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25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

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25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

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Old Feb 11th 2026 | 5:46 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian
So if God forbid you got into some sort of trouble and were convicted of a specific offence like drunk driving in Canada you would be OK with being possibly deported from Canada whereas if holding dual citizenship this would NOT happen.

I will not assume which country you currently live in as it is not apparent in your profile.

No need for the I don't drink and drive or even drink therefore not relevant as there are other offences. But I digress this is about passports. We have the same rule if flying into Canada if dual citizen living outside Canada and returning for a visit must enter on a Canadian passport. However they forgot if flying into the US and then driving across the border then no Canadian passport required and if you can prove Canadian citizenship then you have a right of entry and CANNOT be refused entry. Does this make sense?
Hungary.

ETA: Sorry I was interrupted!

If you reside in Canada and need protection from deportation in the event of an offence, give up the other citizenship.

And before you ask, no I'm not a Hungarian citizen, simply because despite not inconsiderable expense, time & effort I am unable to pass the language test - more's the pity!

Last edited by Finknottle; Feb 11th 2026 at 6:09 am.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 6:29 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Not yet as I just finished lunch.



Having a guess that you would support the UK rejoining the EU and as long as following the rules to register with the authorities to live in an EU country which allegedly a few Brits did not and are now running into problems.

Look at all the threads now popping up on the ESS and EITAS implementations and who now has to do what. Surely the policy/laws governing this should be simple to understand yet all the questions and misunderstanding as there appears to be conflicting information.

Still at the end of the day if I want to travel to X country to visit I have to follow certain rules. If I wanted to live in X country still have to follow the rules.

Like all things in life some make sense and others don’t and we all know that at times the law is sometimes an ass.

The UK and Canada also have language tests to become a citizen and always bemused me when presented with a Canadian passport the holder could not speak either English or French which are the 2 official languages.

Some won't give up their other citizenship as in their later years they might want to return and live there and some countries will take away your citizenship or have restrictions if you take out other citizenship so still a problem if getting into trouble.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 6:40 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian
Not yet as I just finished lunch.



Having a guess that you would support the UK rejoining the EU and as long as following the rules to register with the authorities to live in an EU country which allegedly a few Brits did not and are now running into problems.

Look at all the threads now popping up on the ESS and EITAS implementations and who now has to do what. Surely the policy/laws governing this should be simple to understand yet all the questions and misunderstanding as there appears to be conflicting information.

Still at the end of the day if I want to travel to X country to visit I have to follow certain rules. If I wanted to live in X country still have to follow the rules.

Like all things in life some make sense and others don’t and we all know that at times the law is sometimes an ass.

The UK and Canada also have language tests to become a citizen and always bemused me when presented with a Canadian passport the holder could not speak either English or French which are the 2 official languages.

Some won't give up their other citizenship as in their later years they might want to return and live there and some countries will take away your citizenship or have restrictions if you take out other citizenship so still a problem if getting into trouble.
English & French are a tad easier than Hungarian!
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 6:47 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by dearleuk
Hello

Been reading through this thread, but I just don't understand.

My wife and I, are both British, we live in Britain and have British passports. I also have an Irish passport and my wife has an Italian passport. We use the EU passports when on holiday in Europe.

We have booked a two holiday to Gran Canaria in May.

I understand the rules are not changing for Irish passports, but will my wife need a visa if she tries to enter the UK using her Italian passport?
Your wife will have to enter on her British passport. You can enter on either your British or Irish passports.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 8:53 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Finknottle
I guess people could always give up one or other of their citizenships.
For a British-Spanish child living in Spain it would have to be the British one.

If anyone fancies arguing the point at immigration control with a valid foreign passport and an expired British passport, there's always this (highlighted reply)... and last but not least, if I've paid for two years of ETA before this was announced and it was approved then I'm going to get my money's worth from it.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 9:44 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

I don't mind having to enter on a UK passport as long as you can... exit on a different one.

That way you can at least do passport renewals easier by doing the applications in the UK, posting your (UK) passport at the local passport office, and then leave on the other passport and wait for the new UK one to be sent to your overseas location.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 7:15 pm
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by DLC
Your wife will have to enter on her British passport. You can enter on either your British or Irish passports.
Thank you

As suggested by astera, we will have to start booking one way tickets.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 8:00 pm
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

I'm a little confused about this dual passport thing and booking two single flights instead of a return. Bear with me a second.
What is the connection between Immigration and the airline info they have?

What I mean is, if a British and Irish passport holder flies from the UK to Spain and then return, why not book a return flight on either of the passports?
If you have to enter the UK on the UK passport what is the problem with booking a return on the Irish one and then at Immigration on return, just showing the British passport?
Vice versa, book on the British passport and use the Irish one to go through Immigration in Spain?
Am I missing something?

I had for a while a British and an EU country passport and would book return flights from Africa and Asia and would use either for the booking but just show the appropriate one at arrival Immigration depending if I was returning to the the UK or the EU country. If I needed a visa for the other country and it was in one passport then that would be the one I used for the airline booking and show it at Immigration in Africa/Asia - but if going to the UK or the EU country I'd produce the relevant one at Immigration on arrival there.

Last edited by Mark604; Feb 11th 2026 at 8:15 pm.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 9:46 pm
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Mark604
I'm a little confused about this dual passport thing and booking two single flights instead of a return. Bear with me a second.
What is the connection between Immigration and the airline info they have?

What I mean is, if a British and Irish passport holder flies from the UK to Spain and then return, why not book a return flight on either of the passports?
If you have to enter the UK on the UK passport what is the problem with booking a return on the Irish one and then at Immigration on return, just showing the British passport?
Vice versa, book on the British passport and use the Irish one to go through Immigration in Spain?
Am I missing something?

I had for a while a British and an EU country passport and would book return flights from Africa and Asia and would use either for the booking but just show the appropriate one at arrival Immigration depending if I was returning to the the UK or the EU country. If I needed a visa for the other country and it was in one passport then that would be the one I used for the airline booking and show it at Immigration in Africa/Asia - but if going to the UK or the EU country I'd produce the relevant one at Immigration on arrival there.
You don't need to book two single flights.
If you need to enter a passport when booking a flight, enter one that the system accepts. This does not mean that you need to use that passport either when flying or when going through immigration control.
The two systems are separate - one exists to satisfy airline requirements, the other immigration controls.

Example.
When flying from Australia, my Aus passport was on the booking..
At Aus airline check in, show the UK passport (shows entry permitted to the UK)
At Aus border control - show Aus passport
On entering UK - show UK passport

Airline Check in London when leaving - show Aus passport (proves entry permitted to Aus)
At UK border control - show UK passport
At Aus border control on entering - show Aus passport

All done on one return ticket.
 
Old Feb 11th 2026 | 9:54 pm
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Pollyana
You don't need to book two single flights.
If you need to enter a passport when booking a flight, enter one that the system accepts. This does not mean that you need to use that passport either when flying or when going through immigration control.
The two systems are separate - one exists to satisfy airline requirements, the other immigration controls.

Example.
When flying from Australia, my Aus passport was on the booking..
At Aus airline check in, show the UK passport (shows entry permitted to the UK)
At Aus border control - show Aus passport
On entering UK - show UK passport

Airline Check in London when leaving - show Aus passport (proves entry permitted to Aus)
At UK border control - show UK passport
At Aus border control on entering - show Aus passport

All done on one return ticket.
Correct and only sucks if you happen to lose both passports you have to carry
 
Old Feb 12th 2026 | 1:05 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Pollyana
You don't need to book two single flights.
If you need to enter a passport when booking a flight, enter one that the system accepts. This does not mean that you need to use that passport either when flying or when going through immigration control.
The two systems are separate - one exists to satisfy airline requirements, the other immigration controls.
And that is what I have done and know so it was confusing thinking I'd missed something when the conversation turned to having to book two one way flights.
 
Old Feb 12th 2026 | 2:36 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Pollyana
You don't need to book two single flights.
If you need to enter a passport when booking a flight, enter one that the system accepts. This does not mean that you need to use that passport either when flying or when going through immigration control.
The two systems are separate - one exists to satisfy airline requirements, the other immigration controls.

Example.
When flying from Australia, my Aus passport was on the booking..
At Aus airline check in, show the UK passport (shows entry permitted to the UK)
At Aus border control - show Aus passport
On entering UK - show UK passport

Airline Check in London when leaving - show Aus passport (proves entry permitted to Aus)
At UK border control - show UK passport
At Aus border control on entering - show Aus passport

All done on one return ticket.
Thank you for that, that'll save so much faffing around.

Thanks again
 
Old Feb 12th 2026 | 3:02 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

I use that as a general rule but the hiccup comes if/when there are restrictions to enter a country on a certain passport and the airline has that passport in their records. On check in you may have to show/explain the other one that allows free entry.
I'd expect that to go smoothly but I'm a pessimist where check in staff are involved.

Last edited by Mark604; Feb 12th 2026 at 3:04 am.
 
Old Feb 12th 2026 | 3:04 am
  #29  
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by Pollyana
You don't need to book two single flights.
If you need to enter a passport when booking a flight, enter one that the system accepts. This does not mean that you need to use that passport either when flying or when going through immigration control.
The two systems are separate - one exists to satisfy airline requirements, the other immigration controls.

Example.
When flying from Australia, my Aus passport was on the booking..
At Aus airline check in, show the UK passport (shows entry permitted to the UK)
At Aus border control - show Aus passport
On entering UK - show UK passport

Airline Check in London when leaving - show Aus passport (proves entry permitted to Aus)
At UK border control - show UK passport
At Aus border control on entering - show Aus passport

All done on one return ticket.
Sorry, but that is completely out of context.
What works for Australia, will not work with Schengen controls/rules.
Apples != Pears.

 
Old Feb 12th 2026 | 3:15 am
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Default Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport

Originally Posted by EU.flag
Sorry, but that is completely out of context.
What works for Australia, will not work with Schengen controls/rules.
Apples != Pears.
I am talking about entry/exit to the UK, not to Schengen.
 


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