In an effort to speed up the process for its citizens
who fly, Australia has said it will join the United States airport security
programs.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said
she wants the country to be part of the U.S. Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
programs.
About 1,000 Australian citizens will be eligible to
join by the end of the year with plans to expand in 2025. The programs
allow pre-approved passengers to more easily pass through security at American airports.
This will be rolled out in two phases. The first
involves those initial 1,000 applicants, who must be able to show that they have
traveled to the U.S. at least five times in the previous 12 months. The
second phase lifts those restrictions and Australian citizens do not have to be
frequent travelers to apply.
Being approved for the program will allow some
Australians to skip lengthy security lines and go straight to a kiosk.
Getting
approved for the Global Entry program allows people to also join the TSA PreCheck
program. The process
will obviously start in Australia, but the final decision will be made by the U.S.
"It's good for Australian businesses, and it's
good for our friendship," said Wong. "This program and our
participation in it is a sign of our closeness and our trust."
If approved, applicants are eligible for the program
for five years. There will be fees involved.
There are currently more
than 20 million members of TSA PreCheck.
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