Registered Traveller: faster entry through the UK border

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1. Overview

The Registered Traveller service can help you get through the UK border faster.

Registered Travellers can use UK channels at some airports and train stations. You can use:

  • UK passport entry lanes
  • ePassport gates - if your passport has a ‘chip’

You’ll need to carry your visa or biometric residence permit, if you have one.

You can no longer use the Registered Traveller service if you’re from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the United States. You may be able to use the ePassport gates instead.

2. Eligibility

To apply for Registered Traveller membership, you must be 18 or older and have an eligible passport.

You must also either:

  • have a UK visa or entry clearance
  • have visited the UK at least 4 times in the last 24 months

It counts as visiting when you enter the UK from another country. It does not count if you’re just passing through the UK on your way to another country.

Eligible passports

Africa

Botswana, Seychelles.

Asia

Brunei, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region passports only), Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Oceania

Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga.

South and Central America

Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay.

3. Where you can use Registered Traveller

You can use the service at the following airports:

  • Birmingham
  • Bristol
  • Cardiff
  • East Midlands
  • Edinburgh
  • Gatwick
  • Glasgow
  • Heathrow
  • London City
  • Luton
  • Manchester
  • Southend
  • Stansted

You can use the service at the following Eurostar terminals:

  • Brussels
  • Lille
  • Paris

4. How to apply

Before you apply, check you’re eligible.

  1. Apply online for Registered Traveller membership. You’ll need your passport number and expiry date. It costs £70 and lasts 12 months.

  2. You’ll get a decision on your application within 10 working days. You’ll get £50 back if your application is unsuccessful.

  3. If your application is accepted, the next time you travel to the UK you must go through the ‘other passports’ lane.

  4. The immigration officer will check that you meet the criteria and tell you if you can become a member. Your 12 month membership will start on the day you submitted your application.

5. Renew or update your membership

It costs £50 to renew your Registered Traveller membership for another year.

It costs £20 to update your passport details if you get a new passport. You must do this before you travel to the UK.

You must also update your details if your visa or immigration status changes. There’s no fee to do this.

You can also renew or update your child’s membership.

6. Add children to your membership

You can apply to add your children to your Registered Traveller membership if you have 29 days or more left on it.

Once your child is added to your membership, you can both use the UK passport lanes together.

You will not be able to use the ePassport gates.

Your child’s membership will expire at the same time as yours. You’ll need to renew or update your and your child’s memberships separately.

Once you’ve added the child to your membership, they can also travel with their other parent as long as they’re also a member. Before they travel together, you’ll need to email the Home Office with full names and Registered Traveller numbers for:

  • you
  • your child
  • your child’s other parent

Home Office Registered Traveller service
rtinbox@homeoffice.gov.uk

Eligibility

Your child must:

  • be 17 or under
  • have an eligible passport
  • have a visa or entry clearance, if they’re not applying as a visitor

Fee

You must pay a £20 administration fee to apply for each child, plus a membership fee. This is worked out as £2 a month until your membership expires.

You’ll be told how much you need to pay when you apply.

You’ll get the membership fee back if your application is unsuccessful. You will not get the £20 administration fee back.

How to apply

You must apply and pay for each child separately.

You’ll need your:

• Registered Traveller number
• child’s passport number and expiry date

You’ll get a decision on your application within 10 working days.

Renew or update your child’s membership

You’ll need to sign in with your child’s Registered Traveller number and date of birth to renew or update their membership.

You’ll have to pay a membership fee to renew your child’s membership, which is worked out as £2 a month until your membership expires.

It costs £20 to update your child’s passport details if they get a new passport. You must do this before your child travels to the UK.

You must also update your child’s details if their visa or immigration status changes. There’s no fee to do this.

When you travel to the UK

If your application is successful, the first time you and your child travel to the UK you must both go through the ‘other passports’ lane together.

You might need to prove the relationship between you and any children travelling with you, for example if you have different surnames.

You can do this with:

• a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship to the child
• a divorce or marriage certificate if you’re the parent but have a different surname to the child

The immigration officer will then confirm your child has been added to your membership. You’ll get a confirmation email within 48 hours.