amheatley

Hi there,

I have been living in the USA for the past 16 years. I recently became a US citizen and now have a US passport. My question concerns travelling back to the UK - I just booked a flight to London with AirCanada, via DCA and Montreal and need to complete the APIS information online. How do I complete this? I know that I have to show my US passport to US immigration when I depart and arrive in the USA, and show my UK passport on arrival and departure from Heathrow. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

BritInParis

Short version: Use your US passport throughout except when entering the UK in which case use your British passport.

Pulaski

There is no need to show your British passport when entering the UK if you are only visiting (will leave within six months). My British passport expired and I used my US passport for three visits in the past three years, and had no problems whatsoever at immigration at LHR.

BritInParis

If you're happy to queue, sure

Pulaski

We barely had to pause before being directed to a desk the last time we came through Heathrow. There was literally a handful of people, may two or three, in the queue by the time we had walked through the barrier labyrinth. I think there were more people in the UK and EU queue. FWIW it was a few days before Christmas!

HKG3

In order to save time, British Citizens with UK e-passports can use ePassport gates in some UK airports.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/u...ry-into-the-uk

BritInParis

Usually just luck of the draw but I always end up waiting 15-20 mins for my better half to make it through the non-EU queue when I've breezed through the automatic gates. She's now been signed up to the registered traveller scheme so we can breeze through together in future!

amheatley

Thanks, everyone. I would still like to know how to complete the mandatory APIS form before I leave the US. Do I complete it as a US citizen, or as a UK one? This information requests passport details. I am wondering if I complete it as a UK citizen when I leave, and a US citizen when I return. I am not sure if the fact that I have a layover in Canada also complicates matters as well? Cheers!

Pulaski

Either, you're a dual citizen.

BritInParis

I would go for your US passport since it's a legal requirement to use your US passport when departing from or arriving in the US.

Sprucetree

It's a legal requirement to have your US passport when departing. You don't actually need to provide to the US passport to the airline.

BritInParis

The APIS passes the information you provide to the airline to the relevant government bodies including USCBP.

Sprucetree

Yes but it's not actually a crime to present another passport to the airline. You only need to present it if your asked during a very rare CBP exit inspection.

In fact in some cases it would be psychically impossible for the airline to have the passport on the ticket as your US passport might need a visa. (Ie dual Australian US national). Most airline systems are only clever enough to handle one passport.

BritInParis

The law is worded thusly; "It is unlawful for a citizen of the United States, unless excepted under 22 CFR 53.2, to enter or depart, or attempt to enter or depart, the United States, without a valid U.S. passport."

I appreciate that - the inability of all these electronic systems to successfully deal with dual nationals is a major oversight - but given that carrying your US passport is a legal requirement and the UK has no such requirement it still stands that providing your US passport details to your airline for a return trip to the UK makes more practical sense.

amheatley

Thanks all - this has been very helpful to me!