VeryVeritas

I am under a bit of a time constraint so apologize if this is something recently covered. And if so, I can be happily redirected.

Our daughter will be traveling from the US next month to the UK for university. The program is a solid year with a 3 week break at Christmas (something we misunderstood and only realized last night). Not thinking that she would be flying home for the holidays, we pushed her return out into next year. Today it has been decided that she will fly home for the winter break. Now we need to book an additional flight for her to do this--and seats are filling fast--and therein lies my confusion or concern.

She will be leaving the US in September on her US passport on airline x but entering the UK on her British Passport, or at least that is the plan. We did not apply for a student visa because she is also a UK citizen and I am not even sure she would qualify for a visa under those circumstances. When she leaves at winter break she will be traveling on a different airline, but once again I would assume she will be flying on a US passport. However, there won't be an entry stamp so I worry she will be flagged. She has never traveled without one of us in tow and an international flight is somewhat daunting.

I know that for now at least dual passport holders are not all that uncommon but I want to coach her to do/say the right thing to ensure she doesn't get stranded along the way. Could she be challenged as she leaves the UK and/or enters the US? Any suggestions on how to handle it? I worry if she says she is a student they will say where is your visa? I am also going to have her travel with her acceptance letter. We have family there and it almost seems easier to say she is a tourist or visiting family but I do not want to complicate things unnecessarily or put her in the position of trying to juggle stories.

It is doubtful that she will return to the US after completing her studies. The job market for her skill set is good in the UK and the plan is for her to establish residence there.

We should have sorted this sooner. Would have made more sense to send her there and back at Christmas on one airline and then fly back with a return on another. But my husband misread the academic calendar and mistakenly thought she only had a week, so the plan was for her to stay with relatives. But with three weeks of holiday time she definitely wants to come home.

Pulaski

A total non-issue. As long as she carries both passports and offers them both to the airline at check-in the lack of visas and stamps won't be an issue at all.

VeryVeritas

So she should offer them versus being asked for them? And thanks so much for the speedy reply. We need to book a flight today if possible. Seats are flying out the door ha.

Pulaski

I've never need to use two passports, but yes, people here on BE commonly report just handing over both at the check-in desk, especially on the return leg to the US.

If someone is going to the UK for longer than six months (and therefore would otherwise need a visa), it would make sense to do the same thing when checking-in departing for the US, as the airline would otherwise expect to see a visa.

VeryVeritas

Ah, hadn't thought of that (need for both passports in both directions) but that makes sense. Will make sure both are available. Again, many thanks.

Pulaski

You're welcome.

durham_lad

We always carry both passports with us. Both countries like to know that you have been staying there legally when you leave and the carriers are required to check that you have the right to enter the country you are flying to.

The only time this back-fired on us was last year when we cruised to England, stopping first at Liverpool and finally arriving in Southampton. We were meeting my wife's brother and his wife at Liverpool but when we arrived we were forced to stand in an enormous line on board to go through UK border control whereas all the British Passport only users were allowed straight off. The ship told us that they had already transmitted our US passport details and would not let us disembark without seeing the UK immigration officers onboard.

We were 90 minutes late getting off. When it came to our turn we presented our British passports and the officer said "What are you still doing onboard?" and waved us through. As soon as we were back onboard we got them to change our passport details and remove our US passport details as we still had to visit Germany and France before ending our voyage in Southampton and didn't want to risk them transmitting our US passport details again.