pk3574

I havent been able to travel from the US back to the UK for a couple of years , missing birth of grand daughter and significant bday for mum.

i am now a US citizen (after many years) , so my simple question is

can i travel back to the UK and enter on my British passport, then return to the US using my nice new American one ?

i cant establish if the US allow it , or not. so does anyone do it (especially in Covid times) ?

Thank you

MidAtlantic

If your question is about use of passports, yes. That is normal practice for many of us. Leave US with US passport, enter UK with UK passport. Leave UK with UK passport, enter US with US passport.

If your question is about covid, I don't know. I lost track of that months ago!

Jerseygirl

You must leave and enter the US using your US PP. You can use any entering the UK. When you check in to return to the UK use your US PP.

Nutmegger

No. As described in JG's post, the OP must check in for the flight back to the US using the US passport. Entering the UK is the only place to use the UK passport.

robin1234

Yes, but checking in for the flight is only one part of the departure process. There’s also a passport control when you enter the restricted departure area, immediately followed by security checks. I personally always use my British passport for those processes.

Jerseygirl

Yup…the airline will not allow him to board using a UK PP. Only Brits with GC/visa/ESTA are allowed to board…as a USC the OP will have none of those.

MidAtlantic

I agree. Exactly what I said and meant and what I have done for many years.

pk3574

Ok, vewry grateful but slightly confused

i will be travelling US-UK-US
am i right

US check in UK passport
any checks between check in and plan UK passport
arrival in Uk - uk passport

return
check in US passport
any checks before plane US passport
arrival in US - us passport


i think i have got this right its just the US-UK route that confuses me

Lion in Winter

US to UK - check in with US passport (and use US passport for ticket purchase/traveler details)

Upon arrival in the UK, you can just go through with your UK passport

UK to US - check in with and show your US passport.
Upon arrival in the US, show your US passport.


So essentially, everything is done with your US passport except for passing through the airport on arrival in the UK.

kateinbrooklyn

Just hand over both passports and the person in the uniform will take the correct one. Don't overthink it!

Former Lancastrian

Thats 2 passports I have to handle during a pandemic and as someone who works for the CBSA the less passports I have to handle the better. Now granted people use their UK passport to avoid the long line ups but from all accounts Heathrow is a nightmare for all travellers. The US passport indicates your country of birth as the UK so any UK passport officer would know that UK citizens normally don't renounce UK citizenship when becoming a US citizen.

Jerseygirl

Yes…that’s it!!

steph0scope

Not everyone born in the UK is a British citizen. In “the old days” of jus soli that was the case. Now the law is that the person must either have British parents or be born to people who are “settled” in the UK. So, a British woman on holiday in the US who goes into labor and delivers here - the baby will be a USC even if the mother is only here for a holiday. An American woman on holiday in UK who goes into labor and delivers there - the baby will not be a UKC if the parents don’t live in the UK.