Faster entry at the border now available to Guatemala
Regular visitors to the UK from Guatemala will be eligible to apply to join the UK’s Registered Traveller Service from Monday 21 November.
The Service provides approved members, who have undergone advanced security checks an expedited clearance through the UK border.
UK Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill said:
The UK is open for business and I am excited we are going to be able to share in the benefits of Registered Traveller with Guatemala. We know there are thousands of passengers welcomed in the UK from Guatemala each year and the Registered Traveller Service offers them faster entry when they arrive at our border. The scheme is already available to a number of countries across the world and I am very pleased to welcome Guatemala to the Registered Traveller community.
To be eligible to apply, passengers must hold an eligible passport, have a visa/entry clearance or have visited the UK at least four times in the past two years.
Registered Traveller allows approved members, who have undergone advanced security checks, faster entry at the UK border through access to the ePassport gates (if they hold an ePassport) or the UK/EU passport lane and do not need to fill in a landing card.
Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria may apply to join the Registered Traveller Service online by providing personal details and passport details. Once background checks have been carried out, if the application is successful, the individual will be sent a provisional acceptance letter.
To validate and confirm their membership, the individual must present themselves on their next arrival in the UK to a Border Force officer where the membership process will be completed with an interview to determine the applicant’s suitability for the service and identity checks are carried out.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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The Registered Traveller Service went fully live on 8 April 2015 for applicants aged 18 and over, from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States.
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The service was extended to include applicants from Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan on 25 January 2016 and in November 2016 the UK Prime Minister announced the expansion of the service to certain categories of traveller from India.
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Most immigration categories are eligible to join the service including the majority of entry clearance holders. Visitors are also eligible if they can demonstrate they have entered the UK a minimum of four times in the previous two years.
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Applicants apply online. An application costs £70. This includes a non-refundable fee of £20 for considering the application and a £50 annual membership fee that will be refunded if an application is unsuccessful. There is a £50 charge to renew membership for a further 12 months.
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Registered Travellers with ePassports can use the ePassport Gates and can enter via the UK/EU passport controls at Heathrow and other participating ports (London City, Stansted, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Luton, Manchester and at Eurostar terminals at Paris, Brussels and Lille). The Registered Traveller Service will be rolled out to Bristol and Cardiff in the coming months.
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For more information on Registered Traveller visit here.