Dual passports

[NM]

NM, unless you've actually renounced your UK citizenship then you still have it. But if you're a regular traveller to the UK you might find it a lot easier to apply for a new passport while you're there, rather than doing it here.

In addition to the possibility of being drafted, I've heard that some countries do not recognise divorces performed in Australia:
Dual Nationality - Travel information - Consular services - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
I haven't heard of anyone running into this problem, but I'm sure it could be very messy as well.

I never said anything about tuapekastar not being a UK citizen. But if he did not tell the UK immigration folks that he is a UK citizen (the usual way is to write UK on the landing card under "Nationality" or to hand over a UK passport), then as far as the UK immigration process is concerned, be entered the UK as an Australian citizen.

 

[tuapekastar]

I would suggest that you didn't enter the UK as a UK citizen, but in fact entered as an Australian citizen. The UK landing card does ask for your "Nationality". What did you write there? I assume you wrote Australian since writing British or UK would have the immigration agent asking to see your UK passport.

In this case you have not informed the UK immigration folks that you are indeed a UK citizen, so as far as they are concerned, you have entered the UK as an Australian citizen.

Sounds correct. I can't recall the specific questions asked on UK immigration card but guess it asks for "nationality as described in passport" or similar, so I would certainly have said Australian.

Edit: Jut to add, I was never in any doubt that I entered the UK as a self-described Australian citizen. The point of my post was that at the same time I also was a UK citizen and in the scenario you previously described that would have been a no-no. And I thought maybe the information available to the immigration person (not provided by me, but on some database) may have had the potential to alert them to that fact.

Cheers.

 

[Dave Noble]

I never said anything about tuapekastar not being a UK citizen. But if he did not tell the UK immigration folks that he is a UK citizen (the usual way is to write UK on the landing card under "Nationality" or to hand over a UK passport), then as far as the UK immigration process is concerned, be entered the UK as an Australian citizen.

Entering as a British "Citizen" then there would be no landing card to fill in

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If you are using the same passport to enter and leave a country, then you will have to enter the country on the passport that is required for re-entry to your original/final destination port. I belive airlines have an obligation not to let you board if you dont have the right visa for your destination. So while it may be cheaper to use passport A to enter a county, you will need to provide passport B on departure as you are traveling to country B and passport A doesn't have the required visa. As pointed out before, local imigration may not see to lightly to be shown 2 passports.

Not true. You can leave a country on one passport and show airline the other passport to prove entry rights.

 

[Sequel]

Not true. You can leave a country on one passport and show airline the other passport to prove entry rights.

True, that is probably what happened, it has been 5 years since I have done it. (Thats the problem with these forums - you cant even trust what you write yourself!)

 

[NM]

Sounds correct. I can't recall the specific questions asked on UK immigration card but guess it asks for "nationality as described in passport" or similar, so I would certainly have said Australian.

Attached is a UK landing card. The "question" is just "Nationality" without any clarification.

Edit: Jut to add, I was never in any doubt that I entered the UK as a self-described Australian citizen. The point of my post was that at the same time I also was a UK citizen and in the scenario you previously described that would have been a no-no. And I thought maybe the information available to the immigration person (not provided by me, but on some database) may have had the potential to alert them to that fact.

I don't know the UK laws regarding this. However, for Australia and USA you must use your local passport for entry and departure (departure does not apply to USA).

 

[mabunji]

The price of getting a UK p/p here ($310) alone is enough to put one off.

$310 for a 10 year passport does not appear excessive. I travel back to the UK every 18 months/2 years or so. Saving myself the hassle of organising visas and benefitting from the fast moving EU immigration queue seems well worth $31 a year.

Also I enjoy the security of travelling with 2 passports. Should I ever need consular assistance (hopefully never) I have 2 ports of call. Yep, its a pretty unlikely scenario but if I should ever find myself in a Tsunami aftermath or Bali bombing situation and British officials are the first consular assistance available I will quite happily produce my UK passport to get help.

 

[spiggy_topes]

Entering as a British "Citizen" then there would be no landing card to fill in

Dave

To amplify:

Leave Australia: Fill in departure card (required for everyone, Australian or non-Australian), show Australian passport

Arrive UK: Show UK passport, avoid longer queue. No requirement to fill in landing card if you hold a UK passport.

Leave UK: Show Australian passport at check-in (they want to be sure you have right of entry to Australia). No requirement for departure card from UK. No other passport examination when you leave the country.

Arrive Australia: Fill in arrivals card (also required for everyone, Australian or non-Australian), show Australian passport, join shorter queue.

 

[Dave Noble]

To amplify:

Leave Australia: Fill in departure card (required for everyone, Australian or non-Australian), show Australian passport

Arrive UK: Show UK passport, avoid longer queue. No requirement to fill in landing card if you hold a UK passport.

Leave UK: Show Australian passport at check-in (they want to be sure you have right of entry to Australia). No requirement for departure card from UK. No other passport examination when you leave the country.

Arrive Australia: Fill in arrivals card (also required for everyone, Australian or non-Australian), show Australian passport, join shorter queue.

That's what I do

Dave

 

[SeaWolf]

Also I enjoy the security of travelling with 2 passports. Should I ever need consular assistance (hopefully never) I have 2 ports of call.

Actually, you have far more than 2 ports available to you. Australia and Canada have recoprical consular arrangement, so if there's no Australian embassy you can use your Aus passport to ask the Canadians for help. Also, if there's no UK embassy available, you can use your UK passport to ask for help from any EU member state that does have an embassy.

 

[tuapekastar]

$310 for a 10 year passport does not appear excessive. I travel back to the UK every 18 months/2 years or so. Saving myself the hassle of organising visas and benefitting from the fast moving EU immigration queue seems well worth $31 a year.

Also I enjoy the security of travelling with 2 passports. Should I ever need consular assistance (hopefully never) I have 2 ports of call. Yep, its a pretty unlikely scenario but if I should ever find myself in a Tsunami aftermath or Bali bombing situation and British officials are the first consular assistance available I will quite happily produce my UK passport to get help.

A fair point you make mabunji, for someone travelling to the UK with reasonable regularity. Also worth noting that to obtain a UK passport whilst living in the UK is only about half (~AUD157) the cost of what it is here. Not sure why the large disparity.

 

[Sequel]

Not sure why the large disparity.

Beacause they can!