British citizens will soon be able to apply for permission to skip customs lines at U.S. airports as part of the Global Entry program.
On Dec. 3, the U.K. will become the seventh country (joining Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Panama, Germany and the Netherlands) to join the Global Entry program, which allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved travelers.
The move "will enhance security and better facilitate travel between our two countries," said Gil Kerlikowske, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He announced the news Tuesday at the World Travel Market conference in London.
Britons who wish to participate in the program must be vetted by the U.K. They can then apply for a five-year Global Entry membership. If the application is approved, they will be interviewed by a CBP officer to make a final eligibility determination. The application costs $100 and the processing fee for the initial vetting process within the U.K. is 42 British pounds.
Travelers who are admitted to the program can then enter U.S. airports through kiosks rather than waiting in line to be cleared by an immigration officer. Global Entry is currently available at 46 U.S. airports.
Tuesday's announcement follows a four-year pilot program under which 1,400 U.K. citizens were able to enroll in Global Entry. All told, nearly 5 million Britons traveled to the U.S. during the 2015 fiscal year, with about 125,000 of them coming more than four times, according to CBP.
The announcement also comes on the heels of the U.K.'s decision earlier this year to make Americans eligible for enrollment in the equivalent program, Registered Traveller. U.S. citizens must make four trips per year to the U.K. to qualify for Registered Traveller. The application fee is 70 British pounds with an annual renewal of 50 pounds.