Dual-UK citizens in France face issues with new passport rules

There are reports that some British dual citizens are already facing problems under new UK rules requiring Britons to enter the country using a valid UK passport.

This came after the UK ended a ‘tolerance period’ with regard to its new ETA scheme, requiring non-UK visitors from 'visa waiver' countries (including the EU countries) to apply online for permission to enter the country.

Until February 25 the rules were not strictly enforced, but all transport companies (airlines etc) are now being asked to check if people have valid ETAs and boarding may be denied to those who do not.

The UK government says anyone with UK or Irish citizenship may not apply for an ETA, meaning UK/Irish citizens who also have another nationality such as French no longer have the option to visit the country on their non-UK/Irish passport. Irish citizens are grouped with British citizens due to the fact there is a UK-Ireland common travel area.

You can read about the changes in our article here.

It comes as there has, however, been confusion over whether carrying an expired UK (or Irish) passport as proof of nationality, plus a valid passport from an ETA nation (such as France), may be acceptable. 

Some carriers, such as Ryanair, are understood to be accepting this, and we understand this is likely to be accepted at the UK border if the carrier has allowed you to board (ie. you are unlikely to be forced to take a flight back to France). 

However, officially a current UK/Irish passport is requested and unspecified 'additional checks' may be carried out by UK border guards in the case of a person seeking to rely on an expired passport, so it is recommended to avoid this. 

Readers warn of issues

Reader PH wrote with a “cautionary tale”, stating: “I have a colleague who has double UK/French nationality, living in France. Unfortunately, he forgot to renew his UK passport, which he is in the process of doing now.

“However, while waiting for his new passport, he discovered that he cannot visit the UK, despite being a UK citizen. His UK passport is invalid and he cannot use his French passport because it requires an ETA, which he cannot get because he is a UK citizen.”

Another reader, whose UK passport is expiring in June, asked why it is not sufficient to show a French passport which includes a UK town as place of birth.

However, we note that place of birth is not a guarantee of nationality. 

For example a child born on British soil to non-British parents does not obtain automatic UK nationality; so we understand that this would not be accepted as proof of such.

As a result, British citizens are strongly advised not to let UK passports expire, to avoid issues in case of needing to travel urgently to the UK.

Renewing a UK passport from France takes about a month and can be done at gov.uk/overseas-passports. It costs £108 plus a £19.86 courier fee. 

If you need to travel urgently and do not have a valid passport, an emergency travel document can be a temporary alternative. It can be ready in two days, but you must collect it from a British consulate.

Another reader, RM, reports his French friends saying the ETA process will put them off visiting the UK, since they can visit any EU country without such formalities. 

We note, however, that the EU is planning a similar scheme, ETIAS, expected to launch towards the end of the year, affecting British, US, etc visitors to the EU.