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
Feb 27, 2018, 7:41 am
#616
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SIN and Medway, UK (so... LCY/LGW/BRU)
Programs: A3 *G, BA OWS, IHG Diamond Amb, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 749
Interesting, there does seem to be conflicting information on the gov.uk sites depending on which route you access the info on registered traveller...
If one uses the link with gov.uk at the beginning of the address, it takes one to a page that doesn't list Bristol, whereas if you follow the one I received in my email, it takes one to a page with www.faster-uk-entry.service.gov.uk/about and does show Bristol...
I did also smile when I decided to check their T's & C's and found the link doesn't work...
So, will just have to see if someone tries Bristol and then hopefully lets us know...
Thanks for pointing this out, hoping Bristol is now included!
If one uses the link with gov.uk at the beginning of the address, it takes one to a page that doesn't list Bristol, whereas if you follow the one I received in my email, it takes one to a page with www.faster-uk-entry.service.gov.uk/about and does show Bristol...
I did also smile when I decided to check their T's & C's and found the link doesn't work...
So, will just have to see if someone tries Bristol and then hopefully lets us know...
Thanks for pointing this out, hoping Bristol is now included!
Mar 6, 2018, 2:18 pm
#617
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol, UK
Programs: HH D, Rad Plat
Posts: 5,352
Thanks MeltingAlf, very useful to know that Bristol is indeed included in RT scheme, that will come in handy next time I fly in/out.
One thing I really love about RT and using the e-passport lanes is that you don't need to carry any old passports with the ILR / Visa in them...(When I would visit a manned desk, I always took it with me to be able to prove I had one just in case, although I know it is not mandatory...with e-passport lanes never needed it so have started leaving the old one at home. (I do appreciate that I could still need to be checked by a human for a number of reasons).
Safe travels everyone.
One thing I really love about RT and using the e-passport lanes is that you don't need to carry any old passports with the ILR / Visa in them...(When I would visit a manned desk, I always took it with me to be able to prove I had one just in case, although I know it is not mandatory...with e-passport lanes never needed it so have started leaving the old one at home. (I do appreciate that I could still need to be checked by a human for a number of reasons).
Safe travels everyone.
Apr 5, 2018, 10:56 am
#618
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 4
I'm a member of the UK Registered Traveller program (US citizen currently traveling in the UK) and it recently occurred to me that there's no proof in my passport that I'm in the UK legally! (I was asked to produce that for a vacation apartment application, and luckily they accepted my passport and the email that the program sent documenting my membership.) Is there any website where I could check/print my current status -- something that says "Leave to Remain due to expire on xxxxx" or similar?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Apr 5, 2018, 9:20 pm
#619
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
I'm a member of the UK Registered Traveller program (US citizen currently traveling in the UK) and it recently occurred to me that there's no proof in my passport that I'm in the UK legally! (I was asked to produce that for a vacation apartment application, and luckily they accepted my passport and the email that the program sent documenting my membership.) Is there any website where I could check/print my current status -- something that says "Leave to Remain due to expire on xxxxx" or similar?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jul 30, 2018, 4:51 am
#620
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 248
I live in the UK on a work visa, and have signed up for the registered traveller scheme.
While I was getting my passport checked at LHR yesterday, the immigration officer said my partner - who is on a dependent’s visa - would also be allowed to use the EU line when traveling with me. Is that correct? Does anyone have experience with that?
While I was getting my passport checked at LHR yesterday, the immigration officer said my partner - who is on a dependent’s visa - would also be allowed to use the EU line when traveling with me. Is that correct? Does anyone have experience with that?
Jul 31, 2018, 1:36 am
#621
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver/ows, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,581
I live in the UK on a work visa, and have signed up for the registered traveller scheme.
While I was getting my passport checked at LHR yesterday, the immigration officer said my partner - who is on a dependent’s visa - would also be allowed to use the EU line when traveling with me. Is that correct? Does anyone have experience with that?
While I was getting my passport checked at LHR yesterday, the immigration officer said my partner - who is on a dependent’s visa - would also be allowed to use the EU line when traveling with me. Is that correct? Does anyone have experience with that?
Aug 13, 2018, 1:36 pm
#622
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,058
Just wanted to be sure, for regular visitors with no visa (because it's not required), we have to go through the terrible immigration lines FOUR times before we can apply for the registered traveler scheme? Is that no workaround for this?
Aug 13, 2018, 2:37 pm
#623
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
I don't think the RT scheme requires trips solely through London Heathrow. Therefore, arriving through flights directly to LCY, GLA, or EDI would count (I know Border Control at these three is much easier than Heathrow; I know nothing about MAN or LGW so didn't include them for that reason, not because they might not also be easier than LHR). I don't see anything in the eligibility terms that would exclude entries by sea or train. And on my recent approved application, I was given credit for an entry into the UK on a trip from the US to Dublin where I then traveled from Ireland to Northern Ireland where there isn't Border Control (at least currently!) although I had to submit proof of purchases made in Northern Ireland, such as meals and hotels. But there must be four separate entries--no way around that.
Aug 14, 2018, 1:00 pm
#624
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,443
I'm thinking of applying for this as I meet the criteria, have three upcoming trips in the next three months and travel about 4 times a year via LHR. One 90 minute wait usually leaves me cranky and I can't imagine that things are getting better.
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
Aug 14, 2018, 3:02 pm
#625
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
I'm thinking of applying for this as I meet the criteria, have three upcoming trips in the next three months and travel about 4 times a year via LHR. One 90 minute wait usually leaves me cranky and I can't imagine that things are getting better.
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
For anyone who has been through the process, I'm happy to be corrected if my understanding is wrong, but I don't think it is based on other language in my conditional approval that indicates that upon final approval, my membership "year" will actually start the day I submitted my application and not on the date of either my conditional or final approval. Since my application was filed on June 25th, I'll have only approximately nine months in my first "year" of membership. Maybe this is wishful thinking, but I'd hope that final approval would indeed be done on my "next" entry to the UK rather than my "next" entry when the UK Border Force would have the appropriate personnel present who could give final validation to my application.
Aug 15, 2018, 4:43 pm
#626
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver/ows, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,581
I'm thinking of applying for this as I meet the criteria, have three upcoming trips in the next three months and travel about 4 times a year via LHR. One 90 minute wait usually leaves me cranky and I can't imagine that things are getting better.
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
I will land at 1045 Pm on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I assume the lines for immigration won't be as daunting as they are in the AM, but do I validate my trusted traveler on that day or do I wait until my second trip when I land on a typical work day (albeit around 730 am).
Sep 5, 2018, 8:16 am
#627
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,443
You validate on your next entry. There's no special personnel involved. Fill out the landing card but tell the immigration officer you've registered for the program and show them the confirmation printout. They'll give you a card with your number on it, although I haven't had to show this subsequently.
Sep 5, 2018, 8:31 am
#628
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
Sep 5, 2018, 1:20 pm
#629
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,443