Dual-UK citizens in France face issues with new passport rules
UK ended a ‘tolerance period’ with regard to its new ETA scheme
The UK government says anyone with UK citizenship may not apply for an ETA, meaning UK dual citizens no longer have the option to visit the country on another non-UK passport
Jenari/Shutterstock
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 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 required to check if people have valid ETAs and boarding may be denied to those who do not.
The UK government says anyone with UK citizenship may not apply for an ETA, meaning UK dual citizens no longer have the option to visit the country on another non-UK passport.
You can read about the changes in our article here.
Readers warn of issues
Reader Peter Hetherington 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's 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.
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 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 abroad 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.
One reader, Roger Mew, 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, the EU is planning a similar scheme, ETIAS, expected to launch towards the end of the year, affecting British, US, etc visitors.
