AFSP-TSA AND FINGERPRINTING

AFSP/TSA and Fingerprinting

International students/Non-US Citizens must be approved by the AFSP Alien Flight Student Program, in order to train to fly in the US for their Private, Instrument, and Commercial Multi-engine courses.

A guide for the student application process can be found on AFSP’s home page under Application Guide:
https://www.flightschoolcandidates.gov/home

  1. Once a student submits their application, we will receive an email notice, “AFSP Training Request # Acknowledgement”
  2. Log-in https://www.flightschoolcandidates.gov/provider
  3. Click on the “Training Requests” Button on the top of the page
  4. “Validation Required” on the right-hand side of the page should be checked, search
  5. The student should be listed at the bottom of the page
  6. Click on their name and review their information
  7. Using the drop-down menu on this page under airport, make sure that the airport of operation is DuPage Airport
  8. Submit the training validation. The student should receive an email with confirmation and pay their application fees
  9. Once they pay their fees, we should receive an email notice, “AFSP Training Request 1016859: Training Request Processing”
  10. If the info on their application form is all correct, we will receive an email notice, “AFSP Training Request #: Documentation Accepted”, and the student will receive an additional email with directions on how to get their fingerprints done in a few days/weeks. When they receive this email, have them forward it to our email. Print the instructions, as you will need them to fill out their fingerprint card and send it with them to get their fingerprints taken.
  11. Fingerprint cards and an example card are located in the manger’s desk. Each student will receive 2 cards.
  12. Follow the instructions listed on the email, as it tells you what information to put in each box. Additionally, there is a guide listed on the google drive with step-by-step information: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/search?q=fingerprint
  13. The student is given a USPS priority mail envelope by the school that is addressed to IDENTOGO. The address is located on the student’s fingerprint instructions email, which should also reference their AFSP number.
  14. This envelope should include both fingerprint cards and the student’s fingerprint instructions email.
  15. An instructor should escort the student to the West Chicago City Hall where they need to first pay for their fingerprint services and receive a receipt.
  16. The instructor then escorts the student to the West Chicago Police Department to have their fingerprints taken by an officer
  17. The student and instructor must make sure that the police officer signs both fingerprint cards where indicated. Sometimes, the police department forgets to do this, so please make sure this is done, or the cards will be rejected.
  18. Once the student has successfully been fingerprinted, they must then be escorted to the post office to mail their envelope.
  19. It can take a few days/weeks for them to receive and process the fingerprints
  20. When the student receive permission from AFSP to begin their flight training, we will receive an email notice, “AFSP Training Request #: Permission to Initiate Training /Fingerprint Receipt”.
  21. This email notice is forwarded to their instructor with a paragraph stating their student has been given permission to start their flight training.
  22. A final approval is typically given the next day via email notice and kept on file, “AFSP Training Request #: Final Approval”.
  23. Now that the student has received their approval, the student must complete their training within 365 days. AFSP also requires that a photo of the student is uploaded, you can see these alerts on the home page under “Photo Upload Required”.
  24. Take a photo of the student and upload it under their name, making sure to choose DuPage Airport as their airport of operation, if required.
  25. TSA requires the school to print the photo and all AFSP emails and attach it to our “TSA Aliens Documentation” form located in the google drive. This form must be completed and have the photo glued in the appropriate box. This is kept in the student’s file.

FAQ’s

  • If we receive this notice, “AFSP Training Request 1016859: Insufficient Information to Process Flight Training Application”, it means that there is an error in the student’s application form. It typically points out where this error is. It must be corrected and resubmitted by the student.
  • Do NOT start a new application to fix errors
  • Once a student completes their program, they must be completed in the system by the school, along with the dates of completion
  • If a photo is not provided in applicable time, the student risks having their application terminated
  • The photo that is submitted to AFSP must be the same photo that is printed out and glued onto the TSA Aliens Documentation form.
  • US citizens are not required to complete AFSP, however, they are required to have an endorsement given by the instructor and complete a school form located in the google drive and titled, “Proof of Citizenship”. This must be kept on file in the student’s folder.
  • If a student does not complete their training in the time given on their approval, they must re-apply.
  • Only Private Pilot, Instrument Pilot, and Commercial Multi-Engine courses require AFSP approval. There is no approval needed for Commercial Single-Engine.
  • International students must have AFSP approval before beginning their flight training (this does not include a discovery flight option).
  • Typically, a list of TSA/SEVIS dates is kept on a spreadsheet and printed, then posted in the classroom cork board for them to see.