Registered Traveller membership expanded to Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan

Policy effect

On January 25, 2016, the Home Office expanded the Registered Traveller service to eligible travellers from Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The announcement states that potential members applied online, underwent Border Force security checks and were provisionally accepted; membership was completed on their next UK visit. Approved members could use passport eGates and UK/EU controls at Heathrow and other participating airports. This was access to expedited border clearance for qualifying members, not a new general right to enter or a visa exemption. The separate November announcement confirms the January date and Hong Kong SAR limitation. This record contains only the four January additions; the later sixteen-country expansion is separately dated November21.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: On January 25, 2016, the Home Office expanded the Registered Traveller service to eligible travellers from Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.; This record contains only the four January additions

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

Further expansion of UK Registered Traveller Service - GOV.UK Cookies on GOV.UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies Hide cookie message Skip to main content Navigation menu Menu Menu Services and information Benefits Births, death, marriages and care Business and self-employed Childcare and parenting Citizenship and living in the UK Crime, justice and the law Disabled people Driving and transport Education and learning Employing people Environment and countryside Housing and local services Money and tax Passports, travel and living abroad Visas and immigration Working, jobs and pensions Government activity Departments Departments, agencies and public bodies News News stories, speeches, letters and notices Guidance and regulation Detailed guidance, regulations and rules Research and statistics Reports, analysis and official statistics Policy papers and consultations Consultations and strategy Transparency Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Search GOV.UK × Search GOV.UK Search Search GOV.UK Search Home Entering and staying in the UK Border control Press release Further expansion of UK Registered Traveller Service Business travellers and frequent visitors from 16 countries to benefit from faster entry to the UK as Registered Traveller Service grows From: Border Force, Home Office, The Rt Hon Liam Fox and The Rt Hon Amber Rudd Published: 19 November 2016 This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government Registered traveller logo. From Monday (21 November), frequent travellers to the UK from 16 new countries will be eligible to apply for membership of the scheme, which brings the potential for improved trade and tourism links. Membership will now be open to passengers from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay. Visitors from just six of the countries, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Israel, Malaysia and Mexico, spent close to £1bn in the UK last year, an increase of almost 30 per cent on the previous year. The Prime Minister announced earlier this month that the service will also be offered to certain categories of traveller from India in the future. Home Secretary, Amber Rudd said: By opening the Registered Traveller Service to even more members we are sending a clear message to the world that the UK is open for business. Last year, visitors from the newly-eligible nations spent close to £1bn in the UK and trade with them is worth … to the UK’s economy every year. Registered Traveller is one of the many ways this government is making it easier for businesses across the world to do business with the UK and I look forward to watching the service grow in the future. International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox said: I’m pleased to see the Registered Traveller scheme expanding to include these key markets. Latin America offers fantastic opportunities for British companies and many have already had success in the region, with 58 of our FTSE 100 firms doing business there. For UK companies looking to build a global brand, as well as international businesses keen to invest in the UK’s thriving marketplace, making contacts and forging new relationships is essential. So it’s vital we make business travel into the UK as smooth as possible. Registered Traveller, which is already open to passport holders from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the US, currently has more than 67,000 members and offers faster entry through the UK border. The service allows approved members, who have undergone advanced security checks, faster entry at the UK border through access to the ePassport gates (if a holder of an ePassport) or the UK/EU passport lane. To be eligible to apply, passengers must hold an eligible passport and have a visa/entry clearance or have visited the UK at least four times in the past two years. More information and application forms can be found on GOV.UK. Notes to Editors 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. The service was extended to include applicants from Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan on 25 January 2016. In November 2016 the UK Prime Minister announced the future expansion of the service to certain categories of traveller from India. The International Passenger Survey results showed that in 2015, visitors from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Israel, Malaysia and Mexico alone spent £923.53m in the UK. Share this page The following links open in a new tab Share on Facebook (opens in new tab) Share on X (opens in new tab) Updates to this page Published 19 November 2016 Explore the topic Visas and entry clearance Border control World locations Argentina Belize Brazil Brunei Chile Show 11 more world locations Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and El Salvador Is this page useful? 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Review method

Source-based draft with independent Gemini 3.8 Flash verification

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2016

• 2016-02-01Immigration Act 2014
• 2016-04-06Australian and New Zealand nationality exemption from immigration health charge removed
• 2016-04-06Youth Mobility Scheme annual health-charge rate reduced for applicants already liable
• 2016-05-31The Immigration Act 2016 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2016
• 2016-07-12Immigration Act 2016
• 2016-09-12The Immigration (Guidance on Detention of Vulnerable Persons) Regulations 2016
• 2016-11-21Registered Traveller membership expanded to sixteen additional countries
• 2016-11-23Multi-entry leave to enter effect for academic visitors
• 2016-11-23Multi-entry leave to enter effect for private medical treatment visit visas
• 2016-11-23Protection from leave lapse for accompanying family of posted Crown servants and British Council staff
• 2016-11-25EEA Regulations 2016 transitory provisions tightening residence criteria for family members of British citizens
• 2016-11-29The First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Fees (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2016