Outraged: British Dual Nationals Angrily Voice Disapproval over the UK's Altering Entry advise for Travelers
In a recent update, the Home Office has provided clarity for British dual nationals travelling to the UK, easing concerns about potential issues at the point of boarding or the UK border.
British dual nationals are now exempt from applying for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) travel visa waiver, regardless of their other nationality. This exemption differentiates British and Irish nationals from other travellers who must obtain an ETA or eVisa to enter the UK.
To take advantage of this exemption, British dual nationals should travel to the UK using their British or Irish passport. This move is intended to provide convenience and clarity for dual nationals when travelling to the UK.
The Certificate of Entitlement can only be given to those who do not have a valid UK passport. However, during the current transition period, the Home Office does not expect carriers to deny boarding to passengers who cannot produce a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement.
The update comes as a relief for many British dual nationals who have been frustrated by the British government's vague and frequently changing advice and instructions. The situation has been particularly challenging for those living abroad, with many expressing anger and stress about travelling to the UK due to the inconsistent advice.
The UK's new ETA travel visa waiver was rolled out to European nationals on April 2nd, after applications opened on March 5th. The cost of renewing a UK passport from overseas is now £108, and the process of obtaining a Certificate of Entitlement can take several weeks and may involve an in-person visit to a visa processing center.
With the Easter holidays starting, many Brits living in Europe are scrambling to get a UK passport or are worried about being stopped at the border when traveling to the UK. Many children born to Brits living abroad have British citizenship automatically through their parents, but frequently also have citizenship of the country they live in or the citizenship of their other parent. Many of these children do not have British passports.
It is unclear when this "transition period" might end and what happens if carriers do deny someone boarding or whether travellers would need to prove they are British. The Home Office has not yet provided any further information on this matter.
For those who choose to travel on their other passport, it is important to note that British dual nationals are unable to get an ETA unless they do not declare their British nationality in the application process.
The British Embassy in Paris has changed its advice for dual nationals multiple times, causing frustration among many. Garry Jones, a British national living in Sweden since 1988 without a British passport, urged the Home Office or one of the 86 British Embassies in ETA countries to take decisive action regarding the ETA application process for UK dual nationals.
In March, it was reported that around 120,000 Britons had gained nationality of a European country since the 2016 Brexit referendum. This trend has added to the complexity of the situation for British dual nationals, with Catherine Day, a British resident in Belgium, unable to get clear information about whether she needs to get a UK passport for her daughter who is a British dual national but does not have a UK passport.
James Barišić criticized the Home Office for their statement about the need for a Certificate of Entitlement, stating that it is legally incorrect and a breach of the Good Friday Agreement.
Despite the recent update, the situation for British dual nationals remains unclear, with over 500,000 people living in the UK who have British nationality plus the nationality of at least one other country, but this data does not include Brits living abroad who have gained the nationality of the country they live in.
[1] Home Office (2025). British and Irish citizens: ETA requirements. Retrieved from
- The recent update from the Home Office indicates that British dual nationals can travel to the UK without needing to apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), regardless of their other nationality, offering a clearer lifestyle for those who travel frequently.
- Given the new travel policy, British dual nationals are advised to travel to the UK using their British or Irish passport, as this exemption from the ETA travel visa waiver aims to provide convenient travel for them.
