go through a faster and easier security process.
• Global Entry is a program for international arrival by air, allowing low-risk travelers to make a speedy entry into the US, and includes TSA PreCheck membership.

If you are a frequent traveler to or from the United States, you must have seen or heard of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. They are known as trusted travel programs, and there are five of them. But what exactly is included in these programs, and how can you apply for them?

In essence, trusted traveler programs provide modified screening for pre-approved members, improve security by being more efficient during screenings, and facilitate legitimate trade and travel. The US government manages these programs, sometimes together with foreign authorities, to expedite travel processes for frequent travelers.

TSA PreCheck is popular for domestic travel

TSA PreCheck is the most commonly known program as it has the broadest presence, available at over 200 airports in the US. The program is managed by the Transportation Security Administration and allows low-risk travelers to go through a faster and easier security process, saving precious time at airports.

The program is open to US nationals, residents, and selected foreign citizens. Travelers can apply online but must attend an enrollment center appointment to complete the application . Once approved, travelers will be given a 'Known Traveler Number' for identification, which the traveler should provide when booking.

This can also be tied with a frequent flyer account for a smoother experience. The membership lasts for five years and can be renewed afterward.

TSA PreCheck: Cost, Benefits & Advice For Applicants

Global entry for international travel.

Another popular program is Global Entry, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows low-risk travelers to make a speedy entry into the United States on arrival at 75 airports . The program enables travelers to use self-service kiosks with facial recognition technologies and eliminate the need to fill out immigration forms on arrival.

To apply for the program, travelers must undergo a background check and an interview, either at an enrollment center or upon arrival in the United States. It is open to both US citizens and foreign nationals, and one major perk is that TSA PreCheck, which also lasts for five years and can be renewed, is included in the membership. However, the processing time can take up to 6 months.

How Does The US Global Entry Scheme Work?

North american programs.

The remaining trusted traveler programs target travel within North America. They are more comprehensive as they include travel by land and sea, while some schemes also target cargo and shipping.

Nexus is a program dedicated to travel between the United States and Canada, jointly run by CBP and the Canada Border Services Agency. The program allows travelers to access Global Entry facilities when entering the US and Nexus kiosks when entering Canada. There are also special lanes at border crossings and expedited processing for marine entry points for pre-screened travelers.

Sentri, on the other hand, guarantees expedited land entry with special lanes into the US from both Mexico and Canada. However, it does not include expedited entry into either Mexico or Canada, unlike Nexus. FAST, which stands for Free And Secure Trade program, is the equivalent of Sentri for truck drivers, allowing faster customs processing for truckers transporting goods into the US.

Similar to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, all the North American travel programs require background checks and in-person enrollment, ensuring that travelers are low-risk. According to Homeland Security , applications can be made online, but the processing time for such programs, especially Nexus and Sentri, can be lengthy and takes around 12 months.

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Reviews 2.8.

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Thank you, for the processing and renewal of my passport book and card. Even though the hiccups the transparency was helpful and appreciated.

Date of experience : March 14, 2024

Applied for a passport online through…

Applied for a passport online through their pilot program 6 weeks ago. Paid for expedited processing which should have been 3-5 weeks and still haven't received an update on my passport & my travel is upcoming. Their customer service reps are useless and I helpful because they're not able to see anything in the system. Now I'm left having to wait 2 weeks before my travel date to submit an in person passport request because of these the incompetence & laziness that is this department. Sad and pathetic they're.

Date of experience : October 31, 2022

Passport expedited services within 7…

Passport expedited services within 7 weeks was well worth the extra fee's and shipping price. I received my Passport in the expedited timely manner that i was told it would take, actually a little sooner than I thought 🍀 For anyone planning a trip and need assistance quickly with expedited US Passports this is the way to get it done. I'm very pleased with your service and recommend it to all who read my review.💫

Date of experience : May 01, 2022

I paid expediting fees for 5 passports…

I paid expediting fees for 5 passports 4 came after 2.5 months and 1 never came until 3 months stating a it needed redo a signature..I did exactly what they asked and sent it back with the prefilled envelope that was attention to Celeste, F . For application 686905726 still no response and it’s still not updated in the system that it’s received! The customer service number is awful a 2-3 hour wait with people that don’t seem to know anything and are extremely rude ! So are the supervisors! No appointments available ever even if your flying out in 2 weeks or within 72 hrs.This is very draining and depressing now one of my minor has no passport to travel with the rest of his family ..we’ve already rescheduled our trip one time and paid ofcourse a lot more money and I’m just sad that any business would operate like this ! COVID or not this is beyond unacceptable!

Date of experience : May 24, 2021

Government Insanity

It is beyond INSANE that COVID restrictions have been lifted and you still have to make a freaking appointment online. Its all crazy that you can live in west virginia and they attempt to give you an appointment in arizona

Date of experience : June 13, 2022

Not legitimate, BEWARE

Had to give one star to be able to leave a review. As far as I can tell, this website is not legitimate for renewing a passport on line. We paid to have my husbands passport expedited. Three months later, we are still waiting and our out of country trip is two weeks away. The on line status continues to say it is “processing.” Do not waste your time with this on line agency. My neighbor went through the post office three months ago and received her passport in one month. This agency is a rip off. They took our money to expedite his passport but, didn’t hold up their end. Now we are out money AND we still don’t have a passport and now will lose thousands on a planned trip. BUYER BEWARE.

Date of experience : February 20, 2023

in need of passport urgently?

in need of passport urgently? department of state is your go to! just need to take your itenerary, application & i.d & passport pic. you can get get it same day cause i did! i went to the one in San Francisco California

Date of experience : December 07, 2018

Excellent Resource for International Travelers

This website contains excellent updated information regarding many different countries. This information is useful for people who want to travel and cross country borders. I have been using this website for eight years, and I like it a lot. I have been to 17 countries. At the time of this review, this website also has links for US embassy websites which have updated covid 19 information. This includes info regarding testing requirements, vaccine requirements, travel restrictions, and other info related to covid 19. There is a different covid 19 page for each country. This information has been extremely useful to me. And this information is free for anyone in the world who has an internet connection.

Date of experience : December 28, 2021

Please stop this completely inept system!

Someone has got to stop this completely inept system. The first time it really hit me how corrupt the country is and my hard earned $$$ are feeding crooks. It does no help to call. It does no good to expedite. The website is broken most of the time I try to log in and get an update. No one knows anything, I get routed round, 3 1/2 hour phone wait time. First call says no issues. Everything ok. Next call a person tells me an issue with my photo and don't complain or she won't help, third person says no issues. Blue envelope next to my id? No, hmmm. we don't know. You're just SOL. Not going out of the country any time soon.

Date of experience : February 08, 2023

This has been a joke and a nightmare I…

This has been a joke and a nightmare I renewed my passport by mail in April and then decided to expedite my passport because my sister and I had a humanitarian trip to do for a lady in Romania that needed help so June 23rd was the date. I expedited my passport on May 10th got a email back that they would try to process within 72hrs…did not happen I called June 13th now I literately have 10days she took my name date if travel and card info and informed me I should get my passport the 21st if no one contacts me by the 15th call of course wait times are over and hour I could not reach anyone till the 16th and got the most rudest curt person who just said there are no appointments…apparently to go to a place to expedite which was never explained. So no help I call the next week still no help and are the chances I get the same rude person by then it’s past the 23rd and I can leave on the 26th… she proceeds to tell me the systems are down call back in an hour. Well I missed my flight my sister was able to go so now I’m out of money and a ticket and a passport. You people suck there’s no accountability and you lie about email updates for your passport…get off your bottoms and get these passports mailed out or give at least partially our money back …makes no sense to spend that type of money for a RENEWAL!!! And no communication! Not happy!!!!

Date of experience : June 13, 2023

This has been a nightmare

This has been a nightmare. I went to a Fed Ex store to renew my passport. I thought it was so convenient, and that my passport would arrive in plenty of time. Two weeks later, it started to be maddening as I got emails saying the check amount that Fed Ex told me to write was wrong, and I needed to sign 2 more places. After the website didn’t work, I actually talked to a customer service person who admitted the site was usually not working, and she told me how to tweak it to print off the application to re-sign. I fed ex’d those forms to somewhere in Florida with my identifying info. Then 2 weeks later I received an email that said my passport is unfinished and to log in to finish it. The site never works. I can’t log in. I’ve called numerous times and have been on hold for over an hour. When I finally reached someone, they are rude and can’t help me. Some even transfer my cell to someone they say can help me, and I have to wait another hour, and that person can’t help me. The runaround is a ploy to kick the can down the road - they don’t care. Now I’ll have to declare my passport lost and travel to a passport agency. I’m out $600. I will dispute the charges, but that money is probably not recoverable. This agency is despicable. Who is in charge??? My advice is to go to the post office or if you’re lucky to live near a passport agency, then go there. Don’t waste your time and money dealing with this inept agency. I still can’t figure out who is behind this scam. It’s a shame Fed Ex uses them to process passports. I felt better reading the scathing reviews because at least I know I’m not alone.

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Human-sounding AI can plan, help book your travel. But can you trust it?

It wasn’t so long ago that travelers planned trips without the internet.

“Back in the day, our parents used to go to these travel agents and really kind of express what they were looking for and what kind of vacation they wanted,” said Saad Saeed, co-founder and CEO of Layla, an AI travel planner whose website launched this year. “Slowly, we kind of acclimatized ourselves to start using these search boxes, clicks, these forms and filters.”

Artificial intelligence-driven tools like Layla can now turn back the clock on that experience, engaging with users almost like humans to customize travel plans with lightning speed plus all the resources of the web. But does AI actually make travel planning easier and can it compare to human expertise? 

Yes and no. Here’s why.

Can AI actually understand us?

It can try. 

“What are you personally looking for in this trip and what do you want out of it?” asked Saeed. “Do you want to reconnect with your partner, for example, or do you want to just feel some adventure and thrill?” 

A human travel agent may ask a series of questions to understand a client’s needs. So can generative AI , which picks up on keywords. Mindtrip, an AI planner launched publicly on May 1, has an actual travel quiz that asks users to rank priorities like “Is your ideal vacation day an exhilarating adventure or a relaxing break?” using sliding scales.

“What we get at the end of that quiz, using the AI, is a really customized description,” explained  Mindtrip Founder and CEO Andy Moss. That then informs what the AI suggests to the traveler. 

Informed suggestions can save users time in narrowing down destinations and experiences, as well as  introduce places users may never have discovered on their own.

AI travel planning is here: How to use it to plan your next vacation and what you should know first

Can AI fully replace humans?

No. Layla may sound human, using conversational phrases like “I've got three cozy nests that won't make your wallet cry.”

“She has a personality. We try to make her funny and so on, where it's really that friend that can get to know you and then recommend you the perfect stuff,” Saeed said.

But part of Layla’s expertise comes from the real-life experiences of some 1,600 travel content creators  the Berlin-based platform has partnered with. Their videos and insights can give users a richer picture of what to expect.

Mindtrip also leans on human expertise, having tapped a limited group of travel influencers for curated content with plans to eventually open it up so anyone can share their travel itineraries and experiences with the public.

Story continues below.

Is AI a threat to privacy?

With all the rapid advancements in AI in just the past year, some users are wary of its safety .

“Data privacy is definitely one of our biggest concerns, and we ensure that none of the personal identifiable information ever reaches basically the model providers. That will all stay with us,” Layla’s Saeed said. “None of their personally identifiable data can ever be basically used to profile them or basically go into any of these systems, which are training these different models.”

Booz Allen Hamilton, the nation’s largest provider of AI to the federal government , focuses heavily on ethical and  secure AI, as well as adhering to the government’s policies on data collection. 

“We collect as little information as we can in order to provide a secure transaction,” said Booz Allen Hamilton Senior Vice President Will Healy, who heads up their recreation work, including Recreaton.gov , the government’s central travel planning site for public lands like national parks. “We don't save your searches. We don't save your credit card data. We're very careful about the data that we store.”

Yoon Kim, an assistant professor in MIT’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory , isn’t too worried about security in the initial brainstorming stages of travel planning with AI.

“I don't see, at this point, how AI-generated advice is spiritually different from travel guide articles that you might read on certain websites,” he said. “Travel planning is one really nice use case of these models, as narrow as it is, because it's a scenario in which you want to be given ideas but you don't actually need to commit to them.” 

What’s next for AI? 

Things could be different, though, if AI is used beyond trip planning. Deloitte sees AI being woven into all parts of travel.

“There is an opportunity for a real engine – I'm going to just use a generic term, engine – that allows you to search and pull it all together and to sort based off of your personal reasons for prioritization and then not stopping at ‘hey give me a list’ or ‘here's what to do,’ but ‘OK, now go create my itinerary, help me book it, track it all the way through that travel process,” said Matt Soderberg, principal, U.S. airlines leader for Deloitte. 

Deloitte’s Facing travel’s future report, released in early April, identifies seven stages where AI can intersect with a trip, from personalized recommendations based on past travel, online purchases and tendencies to day-of issues to a post-travel pulse, where travelers may be asked about their experience and start thinking about future trips. 

“When you solve across all of those, that's going to be the Holy Grail,” Soderberg said. “The difficulty is that doesn't all sit in one place. And so how do you get the right information and the right data to bring all of that together for a single experience for the consumer? And who's going to own that?”

Layla and Mindtrip, among others, already offer booking through partners like Booking.com. “It's all about making things actionable,” Moss said.

But for now, if issues come up mid-trip, AI tools can’t fix them like humans can. Humans still have to get involved.

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Strong geomagnetic storm reaches Earth, continues through weekend

NOAA space weather forecasters have observed at least seven coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun, with impacts expected to arrive on Earth as early as midday Friday, May 10, and persist through Sunday, May 12, 2024. 

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Warning for Friday, May 10. Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend.

• The First of Several CMEs reached Earth on Friday, May 10 at 12:37 pm EDT.  The CME was very strong and SWPC quickly issued a series of geomagnetic storm warnings. SWPC observed G4 conditions at 1:39 pm EDT (G3 at 1:08 pm EDT).
• This storm is ongoing and SWPC will continue to monitor the situation and provide additional warnings as necessary.

This is an unusual and potentially historic event. Clinton Wallace , Director, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center

CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth. Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth’s surface , potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations. SWPC has notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective action.

Geomagnetic storms can also trigger spectacular displays of aurora on Earth . A severe geomagnetic storm includes the potential for aurora to be seen as far south as Alabama and Northern California.

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Ny gov. kathy hochul flying to italy, ireland on taxpayer dime for climate, business events.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul is jetting overseas on the taxpayers’ dime this week to attend climate and business events in Italy and Ireland.

The jaunt — Hochul’s second overseas trip since she became governor in August 2021 — comes on the heels of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ visit to Vatican City and Rome last week, when he was a guest of a papal foundation.

The first leg of Hochul’s state-funded trip will involve a 15-minute address Thursday at the Vatican about building climate resilience in the Empire State, Politico reported .

Afterward, she will be part of an audience with Pope Francis and other foriegn leaders at the conference on climate change at the Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Science there.

Hochul will then travel to Ireland, where she is scheduled to meet with senior government officials before delivering the keynote address at an economic conference in Killarney.

Her office would not say Tuesday how much the trip will cost, only telling The Post, “Governor Hochul is traveling on official business representing the State of New York in her official capacity as Governor, and therefore State funds will be used for official business.

“Any costs outside normal reimbursable business expenses will be paid for by the Governor’s own personal funds.”

The governor last traveled out of the country — to Israel — in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ attack Oct. 7.

“Our goal for this trip is simple: strengthen international connections that will create economic opportunities for New Yorkers and a cleaner future for the next generation,” Hochul said in a statement. 

“From fighting the climate crisis to harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, New York continues to lead the world with innovative solutions to global challenges.”

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An official website of the United States government

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Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Trusted Traveler Programs

The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada. Program members use dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, NEXUS kiosks when entering Canada by air and Global Entry kiosks when entering the United States via Canadian Preclearance airports. NEXUS members also receive expedited processing at marine reporting locations.

Trusted Traveler Programs: Nexus

Nexus benefits.

• Receive expedited passage at NEXUS-dedicated lanes
• Utilize Global Entry airport kiosks
• If arriving by sea, reporting arrival into the U.S. and Canada by calling a marine telephone reporting center

Nigerian gunmen seek talks after abducting dozens, families say

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Nigerian security forces have rescued students kidnapped from a university in northern Kogi state, along with other victims held by the abductors, the army and state government said on Sunday.

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Indonesia's toll rises to 62 from deadly Sumatra floods, 25 still missing

The death toll from weekend flash floods and mud slides in Indonesia's West Sumatra province rose to 62 on Wednesday, authorities said, while rescuers were searching areas near rivers for 25 people who are still missing.

A Swiss federal court on Wednesday found a former government minister from Gambia guilty of crimes against humanity under former dictator Yahya Jammeh, according to a Geneva non-governmental organisation providing support for the plaintiffs.