From 25 February 2026, dual British citizens face strict new UK border rules: no valid British passport or £589 Certificate of Entitlement means carriers will refuse boarding. The full ETA rollout ends the old loophole for hundreds of thousands of dual nationals.
UK Closes Passport Loophole for Dual Nationals:
LONDON: Starting 25 February 2026, flying, sailing or riding the train into the United Kingdom just got far more complicated for anyone holding both British citizenship and another passport. The Home Office has slammed the door on a long-standing workaround: dual nationals can no longer rely on their foreign passport alone, even if it grants visa-free access. Without a valid British (or Irish) passport-or a costly Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in their other passport-international carriers will refuse to let them board.
The change, tied to the full enforcement of the £16 Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, has already triggered chaos at check-in desks across Europe, North America and beyond. Families scrambling home from half-term breaks, business travellers and even those heading to funerals or honeymoons are discovering the hard way that the old rules no longer apply.
UK Ends Travel Flexibility for Dual Citizens:
For years, dual British nationals could travel to the UK on their second passport-especially EU, US, Australian or Canadian documents-and sort any identity questions at the border. British citizens are exempt from visitor visas and, more recently, from the ETA itself. That flexibility ended on Tuesday.
The trigger is the nationwide rollout of the ETA system, which now covers 85 nationalities and requires digital pre-approval for visa-free visitors. Because British citizens cannot apply for an ETA (they already have the right of abode), the system flags them as ineligible when they try to use a foreign passport. Carriers, responsible for pre-boarding verification to avoid fines, are now turning people away.
Home Office guidance is unambiguous; from 25 February, dual citizens “may not be able to board” without the correct document. A last-minute concession allows some expired UK passports, but only at the carrier’s discretion and with matching personal details on both documents.
From Flexibility to Firm Rules: UK Tightens Entry for Dual Nationals:
On 25 February 2026, the UK fully enforced its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, closing a long-standing loophole for dual British citizens. Travellers now must present a valid British (or Irish) passport or a Certificate of Entitlement before boarding, or carriers will block them.
While the rule has existed since the Immigration Act 1971, this is the first time it is systematically enforced at departure with digital pre-checks. The change has caused mid-journey family separations, missed events, and sudden £589 fees for those without up-to-date documents.
The Home Office argues it aligns the UK with international norms and improves security, but critics say the rollout was poorly communicated and disproportionately affects vulnerable dual nationals.
Short-term disruptions will continue as passport offices and UKVI face a surge, but digital Certificates of Entitlement (from 26 February) will ease the process in the future. The clear message: British citizens must carry valid proof of citizenship before travel-no exceptions.