British dual nationals are scrambling to secure documentation as new UK dual nationality passport rules come into force on 25 February.
The changes mean that dual citizens will no longer be able to enter the UK using a foreign passport alone, even if that passport is from a country that does not require a visa.
What is changing?
Under the new UK rules, British dual nationals must present either:
- A valid UK passport, or
- A digital certificate of entitlement attached to their non-UK passport
Without one of these documents, airlines may deny boarding for travel to the UK.
Dual nationals cannot apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and must instead meet the new documentation requirements. Airlines will carry out checks before departure.
The reforms are linked to the rollout of the UK’s ETA system, which requires visa-free visitors to apply for a paid travel authorisation before arrival. The ETA currently costs £16, with plans to increase it to £20.
Irish passport holders are exempt from the changes, but other EU dual nationals are affected.
Costs and processing delays
A UK passport costs around £100 for adults, while a certificate of entitlement costs £589. Neither document is automatically issued upon obtaining British citizenship.
Processing times can take several weeks, creating difficulties for dual nationals currently abroad.
According to the 2021 census, 1.2% of UK-born residents (587,600 people) and 6.5% of non-UK-born residents (648,700 people) were UK–other dual citizens.
The government says the reforms align the UK system with countries such as the United States and Australia.
Dual nationals caught off guard
Several dual nationals said they were unaware of the changes until recently.
Jelena, a British-Latvian dual national who has lived in the UK for 16 years, said the timing of the rule change means she may not be able to return to her home in Glasgow after a planned trip to South America. She described the situation as a “betrayal”.
Petra Gartzen, a UK-German dual national living temporarily in Spain, said she discovered the change via social media and is now urgently applying for a UK passport from abroad.
Swiss dual national Shaun West said he is considering renouncing his British citizenship, while Norwegian dual national Linn Kathenes said she is racing to arrange documentation before an overseas school trip.
Campaign group the3million criticised the government’s communication, urging ministers to pause the rollout and introduce a temporary low-cost travel authorisation for affected dual nationals.
Government response
A Home Office spokesperson said public information about the requirement has been available since October 2024 and that a communications campaign around the ETA has been running since 2023.
Officials maintain that the requirement applies equally to all British citizens regardless of other nationality and mirrors entry policies in other countries.
Source: BBC
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