“Dual nationals: prove you are British or you can’t come in”: that’s the prospect dealing with individuals who have citizenship of each the UK and one other nation.
Millions of British residents reside overseas. An estimated 1.2 million have twin nationality and personal a passport issued by their nation of residence. Most reside in nations whose residents don’t require a visa to enter the UK. These embrace member states of the European Union and wider Schengen space, in addition to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the US.
Passports issued by these international locations enable travellers to go to the UK for a keep of as much as six months for tourism, household visits or enterprise.
Until 25 February 2026, British twin nationals might use their overseas passport to enter and exit the UK. But that choice has ended – obliging British residents who wish to return to get a UK passport or an costly “certificate showing right of abode”. These are the important thing questions and solutions.
What has modified?
The Home Office says British people who find themselves residents of a second nation should journey to the UK utilizing:
- A legitimate British passport
- A legitimate Irish passport
- Any different legitimate passport with a “certificate of entitlement”.
Why the change?
Someone with a passport issued by a “non-visa” nation can enter the UK for as much as six months with out formality. If the person stays longer, the Home Office can’t inform whether or not the individual is an overstayer or a British citizen who occurs to have entered on a overseas passport.
One goal of the UK’s digital journey authorisation (ETA) is to take away that confusion. The on-line allow required by each overseas customer (besides an Irish nationwide) who’s entitled to journey to the UK with out a visa. Conversely, the federal government says: “You cannot get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) if you’re a British or Irish dual citizen.”
While in concept the ETA has been required since 2 April 2025, full enforcement started solely on 25 February 2026.
The drawback now for British individuals who have solely a overseas passport and don’t have proof of citizenship is that they don’t have any authorized solution to present they’re entitled to enter the UK. They can’t get an ETA. Airlines and transport operators might subsequently deny them boarding.
Read extra: What is an ETA and the way can guests to the UK apply for the brand new visa?
What are the choices for UK twin nationals?
The comparatively cheap selection is to acquire a British passport. The worth is £94.50, with an estimated processing time of three weeks (it’s often much less) within the UK. But the process for British individuals residing overseas takes longer.
Another choice is a certificates of entitlement that’s connected to your overseas passport. The “certificate showing right of abode” prices £589. If you might be nonetheless , search on-line for “Form ROA”.
At the eleventh hour, the Home Office stated that airways might settle for, at their discretion, an expired British passport issued at any time since 1989 together with a sound overseas passport – so long as the biographic particulars (full title, date and place of origin) match precisely.
The airways have discretion to resolve whether or not or to not enable the two-passport mixture.
So far British Airways, easyJet, Lufthansa , Qantas, United and Virgin Atlantic have confirmed they may settle for the expired doc with a sound overseas passport.
A Wizz Air spokesperson stated: ““As directed by the Home Office, we will consider each passenger on a case-by-case basis and if needed would contact Carrier Support Hub (CSH) to establish the passengers’ circumstances and which combination of documents they are presenting.”
Air New Zealand is reported to not be accepting the present/expired passport combo. But for the reason that service now not flies to the UK, companion airways could accommodate travellers. Singapore Airlines has responded, enigmatically, by indicating the choice rests with the British authorities: “The UK Home Office may accept proof of citizenship if customers have an expired British passport issued 1989 or later and a valid non-visa-national third-country passport, with their personal particulars matching (e.g. full name, date of birth).”
One ultimate choice: renouncing British citizenship, which takes weeks and prices £482.
But I have to journey in an emergency…
If you can not get a brand new or alternative passport in time to journey, you may apply for an emergency journey doc, costing £125 and legitimate for a single journey to the UK.
I used to be born overseas and have by no means had a UK passport, however am a British citizen by descent. Should I fear?
Plenty of potential guests to the UK are involved. You can check if you are a British citizen by descent on this UK government website.
According to the strict letter of the legislation, anybody who has British nationality by means of ancestry should to declare the actual fact and procure a passport or certificates of proper of abode earlier than travelling to the UK.
The identical even applies to individuals with Irish citizenship who’ve by no means been close to the island.
In follow, I predict the overwhelming majority of such travellers is not going to declare the actual fact and apply for an ETA within the regular method with out a drawback. But there isn’t any assure of success.
Data sleuth Dr Nick Brown offers the instance of an Australian household travelling to the UK during which the daddy and kids have Australian passports and are issued ETAs, however the mom has a British passport: “They get to Heathrow. Border Force officer looks at Mum’s UK passport. Place of birth, London. So the kids are British citizens. They should have a UK passport, and in addition must have made a false declaration when getting their ETA.”
Which passport do I exploit when returning to my nation of residence?
Your overseas passport. Bear in thoughts, there aren’t any passport checks when departing the UK. The airline, ferry firm or Eurostar shall be fascinated about understanding that you’re entitled to journey to your vacation spot. A passport from that nation (or, within the case of the EU, any member state) is the easiest way to display that you may be allowed in. If you employ your British passport, issues will get messy.
But my airline expects me to journey on the identical doc out and in of the UK…
Airlines have totally different insurance policies. Most let you specify your chosen journey doc while you verify in on your flight. Checking in for the return half of a visit with Ryanair, for instance, you need to be provided the chance to journey in your UK passport or a brand new doc. Select the latter, clearly, and fill in your overseas passport particulars.
Some airways are trickier, and it’s possible you’ll have to name the service (or use on-line chat) to get the doc particulars modified.
Just remind me why the ETA was introduced in?
The authorities says it’s “a more streamlined, digital immigration system” that it claims “will be quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through the UK border each year”.
What if I’ve an Irish passport?
Congratulations: you’re the most lucky of travellers. You are within the supreme place of with the ability to journey freely between the UK, the EU and the broader Schengen space without having for additional documentation both now or sooner or later – when the Etias allow turns into obligatory for all British travellers.
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