Dual Citizen - Which Passport to use

[logos 01]

I am an Australian/German dual citizen from birth by descent. I'm trying to work out the most efficient but correct way to use my passports on my trip.

I'll be travelling at the 7:30am CX134 flight from MEL to HKG and onwards to mainland China, and want to maximise my time in the QF F lounge, so want to avoid getting held up at check-in.

My German passport isn't linked to my Australian one (found that out when going to Singapore with QF last year using my German passport and the check-in counter agent wrongly told me I had to get an Immi account to link them instead of her ringing the ABF desk to get them linked). She made me use my Australian passport on that occasion to check-in. Could have sworn I departed using the German passport a couple years ago to go to China (before Aussie had visa-free access), but maybe I'm remembering incorrectly.

If I use my Aus passport this time on departing Australia I will presumably be able to check-in online. However, after China I will be flying on to Europe, and so of course need to use my German passport for that. I don't to run into any issues of entering China on one passport and leaving on another. Is there any way around that, or is it better if I just present the German passport to Cathay check-in at the airport and ask them to call ABF to get the passports linked and hope it doesn't take too much time?

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

You can enter and exit China on your Aussie passport and just show a different one when you land in EU?

 

[logos 01]

You can enter and exit China on your Aussie passport and just show a different one when you land in EU?

Yeah if that works. If I put my German passport on the APIS for the China-EU flight can I still use my AU passport to exit China?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yeah if that works. If I put my German passport on the APIS for the China-EU flight can I still use my AU passport to exit China?

Yes.

You won’t be allowed to enter and leave China on different passports, you’ll get stopped by border control.

The only time you need to show your German passport on this itinerary is on arrival in Germany.

That will change once ETIAS comes in. The you’d just show both passports at check-in in China. They’d see you’re leaving on the AU passport, but scan your German passport to allow you to board (and enter germany).

The only time you really need to show both passports is if one passport has a visa or other entitlement to enter a country that the other doesn’t.

 

[logos 01]

Ok cool thanks @MEL_Traveller. So just to make sure I've understood correctly.
For the flight leaving China I put my German passport on the APIS and use that passport at the check-in desk.
Then when showing my passport at Beijing departure immigration I show my Australian one that I entered on.
Have I got that correct?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ok cool thanks @MEL_Traveller. So just to make sure I've understood correctly.
For the flight leaving China I put my German passport on the APIS and use that passport at the check-in desk.
Then when showing my passport at Beijing departure immigration I show my Australian one that I entered on.
Have I got that correct?

Why bother entering APIS? It’s just entering all this data that’s entered when they swipe your passport at check-in (going to the US might be different). But yes, correct.

You could even have your australian passport in APIS, it really doesn’t matter. Whatever you’ve entered into APIS is superseded by the swip at check-in, or the passport you arrive on.

For example, I arrived in Germany last month with my Aussie passport in APIS and having been swiped at the airport. But used my UK passport to enter.

if your whole journey is on one ticket… enter Aussie passport into APIS, show your aussie passport at check-in, to enter china, to leave china. Then on arrival in germany pull out your german passport.

You’d only need to show both passports in china once ETIAS is enacted and they’ll be looking for the authority to board (which you don’t need as a german citizen). OR… if you only had a one way ticket to Europe. Then you’d need to show the german passport at check-in. But you’d use your aussie passport to leave china at border control.

 

[logos 01]

Ah I see. Didn't realise that was how it worked. I'll do what you suggest and just use the Aussie one until I arrive in EU. Thanks @MEL_Traveller