Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 350
Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Hey all,
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
#2
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
I've maintained both passports for myself. I used to maintain three passports each for the kids but, now that they're in charge, two have dropped the Canadian and British ones and the other one has dropped only the British one. No one seems fussed to have a British one since Brexit as it's no longer valuable in Europe. I suppose I won't renew mine again.
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Toronto
Posts: 174
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
The Uk is launching ETA UK in 2024, so I’m not sure is that will impact your ability to enter the UK on a non uk passport. I believe that Canadian citizens can’t apply for the Canadian ETA and have to enter on a Canadian passport, but I’m not 100% sure on that.
Hey all,
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
#4
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,787
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Hey all,
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
I've tried searching but haven't found much on this.
Looking for some thoughts on whether it's worth continuing to renew our British passports now that we have Canadian ones. We obviously have to renew the Canadian ones since they're required for travel back into Canada. But at approximately £100 each, I'm wondering if it's worth renewing the British ones. From what I'm reading, Canadians can use the main UK lines at passport control in the UK now, so having a UK passport wouldn't make much of a difference. I can't imagine us wanting to stay longer than 6 months (we can always renew in future if there's a good reason to!), so I'm wondering if there's much else to consider?
Would appreciate any thoughts here.
Thanks!
Graham.
#5
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 350
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Thanks all!
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
#6
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 8
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Probably only worthwhile for some niche cases, but you do have the option of adding a "certificate of entitlement" to your non-UK passport, though it's much more expensive (£388) than an actual UK passport (~£106):
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/ap...of-entitlement
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/ap...of-entitlement
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Whitby, Ontario
Posts: 729
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Thanks all!
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
I can’t remember the source of my info at the time but Google this morning gave me answers of 5 and 10 years, neither through official channels but travellers info forums.
I’d also read about the introduction of a British ETA being introduced so in your case, I think I would renew to be ready for that, but not necessarily rush to do it at the moment.
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Toronto
Posts: 174
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
My British passport expired in 2019 and I renewed it in March 2022 without any problems. It took 6 weeks.
Thanks all!
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
#9
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Probably only worthwhile for some niche cases, but you do have the option of adding a "certificate of entitlement" to your non-UK passport, though it's much more expensive (£388) than an actual UK passport (~£106):
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/ap...of-entitlement
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/ap...of-entitlement
#10
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 350
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Thanks again everyone!
We're going to renew my wife's for now. Her mum has Alzheimer's and is declining, and I don't want to take any risks with all the uncertainty going on with covid and everything else, so I think it makes sense for her to have her British passport.
As for the kids and myself (we're good for another few years), sounds like we should be able to let them lapse for up to 5 or 10 years without any issues renewing them, but more than that and we might need to dig out all the documentation again.
The UK ETA may of course necessitate having them, so we'll keep an eye on that! We should know the details of it before the kids and myself have to renew.
Thanks again,
Graham
We're going to renew my wife's for now. Her mum has Alzheimer's and is declining, and I don't want to take any risks with all the uncertainty going on with covid and everything else, so I think it makes sense for her to have her British passport.
As for the kids and myself (we're good for another few years), sounds like we should be able to let them lapse for up to 5 or 10 years without any issues renewing them, but more than that and we might need to dig out all the documentation again.
The UK ETA may of course necessitate having them, so we'll keep an eye on that! We should know the details of it before the kids and myself have to renew.
Thanks again,
Graham
#11
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
Thanks all!
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
Some very interesting points.
With regards the one about it being harder to renew when you've let it lapse for a long time, any idea how long before that becomes the case? I'm thinking for us, and for our kids (who were born here). There was a lot of documents we had to submit for them (including birth, marriage, etc for grandparents) even though we were born in the UK, so I'm hopeful they won't have to submit all that again in future now they've proved their right to a British passport. Or will they if we let it lapse?
Thanks,
Graham.
Pretty sure you cannot renew a UK PP if it expired over 10 years or more. After that time it is classed as a first time PP application.
#12
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
i was given grief by UK immigration when i entered on a Canadian passport and my British one had expired. I even had an appointment to renew the UK one while i was visiting. There were no repercussions to the unpleasantness but it was deeply unpleasant.
#13
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
#14
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
#15
Re: Keep British passport as well, or just Canadian?
I only applied for my Irish passport once Brexit was done but for the costs of each spread over their validity, I don't see a reason not to keep each of them active. One never know which consulate will be able to offer the best service in a particular situation.