Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
#16
Return of bouncing girl!
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: The Fourth Reich
Posts: 4,931
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I know they turn a blind eye, and I've always entered the UK on my UK passport and never had any questions or remarks when returning to the US on my US passport, but it should be noted that we did all say these words:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"
#17
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I was going to say exactly the same thing after I had reached the end of the thread. A small minority of CBP officers seem to like being obnoxious just because they can be, and it certainly doesn't stop them either deliberately lying to you, telling you about some law, rule, or requirement, which isn't only bogus, it is entirely incorrect, or being entirely ignorant of what the law on visas and immigration says (I am still in two minds which of "lying" or "profound ignorance of the laws pertaining directly to your job" is worse ). The very first time I entered the US the CBP officer told me that I wasn't allowed to get married on a VWP visit!
Didn't you cross your fingers like the rest of us did?
Didn't you cross your fingers like the rest of us did?
Last edited by Pulaski; Sep 7th 2016 at 4:50 pm.
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I think you just encountered an arsehole. I checked back, and I've entered the USA exactly 40 times since becoming a dual citizen in 2012, and never received a single remark about the complete absence of foreign stamps in my passport. I think if anyone gives you any lip about this on entry just smile, apologize, sigh inwardly and think "whatever...", and move on.
Quite frankly it's none of their frigging business which passport I decide to enter the UK on as a British citizen.
Quite frankly it's none of their frigging business which passport I decide to enter the UK on as a British citizen.
#19
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I have one time out of many trips back to the US. No stamps in my US passport, agent asked whether I'd entered another country on a different passport and asked to see it. No stamps in my British passport either :-). My suspicion is that she suspected I'd visited Cuba (or some other "prohibited" country) on the second passport. I've always wondered what would have happened if I had declined to show her my British passport...
He then asked her why, after visiting all those countries she was only declaring a few dollars of purchases .... she explained she was moving to the UK and had left all her souvenirs there.
#20
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I've had largely great CBP experiences (one hi-fived me when I did the K-1 POE), but on one occasion I had a horrible officer (I was even warned by the guy at passport control), at baggage claim who pulled me into secondary screening because of an engagement ring... No idea if he didn't believe me when I said I had a K-1 Visa in process or not, but he eventually let me go after scanning my passport (presumably all the info popped up) - but not before threatening to flip my suitcase upside down to look for 'wedding material' (he didn't). I think the worst part was he initially put his hand on his gun because I had my hand in my pocket.
#22
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
Why don't you use the e-gates?
#23
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
Just to clarify though...if you enter the UK on your US passport are you supposed to fill in a landing card then?
(I normally use my UK passport and even though my wife used her US passport we still go through the UK gate.)
(I normally use my UK passport and even though my wife used her US passport we still go through the UK gate.)
#24
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
Apart from that small matter of lying under oath
I know they turn a blind eye, and I've always entered the UK on my UK passport and never had any questions or remarks when returning to the US on my US passport, but it should be noted that we did all say these words:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"
I know they turn a blind eye, and I've always entered the UK on my UK passport and never had any questions or remarks when returning to the US on my US passport, but it should be noted that we did all say these words:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen"
As for whether they care which passport you used to enter a foreign country, assume they know that you did. There is enough sharing of passenger data now that trying to lie about how you entered is going to cause more trouble than the fact that you did.
#25
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I get more perturbed when, on leaving, I get asked what was the purpose of my visit to which I normally reply a decent pint and a curry.
#26
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
The oath says nothing about passports. Anyway, the acceptance of dual citizenship by the US is fairly settled.
As for whether they care which passport you used to enter a foreign country, assume they know that you did. There is enough sharing of passenger data now that trying to lie about how you entered is going to cause more trouble than the fact that you did.
As for whether they care which passport you used to enter a foreign country, assume they know that you did. There is enough sharing of passenger data now that trying to lie about how you entered is going to cause more trouble than the fact that you did.
It's a joke.
Also, you can travel back to the US on a photocopy of an I-751. Found that out also.
#28
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
Despite this, it doesn't seem to work in practice. I constantly use my non British passport to enter the UK every single time, despite my trip being booked against my British passport. Last week a UKBA official asked for my passport I booked the trip with, I gave them the one I didn't book it with, and I was in. Usually I just use the passport gates but the wife was with us this time so used the priority line at T3.
It's a joke.
Also, you can travel back to the US on a photocopy of an I-751. Found that out also.
It's a joke.
Also, you can travel back to the US on a photocopy of an I-751. Found that out also.
Border agencies also usually don't know or care what passport you "booked" with. When I come back to Canada from Europe I check in with a Canadian passport but present a Maltese one to passport control. No one bats an eye. Only time i've been asked for passport info by the airline is at check-in when I check in online. Never whilst booking.
Last edited by Gozit; Sep 7th 2016 at 11:22 pm.
#30
Re: Dual Citizenship travel question(s)
I disagree. They don't get to decide which passport I show to enter any other country. They might choose to be arseholes about it if they want (but why would they?), but they don't get to decide which passport I use outside of the US.