Australian Dual Citizens Entering UK after February

[Pug1]

I have just looked up the British High Commission, Canberra, Facebook page and see people pleading for some clarification; with no response as far as I can see!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

that's what I mean by grey areas. I think I would not be relying on the ETA.

It’s only grey by the people who are hoping for it!

The rules are quite clear.

But maybe those pleading for clarification will effect change!

 

[Muriel]

I suppose you could use an expired passport, but who knows how long the processing would take.

But the ETA application I understand asks if you are a UK citizen citizen, you’d need to provide false information in order to proceed.

The ramifications are that the ETA could be cancelled in the Aussie passport, which I wonder if that could then present problems of its own later on… like any time any other country asks if a visa or entry has been denied?

NO you cannot use an expired passport. Expired means it is no longer valid. They are very serious about this and will strictly adhere to the new regulation. UK government site plainly state that you MUST have a VALID current passport for entry in to UK. OR if you are NOT a dual citizen, then you MUST have an ETA which, I believe, cost GBP16 and is valid for 2 years.

 

[Muriel]

I have just looked up the British High Commission, Canberra, Facebook page and see people pleading for some clarification; with no response as far as I can see!

The rules are clear. for all dual UK citizens. You MUST enter and leave UK on a valid/current British passport (not expired). Leave and re-enter the country you reside in with that country's passport.
If you are NOT a dual citizen, you must apply for an ETA in your Australian passport. Otherwise - no entry. Please take this seriously.

 

[transpactraveller]

So I'm guessing the UK doesn't have anything similar to Canada for this situation?

Dual Canadian citizens can apply for permission to fly to Canada on a non-Canadian passport: Are you a dual Canadian citizen flying to Canada without a valid Canadian passport?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

NO you cannot use an expired passport. Expired means it is no longer valid. They are very serious about this and will strictly adhere to the new regulation. UK government site plainly state that you MUST have a VALID current passport for entry in to UK. OR if you are NOT a dual citizen, then you MUST have an ETA which, I believe, cost GBP16 and is valid for 2 years.

I’m not suggesting you can use an expired passport to board you flight. However, if you arrived in the UK, by whatever means, as a British citizen you cannot be refused entry.

UK border officials will seek to confirm your identity and British citizenship. For that purpose, even an expired British passport will be a good start. The only thing they’d need to check is that you haven’t lost your citizenship. Which is not that hard to confirm.

You can’t travel on that document, but it is evidence to allow you access.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So I'm guessing the UK doesn't have anything similar to Canada for this situation?

Dual Canadian citizens can apply for permission to fly to Canada on a non-Canadian passport: Are you a dual Canadian citizen flying to Canada without a valid Canadian passport?

As in seeking a ‘special authorisation to board’? Doesn’t seem so.

 

[Muriel]

I’m not suggesting you can use an expired passport to board you flight. However, if you arrived in the UK, by whatever means, as a British citizen you cannot be refused entry.

UK border officials will seek to confirm your identity and British citizenship. For that purpose, even an expired British passport will be a good start. The only thing they’d need to check is that you haven’t lost your citizenship. Which is not that hard to confirm.

You can’t travel on that document, but it is evidence to allow you access.

Hi Mel...you are correct. However, the problem could arise when you are departing the country in which you live.

 

[sader]

I was summoned by work overnight to get to the UK for next Monday for the week, subsequently booked flights and dug my UK passport out only to realise it expires in March. Not an issue for entering the UK but potentially an issue if any of the transit countries have an issue with less than 6 month validity. I had some similar dramas some years back transiting through SIN so just travelled on my NZ passport at the time.

Reading the info on this thread got me a bit concerned but have just applied for and had the ETA approved on my NZ passport, and stated I was a UK dual citizen while completing it. So somehow I should be OK with both passports to cover all eventualities.

I also noted the gov.uk/dual-citizenship website has an entry stating the below which I'm interpreting as I don't need to get an ETA but prefer to be safe than sorry!

If you’re travelling before 25 February 2026​

If you have a valid passport for a nationality that can get an ETA, you can use it to travel to the UK without an ETA or a certificate of entitlement.

 

[Lockyer Man]

Thanks for confirming. A few Brit friends are now scrambling to get their UK passports back. Beats spending a few hours trying to convince a UK border officer to let you in! A number of them have senior family members in England and may need to get back in a hurry.

It only took me a week to get mine recently so there is no scramble is people provide every piece of supporting information they require which includes a photocopy of every page of your Australian passport. Any short cut you try to make will make things more difficult for you.

 

[Lockyer Man]

I’m not suggesting you can use an expired passport to board you flight. However, if you arrived in the UK, by whatever means, as a British citizen you cannot be refused entry.

UK border officials will seek to confirm your identity and British citizenship. For that purpose, even an expired British passport will be a good start. The only thing they’d need to check is that you haven’t lost your citizenship. Which is not that hard to confirm.

You can’t travel on that document, but it is evidence to allow you access.

I’m not sure what qualifications you hold or what position you have ever held with the British Government but the information you are providing is incorrect in today’s world and could cause a lot of issues for anybody following it. I would suggest you delete your unfounded suggestion to save issues for other people. And yes, I do have a lot of professional experience working in a certain area of the British Govt so am speaking from a professional perspective.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’m not sure what qualifications you hold or what position you have ever held with the British Government but the information you are providing is incorrect in today’s world and could cause a lot of issues for anybody following it. I would suggest you delete your unfounded suggestion to save issues for other people. And yes, I do have a lot of professional experience working in a certain area of the British Govt so am speaking from a professional perspective.

I respect your comments. But the UK government is no different to Australia or other developed countries. As a citizen you cannot be refused entry.

UK border acknowledges this and warns that there could be significant delays while confirming your citizenship.

In the event anyone found themselves in that situation - perhaps unlikely - then an expired passport is a good starting point to prove your bone fides.

I’m not sure which part of my post you are disagreeing with. I have not provided any advice for people to follow. It was a comment in respect of someone’s post referencing processing delays if you had to prove your citizenship.

 

[Lockyer Man]

At the end of the day, why would anyone not travel with the required documents as listed on a country’s website? Maybe if they are a refugee or have been living in a war zone and their document has been lost or destroyed. However, if travelling from Australia there is no reason why a UK citizen would not, and should not, travel to the UK from the required date with a valid UK passport unless they were trying to hide something.

I am stating a professional opinion in that your advice is for yourself and should not be written in such a forum as it could lead to major issues for anybody deciding to follow your ill informed suggestion.

 

[FlyingFiona]

Here are the relevant primary sources on the matter:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10344/

Entering the UK

UK border control - passport checks, visas for entering, customs, transiting and layovers.

www.gov.uk

 

[MEL_Traveller]

At the end of the day, why would anyone not travel with the required documents as listed on a country’s website? Maybe if they are a refugee or have been living in a war zone and their document has been lost or destroyed. However, if travelling from Australia there is no reason why a UK citizen would not, and should not, travel to the UK from the required date with a valid UK passport unless they were trying to hide something.

I am stating a professional opinion in that your advice is for yourself and should not be written in such a forum as it could lead to major issues for anybody deciding to follow your ill informed suggestion.

Happy to make any correction if you can point to the text that is concerning you.

Im not aware I’ve made any recommendations or provided any advice.

While the rules are clear, there was sidebar discussion on not being refused entry to the UK as a UK citizen once you’re at the border. Which is acknowledged by UK border force.

 

[Port Power]

Regrettably in this case the British Nationality Act 1981 begs to differ: if you meet the legislated criteria it's automatically conferred until officially renounced. [British Nationality Act 1981]. Regardless if you've chosen to embrace it or not.
Although how they would actually be aware of, or enforce, it in real life I have no idea...

That’s the key point. If you’ve never laid claim to UK citizenship the UK can hardly ‘prove it’ or practically force it upon you. They’d need to have obtained birth certificates, and DNA tests to prove you’re actually the child of the parents listed on the birth certificate.

At the moment where they have no reason to do so.

If you’ve previously held a passport of other UK document, different story!

On that British Nationality Act website, for UK citizens living abroad there are repeated mentions about registering a minor. Therefore, if a UK citizen living in Australia does not register their child for dual citizenship, there is no need for that child (or subsequent adult) to tick the dual citizen box on the ETA application. Their Australian passport, after all, clearly shows their birth place being a city in Australia.

 

[LondonAussie]

I just read about this on ABC Australia news. Interestingly haven’t seen much about it in the news in the UK. They’re too busy complaining about Europe now requiring Brits to register their fingerprints upon arrival.

This will affect a lot of people around the world. There’s a lot of dual UK citizens out there.

 

[AuSammy]

How the new passport rules for UK dual citizens will work

Your guide to new UK and Ireland passport rules for dual citizens and general entry changes beginning in February.

www.abc.net.au