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From Separation to Succession: Protecting your Pets
Lucy Bluck
The Home Office has announced the expansion of the UK Registered Traveller Service to applicants from 16 new countries, with effect from today. Business travellers and frequent visitors will be able to benefit from faster entry to the UK as the Government’s Registered Traveller Service is expanded. Membership will now also be open to passengers from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay, subject to meeting the membership criteria.
Previously this was only available to applicants from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the US, Hong Kong (SAR), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.
In order to qualify applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or over
- Hold a valid visa (except Tier 5 (Sporting & Creative Concessions), EEA family permits, discretionary leave and leave outside the rules)
- Be a member of a diplomatic mission or
- Be “a visitor” (and have visited the UK at least four times in the previous 24 months) in one of the following categories:
- Business
- General
- Academic
- In transit
- Entertainment or Sports visitor
- Parents with a child in a UK school
- Medical visitor
The service is available at:
- Gatwick
- Heathrow
- Birmingham
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Brussels, Lille and Paris (Rail Terminals)
- Manchester
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- London City
- Stansted
- Luton
How to apply
Step 1
- Applicants must apply online via the following website - www.gov.uk/registered-traveller
- The fee is £70 for a 12 months membership
Step 2
- The Home Office processes the application and will conduct a number of checks. A decision will be reached within 10 days and applicants will receive an email notification of whether or not the application has been successful
Step 3
- If successful, applicants will need to print the decision email and carry this when passing through immigration control on their next entry to the UK
Step 4
To complete your enrolment at:
- Gatwick - join the lanes for Registered Travellers
- Heathrow - join the ‘other passports’ lane. Or go to the ‘Fast Track’ desk if you have a ‘Fast Track’ ticket
- Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, Luton, Birmingham, East Midlands or Stansted – join the ‘Other passports’ lane
- Those who applied in a visitor or diplomatic category can also join the ‘Other passports’ at Brussels, Paris or Lille
Completion of membership
Acceptance onto the scheme will be recorded onto the Home Office system to facilitate easier transit though immigration control on subsequent entries to the UK. Membership will be valid for 12 months and will be evidenced by way of a membership card. Applicants will be issued with a card on which they will need to write their name and membership number as stated on the decision email.
Further information
Should you have any questions about the issues raised in this blog post please contact Nicolas Rollason or a member of our immigration team.
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