Matt Sabre

What's the UK official position on us being US citizens? I had no problems renewing my UK passport last year.

BritInParis

They don't care. British nationality law has permitted dual citizenship since 1949. Read the inside of your British passport for the official blurb.

Nutmegger

Do you mean entering the UK? No problem. US citizens are just supposed to exit and enter the US on their US passports. What you do on arrival in the UK is up to you.

hungryhorace

Yes. **** that onerous requirement. The British government has absolutely no right to know other nationalities its citizens hold.

Matt Sabre

Are there any other countries where it's advantageous to enter on a UK rather than a US passport? I'm thinking Commonwealth nations.

BritInParis

Whilst it would depend on the country in question British passports tend to be better than US passports for international travel in terms of visa-free access and quicker processing at the border.

Any EU/EEA country as you can usually go through the automatic gates or faster EU/EEA line on a British passport but not a US passport. Some countries require US citizens to have a visa but not British citizens - Brazil springs to mind. Likewise Australia offers British citizens a free eVisitor visa whilst US citizens need to pay for an Electronic Travel Authority. Also if you would prefer British consular assistance rather than US consular assistance in a crisis then you need to enter the country in question on a British passport.

Some Commonwealth countries offer limited voting rights to other Commonwealth citizens so if you were living in another Commonwealth country it would make sense to do so on a British rather than US passport.

Matt Sabre

Interesting. Thank you.

I may be heading to Belize soon so I'm thinking of using my UK passport for that.

BritInParis

Having been to Belize I suspect they prefer Brits to Americans.

MarylandNed

Well, yes, of course you could just pretend that you don't have a non-British passport and so not provide the photocopy. But you are supposed to provide the photocopy if you have a non-British passport. The document checklist asks for it.

MarylandNed

It does if affects the British government's ability to help you e.g. if you are in another country where you hold citizenship.

hungryhorace

No, it doesn't.

If said country in which you hold citizenship has detained you, you are under their jurisdiction, and the British government will not intervene. Why would they? You're a citizen of the country you're in - you're their problem.

The ONLY reason the British government has included this request is so they can compile a database of citizens who hold dual citizenship with countries on their 'terror' (a long abused, and politically motivated word) watch list.

MarylandNed

No. I hold US, Canadian, UK and Irish passports.


Lots of people do that. It is worth noting that if you're going to use 2 passports in this manner, then make sure that you have both handy in case you are ever asked to produce the other one.

When checking in in the UK for a flight to the US, you should present your US passport to prove your right of entry to the US (otherwise they'll wonder why you don't have an ESTA). Once when leaving the UK I was asked why I didn't have a UK entry stamp in my non-British passport (can't remember now if that was my US or Canadian passport) and I replied that I had entered the UK on my British passport. I was then asked to show the British passport. Now I usually just use my US passport for the entire trip to keep things simple. The lines I encountered at Heathrow last month were no longer than the EU lines - but that can vary.

hungryhorace

..despite being able to use the e-Gates with your British passport?

Sorry, but using your US passport for entering the UK makes no sense for me, other than a desire to stand in long queues. Admittedly, a very British trait.

lansbury

I didn't say I pretended not to have a non UK passport, I said I just didn't send the photo copy of my US one. The check list does indeed ask for it but the point being made was they don't seem too fussed if they don't receive it.

Nutek

These make me so happy.