Sep 24, 2013, 7:39 am
Last edit by: BotB
The Registered Traveller Scheme is intended to allow easier entry for regular visitors to the UK.
The scheme is available for regular travelers to the UK who have a passport issued by
Africa
Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles.
Asia
Brunei, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region passports only), Japan, Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (if your passport has a personal ID number on the photo page)
Europe
Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City State.
Middle East
Israel.
North America
Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, USA.
Oceania
Australia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga.
South and Central America
Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.
* Visited the UK 4 times in the previous 24 months as a Business visitor, General visitor, Member of a diplomatic mission, Academic visitor, Entertainment or sports visitor, In transit - passing through the UK, Parent of a child in a UK school or Medical visitor. This generally includes tourists.
* Hold a valid visa in the categories Tiers 1, 2, 4 or 5 (excluding Creative/Sporting concession), Indefinite Leave to Remain, Naturalisation, UK Ancestry, Family member or spouse/partner. Note that EEA family permits, discretionary leave and leave outside the rules are excluded.
The application cost is £70 of which £50 is refunded if the application is rejected. Renewal costs £50 each year and changes of document details cost £20.
Registered Travellers are able to use the faster entry lanes (generally EU lines) when going through the UK Border at Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick (special registered traveller line), Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Southend and Stansted airports (or, alternatively, the ePassport gates if they have a biometric passport; while the ePassport gates at LHR T3 & T4 are being renovated the FastTrak lines can be used or the EU lines can be used). You will not have to fill in a landing card. (you do still need to carry your visa or BRP (biometric residence permit))
In addition, Registered Travellers are able to go through the UK Border at the Brussels, Lille and Paris Eurostar terminals without having to fill in a landing card.
Registered Travellers who hold a UK visa will not have their fingerprints checked at the UK Border.
Registration link: https://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller
The scheme is available for regular travelers to the UK who have a passport issued by
Africa
Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles.
Asia
Brunei, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region passports only), Japan, Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (if your passport has a personal ID number on the photo page)
Europe
Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City State.
Middle East
Israel.
North America
Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, USA.
Oceania
Australia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga.
South and Central America
Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.
* Visited the UK 4 times in the previous 24 months as a Business visitor, General visitor, Member of a diplomatic mission, Academic visitor, Entertainment or sports visitor, In transit - passing through the UK, Parent of a child in a UK school or Medical visitor. This generally includes tourists.
* Hold a valid visa in the categories Tiers 1, 2, 4 or 5 (excluding Creative/Sporting concession), Indefinite Leave to Remain, Naturalisation, UK Ancestry, Family member or spouse/partner. Note that EEA family permits, discretionary leave and leave outside the rules are excluded.
The application cost is £70 of which £50 is refunded if the application is rejected. Renewal costs £50 each year and changes of document details cost £20.
Registered Travellers are able to use the faster entry lanes (generally EU lines) when going through the UK Border at Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick (special registered traveller line), Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Southend and Stansted airports (or, alternatively, the ePassport gates if they have a biometric passport; while the ePassport gates at LHR T3 & T4 are being renovated the FastTrak lines can be used or the EU lines can be used). You will not have to fill in a landing card. (you do still need to carry your visa or BRP (biometric residence permit))
In addition, Registered Travellers are able to go through the UK Border at the Brussels, Lille and Paris Eurostar terminals without having to fill in a landing card.
Registered Travellers who hold a UK visa will not have their fingerprints checked at the UK Border.
Registration link: https://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller
Some extra information from Gatwick Airport is here.
Older terms and conditions of the initial trial are recorded in post 78.
Registered Traveller Scheme - easier entry for regular visitors to the UK
Jul 8, 2016, 6:02 am
#541
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
At LHR T5, I'm often enough better off with FT use even when waiting for one or two people ahead of me to be stamped in. Since I often come into LHR T5 with EU passport users in my travel party I have had a pretty good benchmark about who cleared faster and by how much.
I look at the crowd for the e-gates and I look at the crowd for FT, and then I make my call about which approach to use. At first -- after taking advantage of the courtesy you extended me with the invitation code -- I would sometimes be a bit off in judging the different approaches, but for the past several months I've been right in my decision nearly always when it comes to passport control at LHR T5.
I look at the crowd for the e-gates and I look at the crowd for FT, and then I make my call about which approach to use. At first -- after taking advantage of the courtesy you extended me with the invitation code -- I would sometimes be a bit off in judging the different approaches, but for the past several months I've been right in my decision nearly always when it comes to passport control at LHR T5.
Aug 9, 2016, 4:12 am
#542
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum +Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 9
Getting final approval
I'm rather stumped on how to get the final approval in this process, and any kind help is appreciated.
I paid the initial fee in December 2015 and received the confirmation that I was approved for the next step - which is to "show your passport at a participating port before you can continue to use your membership. At Heathrow join the other passports lane or Fast Track if you have a ticket."
Well I did both of those things on two occasions and no one knew what I was talking about or could refer me to where I needed to go. I even had the supervisor at the Admirals Club at T3 LHR personally walk me to the immigration office, and the officer had no clue about the program.
I've now traveled into UK/LHR three times and haven't been able to use the benefit. I have emailed Registered Traveler twice and absolutely no response.
Again, any help, guidance or points in the right direction is much appreciated.
I paid the initial fee in December 2015 and received the confirmation that I was approved for the next step - which is to "show your passport at a participating port before you can continue to use your membership. At Heathrow join the other passports lane or Fast Track if you have a ticket."
Well I did both of those things on two occasions and no one knew what I was talking about or could refer me to where I needed to go. I even had the supervisor at the Admirals Club at T3 LHR personally walk me to the immigration office, and the officer had no clue about the program.
I've now traveled into UK/LHR three times and haven't been able to use the benefit. I have emailed Registered Traveler twice and absolutely no response.
Again, any help, guidance or points in the right direction is much appreciated.
Last edited by Two Million Miler; Aug 9, 2016 at 4:13 am Reason: Left out some words
Aug 9, 2016, 6:01 am
#543
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
I paid the initial fee in December 2015 and received the confirmation that I was approved for the next step - which is to "show your passport at a participating port before you can continue to use your membership. At Heathrow join the other passports lane or Fast Track if you have a ticket."
Well I did both of those things on two occasions and no one knew what I was talking about or could refer me to where I needed to go. I even had the supervisor at the Admirals Club at T3 LHR personally walk me to the immigration office, and the officer had no clue about the program.
Well I did both of those things on two occasions and no one knew what I was talking about or could refer me to where I needed to go. I even had the supervisor at the Admirals Club at T3 LHR personally walk me to the immigration office, and the officer had no clue about the program.
If you just showed them the passport (without the email) and tried to explain, maybe you were unlucky to get officers who weren't yet familiar. The email would have been crystal clear in what you are trying to do.
You should try again when entering the UK next time. Saved me a good 1h at LHR T5 just last week.
Aug 9, 2016, 6:27 am
#544
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum +Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 9
Really? When I showed the confirmation email to the immigration officer at LHR T3 upon my next entry into the UK, she knew exactly what to do and completed the enrolment as well as giving me the membership card.
If you just showed them the passport (without the email) and tried to explain, maybe you were unlucky to get officers who weren't yet familiar. The email would have been crystal clear in what you are trying to do.
You should try again when entering the UK next time. Saved me a good 1h at LHR T5 just last week.
If you just showed them the passport (without the email) and tried to explain, maybe you were unlucky to get officers who weren't yet familiar. The email would have been crystal clear in what you are trying to do.
You should try again when entering the UK next time. Saved me a good 1h at LHR T5 just last week.
Aug 9, 2016, 8:03 am
#546
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
If you're arriving into T5 and connecting from T3, you will need to clear immigration as an arriving passenger at T5, then take the Heathrow Express to Terminal 3, then clear the departure formalities there.
You will not need to collect your bags if they have been checked through to the next flight, but you personally will have to do the landside connection.
Aug 9, 2016, 8:06 am
#547
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Newton Centre, MA, USA
Programs: DL 2MM Gold, AA Plat Pro; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (via SPG), IHG Plat
Posts: 2,192
Aug 9, 2016, 12:43 pm
#550
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Cayman, San Diego, London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, AA 4MM Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,054
The "normal" rule is where you are physically at midnight. So, 2 "visits" in the same day would constitute one, but if one is before midnight, and the other after midnight, it would be two.
Aug 10, 2016, 2:59 pm
#551
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Newton Centre, MA, USA
Programs: DL 2MM Gold, AA Plat Pro; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (via SPG), IHG Plat
Posts: 2,192
You get out saying you want to visit the city.
You reenter checking in for your flight.
Getting our again is hard. I've seen no easy way to do it. I might imagine that the authorities would be paranoid about your having left something airside.
LHR is not like AMS where arriving and departing passengers intermingle. Arriving and departing passengers at LHR are pretty seriously segregated.
Also, why bother? You need to be there twice to apply, but if you aren't going back soon, why both applying at all? Just wait until after the next time you are there.
Aug 12, 2016, 6:51 am
#552
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Executive Platinum +Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 9
You must enter UK immigrations as an arriving passenger in order to finalise the membership.
If you're arriving into T5 and connecting from T3, you will need to clear immigration as an arriving passenger at T5, then take the Heathrow Express to Terminal 3, then clear the departure formalities there.
You will not need to collect your bags if they have been checked through to the next flight, but you personally will have to do the landside connection.
If you're arriving into T5 and connecting from T3, you will need to clear immigration as an arriving passenger at T5, then take the Heathrow Express to Terminal 3, then clear the departure formalities there.
You will not need to collect your bags if they have been checked through to the next flight, but you personally will have to do the landside connection.
Aug 12, 2016, 1:38 pm
#553
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
Stargold - your information was gold indeed. Thank you, all went smoothly. The key missing information for me previously was to clear immigration at T5 as if an arriving passenger and do not transfer via bus connection to T3. Instead fill out a landing card, go through UK Border control at T5, then out to street to Heathrow Express. Thanks again!
Aug 31, 2016, 2:03 pm
#555
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol, UK
Programs: HH D, Rad VIP, Marriott G
Posts: 5,359
anyone else had the border agent keep the older (2015) card and just hand them a new white 2016 card saying that they would destroy the old card for them?
I appreciate that the old card (blue) said 2015 but otherwise it was still the same RT 'number' and so replacing it only adds to the rubbish pile (if they did indeed responsibly destroy it and not simply bin it for someone else to pick out potentially)...
I have used the older card without issue plenty of times this year but maybe just had the one off border agent that likes things neat and tidy :-:
Anyway, at least now I have a new card to show until 2017 @:-)
Was also told by this agent that apparently they don't need to write your RT number above the stamp they put in the passport anymore (only the first time they are supposed to do this)...not sure if that is true but hey ho.
I appreciate that the old card (blue) said 2015 but otherwise it was still the same RT 'number' and so replacing it only adds to the rubbish pile (if they did indeed responsibly destroy it and not simply bin it for someone else to pick out potentially)...
I have used the older card without issue plenty of times this year but maybe just had the one off border agent that likes things neat and tidy :-:
Anyway, at least now I have a new card to show until 2017 @:-)
Was also told by this agent that apparently they don't need to write your RT number above the stamp they put in the passport anymore (only the first time they are supposed to do this)...not sure if that is true but hey ho.