training for non us citizens

The mission of the Alien Flight Student Program (AFSP) is to ensure that foreign students seeking training at flight schools regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) do not pose a threat to aviation or national security. Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act prohibits flight schools regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from providing flight training to a foreign student unless the Secretary of Homeland Security first determines that the student does not pose a threat to aviation or national security.

As it relates to persons seeking flight training in an aircraft greater than 12,500 pounds through RTC, each person must prove citizenship by means of

• Valid, unexpired U.S. passport; or
• Certified birth certificate AND government-issued photo ID; or
• U.S naturalization certificate with raised seal AND government-issued photo ID; or
• Certificate of U.S. citizenship with raised seal AND government-issued photo ID; or
• (For federal or military employees only) Employer’s official proof of U.S. citizenship AND federal- or military-issued photo ID, pursuant to a contract between the federal agency and the flight school. Please Note: Federal or military employees who are non-U.S. citizens are NOT exempt from TSA.

If citizenship can not be verified, the student must apply for authorization to begin training with AFSP at https://www.flightschoolcandidates.gov.

Instructions for applying are found at the AFSP web site.  Be sure to select the correct category.

• INITIAL (training to obtain a type rating) category 1 or 2.
• RECURRENT (already hold a type rating) category 4.

You are training to obtain a type rating. Please allow a minimum of 30 days to process. From the homepage click on “Begin a New Training Application”. Complete steps 7 & 8 by selecting the state and name of your training provider. Verify your exact RTC (location) from your confirmation. A list of RTC locations appears near the end of this information section. Then select your training category:
Category 1: if this is your 1st type training in the U.S.in an aircraft weighing over 12,500 lbs.
Category 2: if you already hold a type rating in an aircraft weighing over 12,500 lbs. and are adding another type rating in an aircraft weighing over 12,500 lbs.

Finally, enter the Course ID from the selections below.

Once the above information has been input, submit your application. Check your emails regularly for updates and requests from AFSP. If you do not already have fingerprints on file with TSA from a previous type training in the U.S., you will be asked to have your fingerprints taken as one of the steps in the approval process. For locations of National Air Transportation Compliance Services (NATA) fingerprint locations go online to https://secure.natacs.aero/afsp/find_location.asp. Do not go for fingerprinting until you have been instructed to do so.

You already hold a type rating for the aircraft you will be training on. Please allow a minimum of 14 days processing. If you have already selected your training provider from a previous Recurrent Training at the same training provider and location, you do not need to do so again. Just verify that all your information and documents are up to date. If you do not receive an email from AFSP saying “Training Request Processing” 14 days prior to your training date, please contact your training provider.

If this is your first-time training at this training provider and location, go online to the homepage and select “Recurrent Training”. You will then be asked to select your training provider from the list below. Please verify your exact RTC (location) from your confirmation.

Once you have selected your training provider, you can exit the website. Your training provider will then complete your training request.