The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not shut down TSA PreCheck lanes at U.S. airports, after a brief, fast-moving sequence of announcements during the ongoing partial DHS shutdown. TSA PreCheck remains in operation for travelers, with TSA indicating the program is continuing as usual while airport staffing levels are monitored. Some airports temporarily closed PreCheck lanes early Sunday before reopening them once updated guidance circulated.
Global Entry is now the bigger question for Costa Rica travelers. DHS emergency measures issued for the shutdown included halting Global Entry arrival processing and shifting officers to standard processing lines. Reporting from major outlets has described Global Entry as paused while the shutdown continues, even as PreCheck stays open.
For passengers flying from Costa Rica into the United States, a pause in Global Entry processing means arriving travelers who normally use Global Entry kiosks or dedicated lanes should be prepared to use regular passport control lines instead. That matters most for people connecting onward through U.S. hubs, where a longer immigration wait can tighten connection windows.
For Costa Rica travelers departing from the United States, the latest guidance means PreCheck should still function at U.S. security checkpoints, but with the possibility of lane-by-lane adjustments if staffing becomes an issue at specific airports.
The policy whiplash lands as interest in Global Entry has been rising in Costa Rica since the program began operating locally. Costa Rica’s immigration director said that the program recorded 1,500 applications about two months after launch, with roughly 800 cases forwarded to U.S. authorities for final review.
The partial shutdown began Feb. 14 after DHS funding lapsed, and DHS has tied the operational changes to how it is staffing and prioritizing services during the funding lapse.
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