Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > USA
Reload this Page >

Travel to UK with US infant

Travel to UK with US infant

Old Jun 15th 2009, 9:50 pm
  #1  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Travel to UK with US infant

Hi

I haven't posted on here for yonks & yonks so Hi to anyone who remembers me.

OH and I are traveling to the UK this week for the first time with our 8 month old baby girl. We are both Brit citizens but our daughter has both a US and a UK passport.

So, I am trying to find out which passport we should use for her? I was originally intending to leave the US using her US passport and enter the UK with her UK passport. Then on our return to the US we would use her US passport. Is that the right way / easiest way to do it?

With all the data that immigration and airlines now collate on passengers I was worried that if she left the US on a US passport but that US passport wasnt then scanned as having arrived in another country it would raise a red flag to the US immigration when we try to re-enter the US using her US passport on our return?

Has anyone else faced this dilemma? And how did you resolve it? What's the best / right way to do this?

Thanks!
Adnams is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 9:59 pm
  #2  
Former Blonde
 
FlyergirlUK's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: In a wibbly-wobbly world of my own
Posts: 1,380
FlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
Hi

I haven't posted on here for yonks & yonks so Hi to anyone who remembers me.

OH and I are traveling to the UK this week for the first time with our 8 month old baby girl. We are both Brit citizens but our daughter has both a US and a UK passport.

So, I am trying to find out which passport we should use for her? I was originally intending to leave the US using her US passport and enter the UK with her UK passport. Then on our return to the US we would use her US passport. Is that the right way / easiest way to do it?

With all the data that immigration and airlines now collate on passengers I was worried that if she left the US on a US passport but that US passport wasnt then scanned as having arrived in another country it would raise a red flag to the US immigration when we try to re-enter the US using her US passport on our return?

Has anyone else faced this dilemma? And how did you resolve it? What's the best / right way to do this?

Thanks!
As your daughter is still an infant you could, quite easily, have her travel using her US passport both ways if you are not planning on staying indefinitely in the UK as you will all pass through immigration together.

The only time we showed my youngest's UK passport was when we were coming back to the UK for good. It made no difference at all to use his US passport alone when going to the UK for short trips.
FlyergirlUK is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:06 pm
  #3  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by FlyergirlUK
As your daughter is still an infant you could, quite easily, have her travel using her US passport both ways if you are not planning on staying indefinitely in the UK as you will all pass through immigration together.

The only time we showed my youngest's UK passport was when we were coming back to the UK for good. It made no difference at all to use his US passport alone when going to the UK for short trips.
Ok thanks.
If we use her US passport to enter the UK do you know what (if any) visa waiver requirements there are? i.e. do we have to fill out any UK forms similar to the US I94 on her behalf if she is entering the UK as a US citizen.
Adnams is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:14 pm
  #4  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Ozzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Stick with your original suggestion.
Ozzidoc is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:17 pm
  #5  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Ozzidoc
Stick with your original suggestion.
have you traveled using both then? we just thought it would be easier to enter the UK if we were using her UK passport but i have also heard that can cause issues when coming back to the US?
Adnams is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:25 pm
  #6  
Former Blonde
 
FlyergirlUK's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: In a wibbly-wobbly world of my own
Posts: 1,380
FlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of lightFlyergirlUK is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
Ok thanks.
If we use her US passport to enter the UK do you know what (if any) visa waiver requirements there are? i.e. do we have to fill out any UK forms similar to the US I94 on her behalf if she is entering the UK as a US citizen.
You do have to fill out something similar to the I-94W but it's white and will only be required for your daughter.

As a US citizen she will be allowed up to six months under the VWP.
FlyergirlUK is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:44 pm
  #7  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by FlyergirlUK
You do have to fill out something similar to the I-94W but it's white and will only be required for your daughter.

As a US citizen she will be allowed up to six months under the VWP.
i see and i assume we would have to go through the non uk citizens line at the airport?
Adnams is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 10:46 pm
  #8  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by FlyergirlUK
You do have to fill out something similar to the I-94W but it's white and will only be required for your daughter.

As a US citizen she will be allowed up to six months under the VWP.
is that form available on the plane like the i94w?
Adnams is offline  
Old Jun 15th 2009, 11:14 pm
  #9  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Bluegrass Lass's Avatar
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: My Old KY Home!
Posts: 6,498
Bluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond reputeBluegrass Lass has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
i see and i assume we would have to go through the non uk citizens line at the airport?
I am a USC, and I went through the UK line with my UKC husband. We've done this twice now. However, I've seen it said that some airports may be more open to this than others. We went through Glasgow and Edinburgh, and didn't have an issue.

There is no issue with using the US passport to leave and re-enter the US and the UK passport to enter the UK. I've read of others doing that with no probs.
Bluegrass Lass is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:48 am
  #10  
Bob
BE Site Lead
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,167
Bob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
i see and i assume we would have to go through the non uk citizens line at the airport?
generally not a problem, depends on the airport and how busy they are so perhaps ask someone, but they won't give you any hassle going through the Brit line with a baby.
Bob is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:53 am
  #11  
MODERATOR
 
penguinsix's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Hong Kong, mostly.
Posts: 5,213
penguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

While it used to not be a problem to do this, I thought I read here and in the Telegraph lately that the situation was changing such that the passports had to match up as part of the trip? It only affected dual citizens and was due to a glitch in the new UK airport computer / INS system that didn't recognize dual passports.

Here it is

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...tionality.html
penguinsix is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 4:27 am
  #12  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Ozzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond reputeOzzidoc has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
have you traveled using both then? we just thought it would be easier to enter the UK if we were using her UK passport but i have also heard that can cause issues when coming back to the US?
Many people have to do this. I have two passports, so I regularly encounter this situation, although neither of them is a US one.

Flying between the US and I, by law I have to use my Oz pp to enter Oz, and I now must use my UK to enter the US as the visa is in the US one.

Air NZ even publishes the OZ pp no on the ticket.

Before my visa days, when I was travelling on the VWP, I discussed this with a US border bloke. Made a note that I had 2 pps. I would tend to enter on one pp, and have the other in sight. Sometimes they'd want to see it, sometimes not.

I appreciate that there is no compulsion for a UK citizen to enter the UK on a UK pp, but if you have both it makes life easier at the points of entry.

Although the UK used to let non-UK members thru the UK line if they were travelling with a UK family member.
Ozzidoc is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 4:53 am
  #13  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 198
Alan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond reputeAlan17 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

We did this last month with our 1 year old. Similar situation (me UK/US, wife is US, son is US/UK). We flew from LAX to Heathrow and did exactly as you suggested in your first post, i.e.

left the US with the US passports
entered UK with the UK passports (and let the wife tag along to miss the queues :-) )
left the UK with the US passports
entered the US on the US passports

No problems whatsoever at either airport.

Alan.
Alan17 is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 11:57 am
  #14  
Unmitigated Gall
 
another bloody yank's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
another bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond reputeanother bloody yank has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by Adnams
Hi

I haven't posted on here for yonks & yonks so Hi to anyone who remembers me.

OH and I are traveling to the UK this week for the first time with our 8 month old baby girl. We are both Brit citizens but our daughter has both a US and a UK passport.

So, I am trying to find out which passport we should use for her? I was originally intending to leave the US using her US passport and enter the UK with her UK passport. Then on our return to the US we would use her US passport. Is that the right way / easiest way to do it?

With all the data that immigration and airlines now collate on passengers I was worried that if she left the US on a US passport but that US passport wasnt then scanned as having arrived in another country it would raise a red flag to the US immigration when we try to re-enter the US using her US passport on our return?

Has anyone else faced this dilemma? And how did you resolve it? What's the best / right way to do this?

Thanks!

Sorry, can't help with your question. I just saw that you made it to MO and wanted to welcome you to the State.


Don't worry, I'm not going to ask how you like it!
another bloody yank is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2009, 6:54 pm
  #15  
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: UK-Indonesia-US
Posts: 1,828
Adnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond reputeAdnams has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Travel to UK with US infant

Originally Posted by penguinsix
While it used to not be a problem to do this, I thought I read here and in the Telegraph lately that the situation was changing such that the passports had to match up as part of the trip? It only affected dual citizens and was due to a glitch in the new UK airport computer / INS system that didn't recognize dual passports.

Here it is

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...tionality.html
Thank you for the link. Food for thought.

Thanks to all for all the advice, most useful.

It certainly looks a bit ambiguous. i.e. No firm right or wrong. Although reading the telegraph link it would appear we would have to use her US one all the way. Not surprising that another Govt system has glitches in it either. Par for the course.

Whichever way we do it I am getting to spend a month back home and I am just a tad excited.
Adnams is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.