SultanOfSwing

After becoming a USC, of course.

This year mine expires and I can't afford to get both the US passport I need and to renew my UK one so it looks like I will be without it for now. I wondered if anyone else had been in a similar position and if they'd entered the UK on the US passport.

durham_lad

Our daughter let hers expire over 10 years ago and entered the UK many times on her US passport. Last year she decided to renew it and said that she was sometimes asked if she had a UK passport on entry. (US Passport says place of birth ENGLAND)

Our son also let his expire and has been to the UK many times but has never said he has been asked why he didn't use a UK passport. He doesn't plan on renewing his UK passport as it is a lot of money for him.

sir_eccles

The only thought in the back of my mind is "would the Torys do something stupid?" They have demonstrated such reliability in the past, so one never knows.

Currently you don't need to enter on a UK passport and there are allegedly other ways to enter and prove your citizenship (I recall from other threads, not tried myself). If you are just going back for occasional vacations, I agree it hardly seems worth it.

With Young Sir I have considered getting him one when he turns 16 as a birthday present (he is already consular registered). It will then be up to him to choose whether to renew it.

lansbury

I seriously thought about it. Last year when I went back to the UK I only took my US passport, and thought why do I need a UK one. Decided I didn't need it, but couldn't bring myself to not have one. It will go in the safe deposit box and no doubt not be used.

SultanOfSwing

I suppose my US passport would indicate my place of birth as the UK (I haven't actually got one yet but I've been a USC for almost four years).

It is a lot of money to shell out on two passports, when at the moment only one of them is essential for me.

So, not a big deal then? The Tories could always do something stupid. But in my case it would be occasional vacations. A move back, while not 100% out of the question, isn't a consideration right now.

I never registered my daughter when she was born, I suppose I really should have.

markonline1

OK, 2 questions. If you let your UK passport lapse, can you still use the Brit queue at LHR with your US passport, and if and when you decide to reapply for a UK passport in the future, are there any problems having let your old one lapse?

sir_eccles

Once lapsed, the application becomes a little trickier because you are applying for a new passport not renewing an old one, the burden of proof is therefore higher.

Hmm, just checked mine. I have 4 years to decide whether to pull the trigger (or 4 years to save up, the cost is unlikely to go down is it?). Also, I figure the USC wife will give me an ear full if I don't renew.

durham_lad

My UK passport has the town listed as place of birth but the US one has England, but if I were you, I honestly wouldn't bother with 2 if you are only visiting now and again. If the UK ever did change the law to require UK citizens to use their UK passport for entry, it won't happen overnight so you'll have plenty of warning.

durham_lad

If you only have a US passport I don't believe you can use the UK/EU line on entry. No harm in trying, they can only send you to the back of the line. (Just because your US says you were born in England is not proof that you are a UK citizen, just that you might be)

DD renewed her passport 10+ years after it had expired. No problem, but extra documents for her as well as expired UK passport included a marriage certificate as her name had changed as well.

SultanOfSwing

The US one will either say Northern Ireland or Belfast then (UK says Belfast). As you say, for a trip back every few years it is a waste of money.

Yorkieabroad

I let mine lapse a few years back, and have entered the UK a few times on my US passport and never had an issue.

When I was entering on a UK passport my wife and youngest kids would on US passports would come through the UK line with my eldest and me on UK passports. I've never tried to go down the UK/EU citizens on my US passport, because, well, I'm entering as a US citizen....

SultanOfSwing

I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to go down the UK/EU line but it's good to know there are no issues.

Now, if we were to fly into Dublin, might that present any additional bother? We want to avoid a connection but would LHR/MAN to Belfast be a better bet?

hungryhorace

Do what I did (f you are able, obviously) - obtain citizenship, then get a passport from another EU country that doesn't fleece its citizens for passport renewals like the British government does.

SultanOfSwing

If I'm not renewing my British one, I'm not bothered about having an EU one. If we decide to move back, I'll pay up and renew the UK one when I can take time over it because I'd have to get one for my daughter as well anyway.

Tegwyn

We have gone back and forth to the UK on our US passport umpteen times and has been no bother. Our UK passports have lapsed too and we will get around to doing it eventually. It is a rather expensive item to have sitting in the drawer if not really needed.