Dual citizens/ETA enforcement from 24 February 2026

ylop said:
At some point its likely that information sharing between nations will reach a point where the person who left and the person who arrived do not appear to match, or where the advance notification details don't match. That's likely to rouse some sort of "suspicion"
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The interesting thing is that when I regained my Dutch passport (having let it lapse pre-b) I rang the UK(IOM) passport office to tell them about the regained dual-nationality and they weren't interested and didn't have a box in which to enter the information. I had innocently assumed that they would want to know any "aliases" - for the reasons you outline - but apparently not.
 
I have travelled between France and the UK using Aircraft, Ferry and Tunnel using duel passports at the relevant country with no problem and invariably have both passports in my hand when I have to present it the customs seem to see it as a normal occurrence and never even comment on it.
 
SimonX said:
Its relatively common. I always have both passports on my hand just in case. I did have one last year when the guy at Heathrow was surprised I hadn't been stamped in/out of France but explained in 30 seconds.
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Indeed. Even among European nations, naming conventions differ widely between nations; for example, Spanish and Portuguese have matronymics as well as patronymics, there may be names assumed at life stages such as first communion and so on. I gather that naming in African nations is even more fluid, with people assuming completely different names at significant landmarks. The differences for countries with a non-alphabetic writing system (e.g. China) are enormous and can cause difficulties. Just for example, most Chinese given names are two words; my wife (Sze Tai) had to get accustomed to being called "Sze" - which, of course, was actually nonsensical! Trying to squeeze her name into UK-oriented forms was quite tricky; we ended up hyphenating her given name as a stopgap! And her "western" style name was also something assumed later in life, to make things easier when she came to school in the Uk, and not attested on her birth certificate. That gave us trouble when her passport came up for renewal!

Names are a minefield!
 
lustyd said:
Makes sense to me. If you enter with an EU passport (for example) then you get 6 months, if you’re British, then enter with a British passport.

We’d need to globally align dual citizenship on all databases to know it’s the same person and that would be a privacy nightmare and open to huge errors.

Personally I’d like to see dual citizenship abolished for various reasons.
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Why?
 
lustyd said:
No it wasn’t (visa free travel still has an assumed visa). You just lack the understanding of the subject required. I worked on this stuff, you’ll just have to trust me.
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I won’t trust you. You retired at 30. You didn’t work on it that long. I’m still at work doing it at 63. I’m not jealous of you as you seem to be of others
 
AntarcticPilot said:
I note with regard to one of your other points that enabling US citizens who are not domiciled in the USA to renounce their US citizenship is a growth industry, entirely because the US taxes it's citizens wherever they live and regardless of whether they pay tax elsewhere.
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A moment of hope in an otherwise pointless thread - the idea that Rishi and Boris pay tax in both UK and the colonies brings a smile.
(Holder of 2 passports 'cos the englanders took my country out of the EU - married to an EU wife who had to get a UK one for the same reason)
 
AntarcticPilot said:
... I note with regard to one of your other points that enabling US citizens who are not domiciled in the USA to renounce their US citizenship is a growth industry, entirely because the US taxes it's citizens wherever they live and regardless of whether they pay tax elsewhere. ...
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American's who pay dual taxes, can offset the tax in the USA by the amount they pay in the other country, where there are tax treaties between the USA and the other country, using the foreign tax credit mechanism. US citizens that renounce their US citizenship are usually doing it because of other reasons, and it is certainly not in its entirety due to the tax issue that you suggest it is.
 
syvictoria said:
dual citizens will require a valid British or Irish passport
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Note the word "valid".. that's what the op was bringing to people's attention...
But I've enjoyed the drift,

Some countries (eg Spain and UK) It's not possible for dual citizenship/passport, as both countries have to agree.
My grandson has NZ, British and Irish passports he is 14 yrs old and not rich.

My partner Mrs Skip has dual Spanish/Venezuelan and this is absolutely necessary as Venezuela will only allow Venezuelans to exit Venezuela on a Venezuelan passport.

There are many Venezuelan people that wish to visit their relatives but cannot because they would be refused exit without a Venezuelan passport.

Selfish doesn't come into it.
 
Lots of posts citing past experience in the thread as evidence of no problem. The system about to be implemented has the express intention of cracking down on this sort of thing. The whole reason for going electronic is to better track movement so past experiences are explicitly irrelevant.
 
Many countries e.g. South Africa require their citizens to enter and leave using their own passport, and treat it as an offence to use another nationality’s passport at the border.

In those jurisdictions, a person may hold multiple citizenships, but they cannot rely on / benefit from another citizenship while inside that country of which they are a citizen.
 
Mrs Baggywrinkle let her UK passport expire, and had to apply for a UK ETA and use her German passport to visit her sister in the UK, even though as a UK citizen you can enter the UK (repatriation) with an expired UK passport if you can prove you are a UK national (and a recently expired UK passport is enough for this).

Can a British Citizen Return to the UK with an Expired Passport? UK Entry Requirements​

The UK government has specific guidelines that allow British citizens to return to the UK even if their passport has expired. According to the UK Home Office, British citizens are not legally required to present a valid passport to enter the UK, as long as they can prove their nationality and identity. However, an expired passport might not be accepted by airline carriers or foreign immigration authorities, which may create significant challenges.
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Can a British Citizen Return to the UK with an Expired Passport? - U.K.ABROAD

The concrete issue is not one with UK but with foreign border control, and/or the Airlines ... if you book or check in with an expired UK passport they may not let you board - even if the flight is to the UK, or the border control may not let you leave. So you have to use a valid passport, in the case for Mrs Baggywrinkle it was a German one, and they now won't let you travel with that unless you have an ETA.

Many countries used to allow citizens from other countries with a visa waiver to simply enter with no additional paperwork or info, some would process you in the airport on arrival (Thailand), and some would allow you to fill out paperwork on the plane to hand in on landing (USA).

Now it is electronic, and they want it done up front to vet people before they even board the plane, that is the change that has messed it all up. More and more countries are implementing electronic pre-authorisation ... this is not just a UK issue.

If you don't have another citizenship and valid passport then you may need an ETD (Emergency Travel Document) and they are fookin expensive (The application costs £125. You cannot get a refund.), so better to use your foreign passport and an ETA.

Who can apply​

An emergency travel document lets you travel from abroad if you need to travel urgently and cannot use your UK passport. It is usually only valid for one single or return journey.

You can travel through a maximum of 5 countries.

You can apply for an emergency travel document if all the following apply:

  • you’re a British national
  • you’re outside the UK
  • you need to travel within 6 weeks
  • your UK passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, is full, has recently expired or is with HM Passport Office or a foreign embassy
  • you cannot renew or replace your UK passport from abroad before you travel
  • you have had a valid UK passport that was issued on or after 1 January 2006
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Travel urgently from abroad without your UK passport
 
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Baggywrinkle said:
So you have to use a valid passport, in the case for Mrs Baggywrinkle it was a German one, and they now won't let you travel with that unless you have an ETA.
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Having done it, do you know what happens then the “visa” time limit is reached? In this case 180 days if entering with a German passport and ETA.
In theory if she then got a new UK passport and used it to leave, or just stayed in the UK then the German passport may be flagged as overstaying and a travel ban/fine issued. How they’d reconcile fining a UK citizen for an overstay may be entertaining, I imagine there’s a future headline in there.
Given the kerfuffle when UK were hit with the EU 10 year limit on passports I don’t see this being a smooth transition to digital.
 
Baggywrinkle said:
Mrs Baggywrinkle let her UK passport expire, and had to apply for a UK ETA and use her German passport to visit her sister in the UK, even though as a UK citizen you can enter the UK (repatriation) with an expired UK passport if you can prove you are a UK national (and a recently expired UK passport is enough for this).



Can a British Citizen Return to the UK with an Expired Passport? - U.K.ABROAD

The concrete issue is not one with UK but with foreign border control, and/or the Airlines ... if you book or check in with an expired UK passport they may not let you board - even if the flight is to the UK, or the border control may not let you leave. So you have to use a valid passport, in the case for Mrs Baggywrinkle it was a German one, and they now won't let you travel with that unless you have an ETA.

Many countries used to allow citizens from other countries with a visa waiver to simply enter with no additional paperwork or info, some would process you in the airport on arrival (Thailand), and some would allow you to fill out paperwork on the plane to hand in on landing (USA).

Now it is electronic, and they want it done up front to vet people before they even board the plane, that is the change that has messed it all up. More and more countries are implementing electronic pre-authorisation ... this is not just a UK issue.
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This is what, as I understand it, is changing in February. You will then, at least in theory, no longer be able to enter with an expired passport. The section about expired passports was removed from the link in the OP this week. (I happened to read and register for email updates to the page the day before the change!)

Also, it was my understanding that a British citizen couldn't obtain an ETA? Likewise when ETIAS is finally implemented, an EU citizen will not be able to obtain one. Therefore dual citizens will then NEED two passports - no choice.

Edited to add: Except the Irish, with their single magic passport!! 😀
 
syvictoria said:
Also, it was my understanding that a British citizen couldn't obtain an ETA? Likewise when ETIAS is finally implemented, an EU citizen will not be able to obtain one. Therefore dual citizens will then NEED two passports - no choice.
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I suspect the move to digital borders will necessitate fixing and clarifying a bunch of things as they are identified. Where previously a scenario may have been ignored, “the system” enforcing rules rigidly will shine a light on any inconsistencies.

I think we’ll all be fascinated to see how French visas are integrated into Schengen!
 
lustyd said:
Having done it, do you know what happens then the “visa” time limit is reached? In this case 180 days if entering with a German passport and ETA.
In theory if she then got a new UK passport and used it to leave, or just stayed in the UK then the German passport may be flagged as overstaying and a travel ban/fine issued. How they’d reconcile fining a UK citizen for an overstay may be entertaining, I imagine there’s a future headline in there.
Given the kerfuffle when UK were hit with the EU 10 year limit on passports I don’t see this being a smooth transition to digital.
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At the point where you might get caught (border control) ... always present both passports, then they just ignore you - happened to me in Germany when the guard thought he had caught me (UK passport with no entry stamp) ...the only difference with ETA/ETIAS is that they don't have to hunt through your passport resolving stamps, the system will just flag it .... they then have the dilemma of pursuing legal action against a citizen for an overstay in their own country - even the most grumpy of border guards won't bother doing this - I would imagine that they will modify the IT systems to ignore dual nationals where one of their nationalities is the country flagged for an overstay - if they haven't done this already. I had to declare my German citizenship and provide a copy of my German passport (all pages) when I last renewed my UK passport.
 
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