Changes to requirements for British dual nationals entering the UK from 25th February 2026

[secret.simon]

The UK government has announced that from 25th February 2026, people with non-visa required passports, such as EEA or US passports, will need to show an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) at the point of boarding a flight or ferry to the UK.

This of course would not apply to British or Irish citizens with a passport of their respective countries.

But British dual nationals who only have the passport of another non-visa country of which they are also a citizen would not be eligible for an ETA (British citizens can't apply for a visa or travel authorisation to enter the UK) and so would require to have either a British passport or a CoE-RoA stamped into their non-British passport to enter the UK.

People travelling on a non-British passport demonstrate their permission to travel by using:

their digital UK immigration permission (eVisa), if they are resident in the UK;
their entry clearance vignette sticker or eVisa, if they are from a visa national country; or
their electronic travel authorisation (ETA), if they are visiting the UK and are from a non-visa national country (for example, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA or an EU country).

A British dual national travelling on a foreign passport wouldn’t have any of those. They would be ineligible for an ETA, eVisa or immigration permission due to their British citizenship.

The introduction of the ETA requirement is a significant change for British dual nationals with citizenship of a non-visa national country. Previously, their non-British passport would have let them travel to the UK.

Do British dual citizens need an ETA?

Dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship are exempt from needing an ETA.

Dual British citizens must have a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK. UK passports can be renewed at GOV.UK

We strongly advise dual British citizens to make sure they have a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement, to avoid problems like being denied boarding when travelling to the UK from 25 February 2026.

From 25 February 2026, dual British citizens who cannot produce a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement will need to have additional identity checks and will not be able to go through UK passport control until their British nationality is verified.

This may particularly (but not exclusively) affect many EEA citizens with British citizenship, and those from the US and the Old Commonwealth who have acquired their British citizenship by descent, who have so far entered the UK solely on their EEA/US/Old Commonwealth passports and they should look at getting a British passport or a CoE-RoA in their non-British passports.

It is worth keeping in mind that the names on all non-cancelled passports held by the dual nationals must match for the HMPO to issue a British passport in the same name.

[contorted_svy]

Thank you secret.simon. Should we make this into a sticky, as it will definitely affect users on the long term?

[secret.simon]

Should we make this into a sticky, as it will definitely affect users on the long term?

Done. I thought I had already made it into a sticky, but I was wrong.

[SxaDragon]

Hey guys,

So today I got an email from evisa.direct.messaging@notifications.service.gov.uk

Dear Sir/Madam

As part of our ongoing support for the move to a digital immigration system, we’d like to remind everyone that to enter the UK as a British citizen, you must hold, and travel with, one of the following valid documents:
• A valid British citizen passport, or
• A Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) to the Right of Abode in your valid foreign passport.
If you have been naturalised or registered as a British citizen, travelling with your naturalisation or registration certificate will not allow you to enter the UK. Without a British passport or CoE, you risk being denied boarding or facing issues at the border.
If you don’t currently have one of these documents, you need to apply for it before travelling. Your British passport or CoE in your foreign passport lets you enter the UK as many times as you need, as long as your document is still valid.

I assume this is related to this thread.

The issue I have is I do am a naturalised British citizen but I am now out of the UK. I have two passports, one Italian and one Iranian, and the Iranian one is in a different name. I want to change it but currently I am unable to. I also do not want to pay £700 or whatever for a CoE.

Does this mean, as someone who was born in the UK and spent 30+ years there, that I am now unable to enter the UK? Am I not able to go to the border with my Italian passport and Naturalisation Certificate and demand entry? What lunacy is this?

[alterhase58]

The issue is that carriers won’t accept you on board. So you can’t get to the border in the first place. Carrriers know what is required and won’t accept any other documentation . The cheapest would be to get British passport, or get COe.

[SxaDragon]

It's absolutely ridiculous that I am a British citizen and I cannot enter my country without applying for something else and paying extra money, while non British citizens can enter. How is this okay?

And it's not like I just need to apply for a form online for the CoE like Europeans can do to travel to the UK, i will need to go to a immigaion centre probbaly in Rome, and give them my passports and get them sent back, and I'm not even registered outside of the UK, my legal address is in the UK and I'm still paying tax in the UK.

This is not okay.

[secret.simon]

Am I not able to go to the border with my Italian passport and Naturalisation Certificate and demand entry?

The issue is that carriers won’t accept you on board. So you can’t get to the border in the first place. Carrriers know what is required and won’t accept any other documentation .

alterhase58 has summarised the situation correctly. The challenge is not at the UK border, where, if you can prove that you are a British citizen, you will be allowed in.

The challenge is getting to the border, because airline (and possibly ferry) staff will be directed not to allow you to board without the precise documentation required. Your naturalisation certificate won't be of much use there, at the airline/ferry counter as it is just an A4 piece of paper whose only validity is in the UK. And your EU passport will not be sufficient on its own to board the plane/ferry.

You could try entering via the Channel Tunnel, because the UK border staff would be located in France, Belgium or the Netherlands, as the case may be. The challenge that I can think of would be that you would have to get past the French/Belgian/Dutch exit immigration checks to get to the UK Border Force desks. And they will likely have been briefed as well as to not let anybody who hasn't got the proper paperwork through. But I think this would be your best bet to reenter the UK after these rules come into force.

It's absolutely ridiculous that I am a British citizen and I cannot enter my country without applying for something else and paying extra money, while non British citizens can enter. How is this okay?

Non-British citizens will be required to have an e-visa or an ETA before boarding. That requirement will apply even to those with passports that allow for non-visa entry, such as the EU, US, etc.

British citizens by definition can't have a visa, hence they must show either a British passport or a CoE-RoA.

And it's not like I just need to apply for a form online for the CoE like Europeans can do to travel to the UK, i will need to go to a immigaion centre probbaly in Rome, and give them my passports and get them sent back, and I'm not even registered outside of the UK, my legal address is in the UK and I'm still paying tax in the UK.

You have a few options to apply for a CoE-RoA or a British passport. You can apply for them from abroad, but that can take a while.

The new rules kick in a month's time. You will be able to reenter the UK with your EU passport before then. Or, once the new rules kick in, you can enter through the Channel Tunnel, as suggested above.

Once in the UK, you can apply for a CoE-RoA online or a British passport. You will need to submit your non-British passport(s) when asked for, but you can keep it while it is being processed.

British passport issuance times are down to about 2-3 weeks nowadays, even without a premium service.

Re the Iranian passport in a different name, I think you could request exception from the name matching the same in the Iranian passport on the grounds that it is legally impossible or very difficult.

Note however that
(a) Your British passport will still be issued in the same name as your Italian passport, and,
(b) It is likely (we've seen a couple of similar approaches in cases with Russian passports in these forums) that an observation will be placed on the observations page of the new British passport that the holder is also known as "XXX" in an Iranian passport <<Iranian passport number>> dated <<date of issue of Iranian passport>>.

So, in effect, both names will be captured on your new British passport.

[secret.simon]

The Guardian: Dual nationals could use expired UK passports to prove they are British, Home Office says

In a statement on Thursday, the Home Office said airline carriers could, “at their own discretion” accept an “expired British passport as alternative document”.
...
“At their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation. Separately, individuals who have previously had a British passport can apply for an emergency travel document if they urgently need to enter the UK.

“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 changes will not help anyone who has applied for a British passport recently, as new passport applications require people to send their expired passport away.

[alterhase58]

Official Announcement 25 February 2026:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-e ... -to-travel

Full text:
Non-visa nationals who try to enter the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will be barred under new rules coming into force.

From today (25 February), it will be mandatory for visitors to the UK to have obtained digital permission to travel. This means that carriers will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or have other valid documentation.

Visitors of 85 nationalities, including nationals of the United States, Canada and France, are now legally required to have an ETA when travelling to the UK. An ETA costs £16, permits multiple journeys, and lasts for 2 years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner.

The cost of an ETA is competitive and in line with other countries including the US ESTA, which costs $40 and the EU’s ETIAS, which is expected to cost €20 when it is implemented.

British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA but will be required to present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when travelling to the UK. This is the same approach taken by other countries, including the US, Australia and Canada. At their own discretion, carriers may accept some expired British passports 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.

ETAs are also mandatory for visitors who travel to the UK to take connecting flights and go through passport control.

Since ETA was introduced in October 2023, over 19 million visitors have successfully applied. As of January 2026, ETA has generated over £383 million in revenue which is reinvested in improving the UK’s border and immigration system.

The enforcement of the ETA scheme is a significant step towards digitising the immigration system and paves the way for a contactless UK border in the future. The scheme also helps to keep the border secure, preventing individuals who pose a threat from entering the UK.

The UK has been phasing out physical documents for several years through the transition to eVisas, with over 10 million issued to date. eVisa holders, including those with EU Settlement Scheme status, need to keep their UK Visas and Immigration account up to date with their most recent passport details, to avoid travel disruption.

As part of ongoing improvements to our services, from tomorrow (26 February), Certificates of Entitlement will be issued in digital format. This means that a certificate only needs to be applied for once, rather than expiring with your passport.

Applying for an ETA through the UK ETA app is quick and easy, and the vast majority of applicants currently receive a decision automatically within minutes, ensuring that spontaneous trips to the UK remain possible. However, it is still recommended that visitors allow up to 3 working days before they plan to travel to receive their decision in time and, to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.

Applicants are required to provide their biographic and biometric details and answer a few questions on suitability and criminality. Once a person has successfully applied, their ETA is digitally linked to their passport.

[lolo2]

This means that Stupid will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or have other valid documentation.

typo

[alterhase58]

This means that Stupid will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or have other valid documentation.

typo

Thanks, the web page says "Stupid" - strange ... will correct.

[alterhase58]

This means that Stupid will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or have other valid documentation.

typo

Thanks, the web page says "Stupid" - strange ... will correct.

It does say the correct word but our board auto changes !!!

[lolo2]

No problem.

It seems this forum is now changing the word "air.lines" for "Stupid".

[computersaysno]

Just a thought, for EU citizens in particular who are caught out by this poorly communicated change. Any EU citizen has the right to enter Ireland, and there is no passport control when going to Northern Ireland by the land border.

Once you get to Belfast, boarding a ferry to mainland UK does officially require photo ID, but that can include a UK driving licence, a bus pass, or even an ISIC card. Anecdotally, when I've taken the ferry I was rarely asked for ID of any kind.

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/customer-se ... nd-ireland