Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Jan 16th 2011, 2:35 pm
#31
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
If you're a US citizen you better show a US passport when leaving the US.
When you say there are no exit checks on passports, that's actually not true. Otherwise you'd be able to fly out without a passport - and you can't do that.
Your passport is first checked at check-in by the airline. It's checked again when you try to get through security on your way to the gate. These records are stored and possibly retrieved and checked again by US officials and the security services.
While it's true that the airline and security people may not immediately know that you're also a US citizen, there will exist a record of you using a UK passport to leave the US. It would be pretty easy for someone to cross-reference your details (name, date of birth, place of birth, etc) to see if you're also a US citizen. Whether or not they actually do this or will ever do this, I do not know. Rules are one thing - enforcement is another.
Why, as a dual citizen, use a UK passport to leave the US when you could be confronted by a US official at any time and have to show a US passport?
When you say there are no exit checks on passports, that's actually not true. Otherwise you'd be able to fly out without a passport - and you can't do that.
Your passport is first checked at check-in by the airline. It's checked again when you try to get through security on your way to the gate. These records are stored and possibly retrieved and checked again by US officials and the security services.
While it's true that the airline and security people may not immediately know that you're also a US citizen, there will exist a record of you using a UK passport to leave the US. It would be pretty easy for someone to cross-reference your details (name, date of birth, place of birth, etc) to see if you're also a US citizen. Whether or not they actually do this or will ever do this, I do not know. Rules are one thing - enforcement is another.
Why, as a dual citizen, use a UK passport to leave the US when you could be confronted by a US official at any time and have to show a US passport?
I travel between the US/UK and US/Canada on a regular basis. From various questions asked when entering all 3 countries it's obvious immigration know much about me and my reasons for travelling, who I am travelling with and why I am travelling. I try never to underestimate what the IO's know about me.
Jan 16th 2011, 2:38 pm
#32
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Other forms of ID can be used at the security gate.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...documents.shtm
Airline only cares whether your passport is acceptable at destination country.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...documents.shtm
Airline only cares whether your passport is acceptable at destination country.
I could see that possibly happening to someone. However, as a US citizen, they'd have some hassle getting back into the US without a US passport. And even if they obtained a new US passport outside the country, the question could still be asked about what they left on (since the issue date of the new one is after the original departure date from the US).
Jan 16th 2011, 2:42 pm
#33
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
If you're a US citizen you better show a US passport when leaving the US if someone with the authority to see your passport actually asks to see it in the US before you leave. If no-one asks to see it, then obviously you don't need to show it. OK?
When you enter Canada by car, you've already left the US and no-one there asked to see your passport before you left and so you didn't need to show it.
Jan 16th 2011, 2:46 pm
#34
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Jan 16th 2011, 2:50 pm
#36
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
I didn't think I'd need to spell this out...but what I meant was....
If you're a US citizen you better show a US passport when leaving the US if someone with the authority to see your passport actually asks to see it in the US before you leave. If no-one asks to see it, then obviously you don't need to show it. OK?
When you enter Canada by car, you've already left the US and no-one there asked to see your passport before you left and so you didn't need to show it.
If you're a US citizen you better show a US passport when leaving the US if someone with the authority to see your passport actually asks to see it in the US before you leave. If no-one asks to see it, then obviously you don't need to show it. OK?
When you enter Canada by car, you've already left the US and no-one there asked to see your passport before you left and so you didn't need to show it.
Jan 16th 2011, 2:59 pm
#37
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
We enter Canada by road approx once a month...we are always asked for our PPs...where we are going...what is the reason for our visit and how long we intend to be there. This wasn't always the case...a few years ago when when we crossed into Canada many times the IO didn't even look up at us...never mind look at our PPs.
Please separate the LEAVING from the US part and the ENTERING into Canada part. It's easy to do this when flying because there are usually hours between leaving and entering. With driving, there are seconds or minutes and so you're combining the two events in your mind.
Let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen FLYING out of the US and into Canada. When you show a passport at the US airport, you're expected to show a US passport because you're a US citizen leaving the US. When you enter Canada, that's a separate event and you could in theory show either a US or a UK passport.
Now let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen DRIVING from the US into Canada. Chances are that no-one in the US is going to stop you to check your passport - so as a US citizen you don't have to show your US passport when leaving the US (unlike the flying scenario). When you get to Canada, of course you may be asked for a passport by the Canadian authorities -and again you can show either your US or UK passport.
The difference between the flying scenario and the driving scenario is the fact that, as a US citizen, you don't have to show a US passport when leaving (or, more accurately, before leaving) the US in a car.
Last edited by MarylandNed; Jan 16th 2011 at 4:47 pm.
Jan 16th 2011, 3:09 pm
#38
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
You're confused by what I'm saying.
Please separate the LEAVING from the US part with the ENTERING into Canada part. It's easy to do this when flying because there are usually hours between leaving and entering. With driving, there are seconds or minutes and so you're combining the two events in your mind.
Let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen FLYING out of the US and into Canada. When you show a passport at the US airport, you're expected to show a US passport because you're a US citizen leaving the US. When you enter Canada, that's a separate event and you could in theory show either a US or a UK passport.
Now let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen DRIVING from the US into Canada. Chances are that no-one in the US is going to stop you to check your passport - so as a US citizen you don't have to show your US passport when leaving the US (unlike the flying scenario). When you get to Canada, of course you may be asked for a passport by the Canadian authorities -and again you can show either your US or UK passport.
The difference between the flying scenario and the driving scenario is the fact that, as a US citizen, you don't have to show a US passport when leaving (or, more accurately, before leaving) the US in a car.
Please separate the LEAVING from the US part with the ENTERING into Canada part. It's easy to do this when flying because there are usually hours between leaving and entering. With driving, there are seconds or minutes and so you're combining the two events in your mind.
Let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen FLYING out of the US and into Canada. When you show a passport at the US airport, you're expected to show a US passport because you're a US citizen leaving the US. When you enter Canada, that's a separate event and you could in theory show either a US or a UK passport.
Now let's say you're a dual UK/US citizen DRIVING from the US into Canada. Chances are that no-one in the US is going to stop you to check your passport - so as a US citizen you don't have to show your US passport when leaving the US (unlike the flying scenario). When you get to Canada, of course you may be asked for a passport by the Canadian authorities -and again you can show either your US or UK passport.
The difference between the flying scenario and the driving scenario is the fact that, as a US citizen, you don't have to show a US passport when leaving (or, more accurately, before leaving) the US in a car.
Jan 16th 2011, 3:30 pm
#39
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Not every country is allowed without a visa, some countries aren't allowed to take part in the workers holiday visa...people with some criminal records aren't allowed to enter, that's the big one, ask Martha Stewart....that's when it is important.
Jan 17th 2011, 2:56 am
#42
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Rules are one thing - enforcement is another. Just because a rule isn't enforced doesn't mean you should break the rule. There could be consequences down the line. The fact is that US citizens are expected to use US passports at US airports when departing and arriving.
Jan 17th 2011, 2:59 am
#43
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
However, my point was that by the time you reach Canadian immigration you are under no obligation to use a US passport if you are a dual US/UK citizen.
Jan 17th 2011, 3:56 am
#44
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Re: Travelling with both UK & USA passports
Whats the Martha Stewart story?
