TSA PreCheck Launches Its First International Site

While leaving paradise is never simple, departing travelers from the Bahamas will find it less troublesome now.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has officially opened its inaugural TSA PreCheck location outside the U.S. at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas.

This nine-year-old expedited screening program allows low-risk travelers to enjoy quicker security checks at over 200 airports in the U.S.—and now in Nassau. Passengers approved for TSA PreCheck can keep on their shoes, belts, and light jackets, as well as travel-sized liquids and electronics. They also benefit from a dedicated security line, which is often much shorter (TSA reports that 94 percent of PreCheck passengers wait less than five minutes).

This initiative hints at the possibility of additional international PreCheck locations in the future. TSA administrator David Pekoske noted in a press release that the Bahamas checkpoint will serve as a model for expanding TSA PreCheck globally.

Nassau is already one of 16 international preclearance sites managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where travelers are inspected before boarding flights to the United States, allowing them to skip customs and TSA checks upon arrival or for connecting flights. While Freeport, another Bahamian airport, also offers preclearance, TSA PreCheck is not available there at this time.

TSA PreCheck is accessible to U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents for a fee of $85 for a five-year enrollment (many travel-focused credit cards may cover this cost). Interested individuals must complete an online application and schedule an in-person interview at an enrollment center, which includes a background check and fingerprinting. Further details can be found on the TSA PreCheck website.

Participants in other Department of Homeland Security Trusted Traveler programs, such as Global Entry, can also utilize PreCheck screening in Nassau. You can determine which program suits you best using the Department of Homeland Security's trusted traveler comparison tool.