Home Office launches Registered Traveller scheme

On 24 September 2013, the Home Office launched a Registered Traveller scheme, which will enable the UK Border Force to process frequent travellers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States of America as ‘Registered Travellers’. Initially, this will run as a free pilot scheme until 31 March 2014.

The scheme will allow registered individuals to access expedited clearance processes by using the UK/EEA channels at border control without the need for a landing card if flying into Gatwick or Heathrow. The scheme could be rolled out to other ports across the UK in the future.

To be eligible for the scheme, an individual must:

• be from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, or the United States of America;
• be over 18;
• have visited the UK at least four times in the last 52 weeks;
• have been registered for the iris immigration registration system (‘IRIS’); and
• be coming to the UK as a visitor. 

To register for the Registered Traveller scheme, individuals should visit the Home Office website.