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 Ł70 of which Ł50 is refunded if the application is rejected. Renewal costs Ł50 each year and changes of document details cost Ł20.
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 Ł70 of which Ł50 is refunded if the application is rejected. Renewal costs Ł50 each year and changes of document details cost Ł20.
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
Sep 17, 2013, 1:44 pm
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
This could become useful, but as usual the devil is in the details. And if it is implemented in all major airports, including BFS, EDI, etc.
Sep 21, 2013, 12:48 am
#47
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
The wording on the website has changed again:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/cu...euk/usingiris/
Passengers can apply for the scheme if they:
previously registered to use IRIS; and
are from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia or New Zealand; and
have completed at least 4 trips to the UK in the last 52 weeks; and
are a short term visitor to the UK aged over 18.
previously registered to use IRIS; and
are from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia or New Zealand; and
have completed at least 4 trips to the UK in the last 52 weeks; and
are a short term visitor to the UK aged over 18.
Sep 21, 2013, 1:42 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Nottingham, England
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 968
I am in the realm of partly informed speculation, which is always dangerous. But I would be surprised if they were actually excluded, since the object of the exercise is to reduce effort on those passengers who don't require effort. Again I am speculating, but what often happens in these situations is that the scheme gets refined and improved over time. E.g., well, IRIS.
Sep 21, 2013, 7:00 am
#49
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austria (Vbg)
Programs: LX SEN, BA Gfl/GGL, IC Dia, HH Dia, Hyatt LT GLOB
Posts: 1,584
Yeah, noticed it too...quite a lot of "and"; it reads as if they want the eligible group of passengers as small as possible 
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sence economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sence economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
Sep 21, 2013, 7:42 am
#50
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
Yeah, noticed it too...quite a lot of "and"; it reads as if they want the eligible group of passengers as small as possible
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sence economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sence economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
Sep 21, 2013, 8:57 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Houston
Programs: UA - 1K, Marriott - Gold, Hilton - Gold, Global Entry,
Posts: 630
I agree. I'm a US passport holder, but am a UK resident and knowing the British penchant to follow the letter of the law it seems pretty clear we aren't included. That's annoying because I should be relatively easy to process and they have my biometric data on file and it would be nice not to have to stand in the normal queue every time I travel in and out of the country.
Sep 21, 2013, 9:03 am
#52
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,682
That seems reasonable, although a bit disappointing. Hopefully will open up a bit for GE, as this would be a major benefit!!!
Sep 21, 2013, 10:00 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Thatcham, UK or Adelaide Australia
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat OZ Diamond SK Diamond BA Blue
Posts: 3,323
Annoying to see it is all ANDs now for eligibility, so meeting the first three criteria is scuppered by living here and failing the fourth.
Also quite deceptive, as the IRIS page attempts to infer a dichotomy for existing IRIS users, that we have option A (EEA/EU citizen => ePassport) or B (Registered Traveller Scheme) available.
Obviously false, as the criteria for registration for IRIS were never as restrictive as this. Registration to IRIS was fairly restricted by the time honoured British tradition of rarely having enough staff to open a registration office.
Also quite deceptive, as the IRIS page attempts to infer a dichotomy for existing IRIS users, that we have option A (EEA/EU citizen => ePassport) or B (Registered Traveller Scheme) available.
Obviously false, as the criteria for registration for IRIS were never as restrictive as this. Registration to IRIS was fairly restricted by the time honoured British tradition of rarely having enough staff to open a registration office.
Sep 21, 2013, 11:25 am
#54
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brighton, UK
Programs: BA Gold, IC Ambassador, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Fairmont Platinum
Posts: 3,166
Yeah, noticed it too...quite a lot of "and"; it reads as if they want the eligible group of passengers as small as possible
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sense economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
But I really do not understand why it's not opened up to a larger audience, e.g. all EEA passengers/citizens. Wouldn't it make sense economically? Comparing LHR and HKG, it's currently easier and faster to enter Hong Kong (using the e-channel any frequent flyer can register for) than crossing the border at LHR...
Looking further it seems that the UKBA have two conflicting and incompatible beliefs:
- On the one hand, they think that the e-passport gates offer a smooth, easy and efficient means of entry for UK and EU passport holders across the UK border. Yet this is no IRIS with restricted and pre-registered access. It ignores the fact that anyone with a biometric passport can use the system and before long all UK and EU citizens will therefore be eligible - not exactly Fasttrack
- On the other hand, they recognise that they need to facilitate the smooth passage of business travellers. Again, why would this be necessary if e-passports worked as efficiently as the first premise would have you believe? This does remind me of BA's decision not to have separate CE/CW check-in desks at T5 as all check-in desks would be so efficient! This was quickly reversed as reality kicked in and protests mounted. Also, why do UKBA want to favour business travellers? Most other countries have fast track schemes for frequent travellers.
As a frequent, but exclusively leisure, traveller, why is my time less precious? I pay my taxes and cross the UK border 25-30 times a year, but that doesn't matter? (Of course that figure would go down a bit, if I weren't leaving the UK to fly back again and avoid APD on LH premium flights
).I suspect the UKBA are monitoring this thread, but this time there is little scope to change "or" to "and" or to pepper all causes with "ands" - this is just plain poor policy pure and simple. The real question is: "Is it what the minister intended, though"?
Sep 22, 2013, 10:25 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,205
That's incorrect. EEA citizens could register for IRIS irrespective of the frequency of their visits to the UK (as long as they were in the unusual situation of finding an IRIS enrolment office open).
Sep 23, 2013, 3:06 am
#57
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
When I registered (uk passport) I was asked how often I flew. No evidence required.
Sep 23, 2013, 4:22 am
#58
Ambassador: Oneworld Alliance
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold (GGL), Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,213
Sep 23, 2013, 5:05 am
#59
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,158
There would be absolutely no issue if UKBA actually staffed the borders to cater for the demand. IRIS was brilliant and allowed them to potentially greatly reduce staff numbers. They should have been expanding it not removing it.
Sep 23, 2013, 5:33 am
#60
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Thatcham, UK or Adelaide Australia
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat OZ Diamond SK Diamond BA Blue
Posts: 3,323
With the speculation that the minimal criteria may just be a pilot, or indeed box ticking by the UK to satisfy the US, I noticed today that the UK Govt expects the Registered Traveller Scheme to serve more than 7.8M people...
https://www.gov.uk/transformation
https://www.gov.uk/transformation