The US is in negotiations with the British government to arrange pre-clearance at its Heathrow and Manchester Airports. This is to facilitate easier processing of all outbound passengers once they arrive in the United States.
The idea is to have most of their processing done before departure so they can clear through customs the same as domestic citizens and reduce the time it takes them to go through. The US and the UK have a close working relationship and they are sure the successful implementation of this program will be more than welcome in other airports in the UK.
For citizens of the UK this will; be an added bonus as the current system uses the Visa Waiver Program, at least for British citizens, where they can be in the United States for up to three months. Sources however claim that when flying as a British citizen, it is now required to have the ESTA regardless of your citizenship. Either way, anything that reduces time standing in a queue to get through customs is an improvement.
With the global entry program and the approved traveler type programs, it may be time for countries to perhaps start setting up a universal passport scheme. It sure sounds a bit futuristic and far-fetched, but it seems things are headed in that direction.
As we have plenty of time before something like that happens it would be good to see how things go once this program is in place. Hopefully it will reduce the clogs at ports of entry and allow for smoother entry.
