Australian Dual Citizens Entering UK after February

[MEL_Traveller]

Is this yet another way airlines might use to offload pax and increase profits? What repercussions are there for airlines if they allow incorrect boarding ?

The airline will - generally - get fined for delivering an ineligible passenger. Plus have to transport them back again (although that’s often covered by the return ticket).

Fines can be $5000+ per passenger.

Not sure it’s designed to increase profits… most legacy carriers will allow the passenger to get the correct documentation and rebook.

 

[LondonAussie]

Story is really getting a good run in the Aussie media but I think some of the reporting is a bit irresponsible and inaccurate, eg: “descendants who might have gained UK citizenship will also need a British passport”

From: More than 1m Australians on notice over UK immigration change

Meanwhile the ABC News says that travel agents are “working through the night to help”. Travel agents overwhelmed by new UK passport rules

Starting to get a bit too sensationalist for me.

 

[Pushka]

Is this yet another way airlines might use to offload pax and increase profits? What repercussions are there for airlines if they allow incorrect boarding ?

Fines. I really don't think airlines will be happy about having to enforce this. They will also need to know the person checking in has British citizenship when they present their Aussie passport. Does that show up when checking in like the visas do?

 

[Pushka]

Story is really getting a good run in the Aussie media but I think it’s a bit irresponsibly inaccurate if them to say: “descendants who might have gained UK citizenship will also need a British passport”

From: More than 1m Australians on notice over UK immigration change

Meanwhile the ABC News says that travel agents are “working through the night to help”. Travel agents overwhelmed by new UK passport rules

Starting to get a bit too sensationalist for me.

Locked out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Fines. I really don't think airlines will be happy about having to enforce this. They will also need to know the person checking in has British citizenship when they present their Aussie passport. Does that show up when checking in like the visas do?

The airline will only know if there’s been an ETA issued in an Aussie passport which is voided/cancelled.

Otherwise the airline won’t know.

There’s no fine for bringing a uk citizen to the uk. Even on the wrong ETA.

 

[Bugs]

The airline will only know if there’s been an ETA issued in an Aussie passport which is voided/cancelled.

Otherwise the airline won’t know.

There’s no fine for bringing a uk citizen to the uk. Even on the wrong ETA.

I’ll be taking my Uk birth certificate, expired 2002 UK passport and my Aussie passport with eta. Won’t be showing any hint of Uk passport at Perth.

 

[Pushka]

The airline will only know if there’s been an ETA issued in an Aussie passport which is voided/cancelled.

Otherwise the airline won’t know.

There’s no fine for bringing a uk citizen to the uk. Even on the wrong ETA.

So UK will need to sort out if any current ETA passport holders also have UK citizenship and then cancel them. My money is on that not happening.

 

[transpactraveller]

So UK will need to sort out if any current ETA passport holders also have UK citizenship and then cancel them. My money is on that not happening.

100%. I think it will be impossible for them to know, unless the ETA applicant ticked a box to self-declare they're also a UK citizen. I have doubts that the UK could match foreign passports to a citizenship database, but maybe that's actually quite easy these days?

Even if they could, I doubt they'd proactively cancel already issued ETAs. You would hope if they are planning to do that they'd at least announce it (eg any existing ETAs for UK citizens will be cancelled). Better yet they should notify anyone affected, eg an email saying as a UK citizen your ETA will expire or become invalid on Feb 25th and cannot be renewed.

 

[Askance]

and on this basis we renewed her UK passport in October before booking her 2026 trip back. I'm especially surprised by the folks whose travel agents seem to have been taken unawares - surely staying on top of this is their job?

Chatting to my TA yesterday and she mentioned they were having to redo their client forms as they didnt previously ask for dual nationalities when asking for information on new clients.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’ll be taking my Uk birth certificate, expired 2002 UK passport and my Aussie passport with eta. Won’t be showing any hint of Uk passport at Perth.

Your only issue is going to be at check in in Perth. If you get through there, unlikely to be any issue at the border.

If you get denied boarding in Perth, those other documents won’t remedy that.

In fact if UK border force finds those documents it’s likely to delay your entry rather than facilitate.

100%. I think it will be impossible for them to know, unless the ETA applicant ticked a box to self-declare they're also a UK citizen. I have doubts that the UK could match foreign passports to a citizenship database, but maybe that's actually quite easy these days?

Even if they could, I doubt they'd proactively cancel already issued ETAs. You would hope if they are planning to do that they'd at least announce it (eg any existing ETAs for UK citizens will be cancelled). Better yet they should notify anyone affected, eg an email saying as a UK citizen your ETA will expire or become invalid on Feb 25th and cannot be renewed.

I think quite a few people did tick the ‘I’m also British’ box in the form.

Those ETAs won’t be valid come 25 February.

How of it that happens is of course the $64k question!

 

[Happy Dude]

Story is really getting a good run in the Aussie media but I think some of the reporting is a bit irresponsible and inaccurate, eg: “descendants who might have gained UK citizenship will also need a British passport”

From: More than 1m Australians on notice over UK immigration change

Meanwhile the ABC News says that travel agents are “working through the night to help”. Travel agents overwhelmed by new UK passport rules

Starting to get a bit too sensationalist for me.

There's an increase in work for sure but the need to work through the night is mainly due to time zone differences. So, yep, quite sensationalist. Got to get them clicks.

 

[nancypants]

I’ve not really got skin in the game, I am a UK citizen with a current British passport although I really have zero allegiance to the place

Personally I think the way this has been handled is attrocious

Of course some with a taste for shoe leather will say should have just renewed your passport, it’s not new information blah blah. I consider myself reasonably well informed and only became aware of this in the recent press cycle

We’ve all been caught out by renewals taking longer than anticipated. I’m not in a position of needing to fly to the UK urgently but I can see why those who still have close family there would be concerned
The cost of a COE is unnecessarily punitive. New Zealand does the same thing for ~$180 which is around £90, this is a reasonable few, £600 is not

Similarly renouncing citizenship- I highly doubt anyone is renouncing “in protest”, most seem to be doing it because they have planned travel and feel they are out of options

What this amounts to is a de facto refusal of access to a country of citizenship for citizens of that country, which is utterly appalling in whatever way it is spun

There’s also blatant misinformation or disregard for the fact that, no, Australian citizens do not have to enter and exit on their Australian passport. I don’t believe I’ve ever used anything other than my British passport despite having my Australian passport with me at the time. The eGates won’t allow it

So in summary, I’m extremely annoyed about this despite it not actually affecting me at all. Shame on the UK government, and shame on everyone defending this

Rant off