Recurrent Vetting

TWIC® recurrent vetting provides near real-time continuous monitoring of the eligibility status of approved TWIC® applicants for the length of the valid security threat assessment.

Since TWIC® was launched in 2007, TSA has conducted recurrent vetting of cardholders through the terrorist screening database and vetted individuals who may be wanted by police and/or who may have warrants out for their arrest via the National Crime Information Center.

In 2014, TSA expanded TWIC® security threat assessment recurrent vetting capabilities by enrolling TWIC® applicants in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT). IDENT is a system of databases that store and share biometric and biographical information, such as fingerprints and digital photographs, for more than 259 million individuals. 

IDENT sends TSA a notification to indicate that information on a TWIC® holder was received via a biometric fingerprint match to an identity or individual in its database that may result in a TWIC® card being revoked. IDENT notifications include immigrant and non-immigrant benefit status changes, immigration enforcement activities, new arrests, arrest warrants and/or individuals who may be wanted by police, and terrorist watchlist communications which may indicate potential national security threats.

In fiscal year 2021, TSA will implement the FBI’s Next Generation Identification Rap Back for TWIC® holders. This program provides a subscription-based recurrent vetting service, allowing unsolicited notification of changes to a TWIC® applicant or cardholder’s criminal history records information.