LHR Immigration - Married couple entering UK on different passports

[Lord_Lenny]

Good Morning AFF crew,

My wife and I are heading to the UK for a few weeks in July for a holiday. I hold dual AUS/UK citizenship and have both passports, my wife only holds an AUS passport. When my parents were over 2 years ago they were both able to go through the UK passport holders queue, as they were told by Border Control staff whilst in line that families can go through together even if not all of them have UK passports (Scottish mum/Aussie dad)

Now if that is true (and not just a temporary traffic flow thing) it should apply to us as we are married. However we have only been married a year and my wife hasn't changed her surname so we have different surnames on our passports.

• Should that matter??
• Has anyone else done this??
• Will UK border control need proof of marriage in order to let us through together??
• Should we just not risk it and send her through the Non-EU line and I'll wait with the bags until she gets through (like we've done every time before )

Both of us are quite seasoned international travelers and have been in and out of the UK and EU many times in the past and I am aware that I'm probably overthinking things and it will be fine, or worst case I get through and she goes to the back of the line.

I would be grateful for any thoughts/advice.

Thanks!!

 

[vetrade]

I can recall this being discussed previously and you should both be able to go through together - don't even think you would need to be married; the fact you are travelling together should be sufficient. Many husbands and wives have different surnames so can't see any problems there either.

If it is playing on your mind you could always take a photocopy of your marriage certificate but unlikely you would be asked for it. As you have worked out for yourself the worst that can happen is that they send your wife back to the other queue, so no big deal.

 

[Comoman]

I have a British passport, my wife (Aus) has my surname. My step-son (Aus) doesn't.

We all went through the EU line a few weeks ago @ LHR. The passport guy just asked how were all related - no other questions asked.

 

[Lord_Lenny]

Thanks guys, sounds like we should be fine then.

Cheers!!

 

[Mal]

I've been told that I should go through the EU queue with my travelling companions (friends -- not partner!), I've also been told that I shouldn't. It's a complete mess!

But yes, as partners, you should approach the EU queue together. The staffer may grumble because they don't have a stamp and need to find one, but better than an extra set of questioning as to why you aren't presenting yourselves together.

Plus, the EU queue does tend to be quicker than the non-EU queue most of the time (there are exceptions)

 

[juddles]

At the end of the day each immigration officer can process anyone - it is a pax flow measure more than anything else. They could technically refuse, but they wont - unless you get someone on a really bad day

 

[OATEK]

I usually look for one of the border control officials at the back of the room when I enter with Mrsoatek (UK Passport) and ask politely if e should go through the UK/EU line together. It has worked every time at LHR, and last time a charming Sikh official sad to me "always" go together through the UK line. Only time it didn't work was at LGW where we were both sent to the "Aliens" queue.

 

[Buzzard]

I would go through the UK line and would not bother taking a marriage certificate. You don't need to change your name because you get married.

 

[phily]

I would go through the UK line and would not bother taking a marriage certificate. You don't need to change your name because you get married.

On a related issue (Marriage Certificates), my wife and I have different surnames, and we each have a scan of our Marriage Certificate in our phones, just in case it's required anywhere. For instance, hotels in UAE are not supposed to provide rooms to unmarried couples.

 

[clifford]

Only time it didn't work was at LGW where we were both sent to the "Aliens" queue.

In my experience this is usually the shorter Q at LGW (I hold a British passport). Pity I can't go through it.

 

[OATEK]

In my experience this is usually the shorter Q at LGW (I hold a British passport). Pity I can't go through it.

Yes, you're right. We were amongst several plane loads of Brits returning from Spain etc. Trouble was we had a person in a wheel chair and they decided to give it the once over and this held us up majorly.

 

[Dalescott]

It may be a problem in LHR, because the officialdom at LHR are famous for being difficult. Any where else I wouldn't worry, as they are very lay back from my experience.

 

[porterble]

Every time I travel into LHR with my family we enter on 3 different passports, but in the UK queue from my wife's citizenship. Never had any issue about being in the wrong queue.