Family holidays in tatters as new ‘idiotic’ passport guidelines trigger chaos
As new rules are introduced for British dual citizens travelling in and out of the country, families have been left grappling to save their holiday plans.
From yesterday (February 25), dual citizens – including children and babies – now have to present a British passport for flights, ferries or trains into the UK or pay for a ‘certificate of entitlement’, costing £589.
This means those who hold only a valid passport for another country, and not the UK, will be impacted.
Some 1.2 million British citizens are expected to be affected by the change in regulations.
Brits Lynne and Geoff Crellin left the UK back in the 1970s and now live in Grimsby in Ontario, Canada.
The couple had planned to visit their home country this summer for a ‘trip of a lifetime’, the Daily Record reports.
However, they no longer hold a valid British passport and the additional cost and trouble is putting them off.
British dual citizens are now required to present a valid British passport or pay for a ‘certificate of entitlement’, costing £589, to enter the UK
Geoff explained: ‘The bottom line is that the new ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) requirement that dual-citizens must enter the UK using a British passport is probably going to cause us to cancel our upcoming three-day visit to London.’
‘Cancelling our trip is likely to be the most cost-effective and least stressful solution for us, due to the constraints and restrictions put on us by the new ETA rules.’
Under the new rules, they would have to spend around £200 on new passports which they argue ‘makes no sense’ for such a short trip.
Geoff added: ‘It makes no sense for us to rush to get new 10-year British passports for a three-day stay in London.’
To make matters worse, the pair have tried to visit the UK in the past but have had to call the plans off both times for medical reasons.
One Australian man, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail that he was ‘utterly shocked and disappointed’ when he discovered he would be affected by the rules due to legacy, or inherited, citizenship.
He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo to British parents, his mother and father having moved there for work. The family then moved to Australia, where he has always lived.
The new rules have caused concern over a planned trip to Britain next year.
‘I’ve been told that because of my father I will be affected by this change. I’ve never held a British passport and have never lived there, yet according to the idiotic new rules I could be asked to show one. I have no interest in having one at all and I’m simply coming in for a holiday.
‘[The UK government] say they’ve informed people of all this but the actual details have been as much as shock as they are ridiculous.
‘I now have to reconsider my trips to the UK, waste money on this rip-off certificate or try my best to enter illegally – something that is causing stress to me and my family. I know plenty of other people in similar positions, and the UK will lose out on visitors.’
It has caused trouble for some dual citizens who no longer live in the country, and are having to fork out hundreds to go ahead with their planned holidays to Britain
The new rules are also impacting the children of British citizens who were born abroad and may not have realised they were dual nationals under the updated rules.
British dual national Rebecca, who relocated to France in 2006, has encountered this problem with her 15-year-old son.
She told the i Paper: ‘He’s never had any need. He travels on a French passport, just like every other French national.’
But to visit family in the UK this summer, Rebecca is now facing passport fees of £70, as well as £19.86 in postage for her son to enter the country via the new requirements.
She added: ‘Travel is already so stressful going through passport control and customs. My mum’s going to pay for [his passport] because it’s mainly for her that we go over and visit.’
Rebecca revealed she knows of plenty of other mothers in France in her situation, but who can’t afford new passports or documents and are having to cancel holidays to the UK.
Lisa Uttley, Immigration partner at Gherson Solicitors LLP, described the new rules as ‘uncompromising’ and explained the complications it will create for dual citizens living abroad.
She said: ‘The government says the change brings clarity. As the UK is finalising the rollout of its Electronic Travel Authorisation system, airlines and border officials need a simple way to distinguish between visitors who require permission and citizens who have an automatic right to enter.
‘Requiring dual nationals to present a British passport removes ambiguity and reduces the risk of boarding problems or confusion at the border.’
The expert added: ‘But the move is also uncompromising. Dual citizens who live abroad and let their British passport lapse will now face renewal costs or a hefty certificate fee just to travel home. For some, it feels less like administrative tidying and more like a bureaucratic squeeze.
‘Ultimately, the rule reflects a broader trend: borders are becoming more digitised, more system-driven and less flexible. Citizenship still provides an unfettered right of entry but increasingly, only if it’s presented in the right format.’
The new rules are also impacting the children of British citizens who were born abroad and may not have realised they were dual nationals under the updated rules
Dual citizens have been offered an expired passport lifeline however, that could make travelling to the UK easier.
Airlines have reportedly been instructed to deny boarding to dual citizens if they don’t have the necessary documents.
But the Daily Mail understands the Home Office has now informed carriers they can accept expired British passports ‘at their discretion’ if the passenger also has a valid passport from another country.
The expired British passport can be issued as far back as 1989.
It has been left to individual airlines whether they wish to accept this from passengers, and it is not guaranteed.
Travellers are advised to check with the carrier they are flying with beforehand.
A Home Office spokesman told The Independent: ‘At their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation.’
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp said: ‘The ETA scheme is a vital part of our work to strengthen the UK’s border security, helping to deliver a more efficient and modern service that works for both visitors and the British public.
‘I’d urge anyone wanting to travel to the UK to ensure they are travel ready and have the right permission, to make their journey much smoother.
‘In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s suitability to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.’
The details on the two passports must match – including the name, date of birth and place.
