Off Topic - Check Your Passport
Jan 17th 2005, 2:06 am
#1
Retired
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Off Topic - Check Your Passport
If you're British and born in the Republic of Ireland before 1949, check your passport.
If it says 'British subject' rather than 'British citizen' in the nationality section of the ID page then you will not be able to travel visa-free to a number of countries, including the US and Australia (the British subject passport is not ETA eligible). People are regularly getting caught by this, including this most recent example:
http://www.derryjournal.com/story/5529
It's actually very straightforward for a British subject resident in the UK for 5+ years to register as a British citizen and get a British citizen passport afterwards, but you need to apply to the Home Office for this. And while the information is on the Home Office website, the HO and the UK Passport Service do not seem to volunteer the fact the facility exists.
Jeremy
If it says 'British subject' rather than 'British citizen' in the nationality section of the ID page then you will not be able to travel visa-free to a number of countries, including the US and Australia (the British subject passport is not ETA eligible). People are regularly getting caught by this, including this most recent example:
http://www.derryjournal.com/story/5529
It's actually very straightforward for a British subject resident in the UK for 5+ years to register as a British citizen and get a British citizen passport afterwards, but you need to apply to the Home Office for this. And while the information is on the Home Office website, the HO and the UK Passport Service do not seem to volunteer the fact the facility exists.
Jeremy
Jan 17th 2005, 2:58 am
#2
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Re: Off Topic - Check Your Passport
Thanks jaj, i'll tell me Mum 
Jan 17th 2005, 6:50 am
#3
part-time Visa Angel!
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: half marathon runner!
Posts: 4,458
Re: Off Topic - Check Your Passport
Just bumping this up for those who are just coming online
Jan 17th 2005, 6:03 pm
#4
......in the sand !
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Perth, WA :)
Posts: 4,421
Re: Off Topic - Check Your Passport
Originally Posted by hevs
Thanks jaj, i'll tell me Mum
Thanks I WON'T tell mine !!!!
