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-   -   25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/25-2-2026-new-rule-british-dual-nationals-must-travel-uk-passport-957232/)

dearleuk Apr 13th 2026 1:01 am

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
We are flying to Gran Canaria 9th May. Just tried to check in with Ryanair with my wife's Italian passport (she has Italian and British passports), Got the following message

Your flight to the UK requires an approved ETA or eVisa

Has anyone else been through check in since the rules changed? Will Ryanair let us board if we don't have ETA or eVisa?

astera Apr 13th 2026 4:30 am

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
It's not the flight to Gran Canaria that's the problem, it's the flight back. Your wife needs to fly to the UK on her British passport as otherwise she would need an ETA... and you cannot get an ETA if you are a British citizen.

dearleuk Apr 13th 2026 4:37 am

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

Originally Posted by astera (Post 13344357)
It's not the flight to Gran Canaria that's the problem, it's the flight back. Your wife needs to fly to the UK on her British passport as otherwise she would need an ETA... and you cannot get an ETA if you are a British citizen.

Thank you

We were going use her Italian passport in Gran Canaria and her British passport back in the UK, but it looks as though we can't.

Would there be a problem using British passport with airline, but using her Italian passport with customs in Gran Canaria?

Pollyana Apr 13th 2026 5:43 am

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

Originally Posted by dearleuk (Post 13344359)
Thank you

We were going use her Italian passport in Gran Canaria and her British passport back in the UK, but it looks as though we can't.

Would there be a problem using British passport with airline, but using her Italian passport with customs in Gran Canaria?

No. You'll be fine doing that.

astera Apr 13th 2026 8:16 am

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
Italian passport for checking in on the flight from the UK to Gran Canaria and also to be used upon arrival in Gran Canaria (passport control at EU entry).

UK passport for check-in for the return flight to the UK, but showing Italian passport again when exiting Gran Canaria (passport control at EU exit).

UK passport upon arrival in the UK.

So to sum things up, when it comes to trips between the UK and EU:

1. You give the airline the passport details based on the country you are flying TO, so EU passport when flying to EU, UK passport for the return flight to the UK
2. On the ground during passport control you show the passport of the country you're IN, so EU passport when going through passport control at an EU airport (arriving AND departing), and UK passport after arriving back in the UK.

dearleuk Apr 13th 2026 10:05 pm

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

Originally Posted by astera (Post 13344383)
Italian passport for checking in on the flight from the UK to Gran Canaria and also to be used upon arrival in Gran Canaria (passport control at EU entry).

UK passport for check-in for the return flight to the UK, but showing Italian passport again when exiting Gran Canaria (passport control at EU exit).

UK passport upon arrival in the UK.

So to sum things up, when it comes to trips between the UK and EU:

1. You give the airline the passport details based on the country you are flying TO, so EU passport when flying to EU, UK passport for the return flight to the UK
2. On the ground during passport control you show the passport of the country you're IN, so EU passport when going through passport control at an EU airport (arriving AND departing), and UK passport after arriving back in the UK.

Thank you, that's really useful. Unfortunately with Ryanair, with return trips, you have to use the same documents for both trips. In future we will book one way trips. Just have to put up with it for this trip.

Thanls again

EU.flag Apr 14th 2026 1:39 am

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

Originally Posted by astera (Post 13344383)
Italian passport for checking in on the flight from the UK to Gran Canaria and also to be used upon arrival in Gran Canaria (passport control at EU entry).

UK passport for check-in for the return flight to the UK, but showing Italian passport again when exiting Gran Canaria (passport control at EU exit).

UK passport upon arrival in the UK.

So to sum things up, when it comes to trips between the UK and EU:

1. You give the airline the passport details based on the country you are flying TO, so EU passport when flying to EU, UK passport for the return flight to the UK
2. On the ground during passport control you show the passport of the country you're IN, so EU passport when going through passport control at an EU airport (arriving AND departing), and UK passport after arriving back in the UK.

That is so simple, that most of people will be doing it wrong way around. :lol:

Pollyana Apr 14th 2026 2:32 am

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

Originally Posted by dearleuk (Post 13344412)
Thank you, that's really useful. Unfortunately with Ryanair, with return trips, you have to use the same documents for both trips. In future we will book one way trips. Just have to put up with it for this trip.

Thanls again

Then if Ryanair's website accepts the UK passport for both trips, enter that.

You do not have to use the same passport at check-in, or at Immigration.

You can enter the UK passport details for both flights on the website, then on the actual journey use them as per Astera's post above.

astera Apr 14th 2026 12:49 pm

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
Yes, since Ryanair wants the same passport for a return journey you might as well give them the details of the UK one.

I only purchase 1-way tickets as that way if something happens to my outbound journey (I need to postpone it and purchase a flight for the next day, or I miss my outbound flight and need to buy a seat on a later flight) it won't affect the ticket for the flight back, which will still be valid.

If you buy a return ticket and miss the outbound... then your return journey is no longer valid.

P.S. For future use it's worth noting that Ryanair's website/app is very handy for storing not only your profile info but also adding persons you often travel with. Under "My Account" , "Travel Companions" you can add multiple profiles and, more importantly, you can even store MULTIPLE passports for each person. :)

Very useful when booking flights frequently or "on the go" where you don't want to be typing in passport info each time you book, even if they have more than one passport each. Smart app.

mikelincs Apr 14th 2026 10:27 pm

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
Seeing so many reports of people being stuck in European countries because they didn't have the correct documentation, that either means a failing of the UK government or the airline to make sure that passengers were aware of the changed rules, or the fact that people have just thought, well we've always done it this way, so it won't affect us, just as so many did after Brexit.

dearleuk Apr 15th 2026 2:24 am

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

Originally Posted by astera (Post 13344485)
Yes, since Ryanair wants the same passport for a return journey you might as well give them the details of the UK one.

I only purchase 1-way tickets as that way if something happens to my outbound journey (I need to postpone it and purchase a flight for the next day, or I miss my outbound flight and need to buy a seat on a later flight) it won't affect the ticket for the flight back, which will still be valid.

If you buy a return ticket and miss the outbound... then your return journey is no longer valid.

P.S. For future use it's worth noting that Ryanair's website/app is very handy for storing not only your profile info but also adding persons you often travel with. Under "My Account" , "Travel Companions" you can add multiple profiles and, more importantly, you can even store MULTIPLE passports for each person. :)

Very useful when booking flights frequently or "on the go" where you don't want to be typing in passport info each time you book, even if they have more than one passport each. Smart app.


Thanks again. Definitely doing that next the next trip. We've decided to both, use out British passports for this trip and get the EES out of the way as a backup.

Hope the queues are not too long.

del.Almendro Apr 15th 2026 5:06 am

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
Surely you must use your British passport for outbound AND inbound flights. You still need passport stamps for the time being and EES needs to be able to record length of stay for your 90/180 record. Wouldn't using an EU passport outbound mess that up?

astera Apr 15th 2026 6:32 am

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

Originally Posted by del.Almendro (Post 13344552)
Surely you must use your British passport for outbound AND inbound flights. You still need passport stamps for the time being and EES needs to be able to record length of stay for your 90/180 record. Wouldn't using an EU passport outbound mess that up?

If you also have an EU passport then you ONLY use your EU passport when passing through passport control at an EU airport. Both when arriving and departing.

You use your UK passport only when passing through passport control once you land back in the UK. There is no passport control when flying out of the UK (airline staff only check to make sure the name matches the boarding pass).

del.Almendro Apr 15th 2026 6:40 am

Re: 25/2/2026: New rule for British dual nationals - must travel on UK passport
 
At Bristol Border Force regularly check for a stamp from the departing airport. I'm not sure I would want to have to explain the lack of stamp from earlier that day. Not sure if they have access to EES data.

At departure gate desk staff are checking passport details match those on the booking, outbound and inbound.

astera Apr 15th 2026 6:48 am

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

Originally Posted by del.Almendro (Post 13344563)
At Bristol Border Force regularly check for a stamp from the departing airport. I'm not sure I would want to have to explain the lack of stamp from earlier that day. Not sure if they have access to EES data.

First of all why would they check for a passport stamp from another country?

Secondly, if they happen to ask just inform them that you used your EU passport to enter/exit the EU. You just tell them the truth, it's not like you're hiding anything or doing anything wrong.

Plus in some EU countries it is against the law to use a foreign passport if you are a citizen of that country.


Originally Posted by del.Almendro (Post 13344563)
At departure gate desk staff are checking passport details match those on the booking, outbound and inbound.

Never in decades of flying have I ever seen gate staff check passport numbers or anything like this. It's name only to make sure it's your BP.

And if they do, you just whip out your other passport and continue boarding.


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