A “grace period” should be introduced for British dual nationals living, working or holidaying abroad who face being blocked from returning to the UK if they do not have an up-to-date British passport, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Entry requirements change on 25 February as part of a wider initiative to streamline immigration which requires British dual nationals to present either a valid UK passport or a “certificate of entitlement” on their foreign passport to the airline, ferry or train operator.
The Lib Dem shadow immigration and asylum minister, Will Forster, said the “lack of planning and haphazard communication” over the changes had “left dual nationals completely in the lurch”.
He said: “Many who don’t currently hold a British passport find themselves stranded abroad, having to stump up potentially huge sums of money and face long waits just to get back home.”
British dual nationals who have trips planned in the coming weeks are not objecting to the rule change but say they did not know about it until press reports in the last week and it could now take months to get a passport.
Among those who have been affected are a young British couple who are on honeymoon in New Zealand. The husband is a dual national but does not have a British passport and they are now thinking they may have to cut their honeymoon short and return before 25 February or face being stranded.
One man in Canada said he had brought forward his flight to 23 February to make sure he could enter the UK because he wanted to visit his brother who had a brain tumour and was dying.
James (whose name has been changed) said: “I didn’t want to miss his birthday on 12 March. It is completely absurd that dual nationals like myself should be ruled ineligible to enter the UK as tourists without an ETA [electronic travel authorisation]. I suppose that you have to have a curious Whitehall mentality to think a British citizen must enter the UK as a British citizen and nothing less.”
Another told how his brother had cancelled a trip to his father’s memorial, while several said they would not be able to make it back to the UK to visit sick or dying parents.
Forster said: “Whilst they sort out the chaos, the government should allow a grace period, as many dual nationals are in heartbreaking circumstances, unable to visit ill family members or attend weddings and funerals. They must also urgently provide a low-cost, affordable alternative to the current system.”
Hundreds of British nationals who do not have a valid UK passport, who have travelled on their second passport without trouble up to now, have complained they could effectively be banned from their own country.
One businessman said he had travelled 100 times on his foreign citizenship in and out of the country while all the time raising tax for the British exchequer.
The immigration lawyer Sacha Wooldridge said she expected “pragmatism” at border control next week as the Home Office would “not want to bring Heathrow to a halt”.
She said: “Although this has consequences for people travelling in the next weeks and months, I assume the Home Office take the view that proportionally it is not a big problem and they will continue with their mandate to push forward on strengthening the border.”
Zeena Luchowa, an immigration lawyer at Laura Devine, said one of the problems was “carrier liability” with airlines risking fines if they let anyone on board without a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ryanair said it may be able to accept passengers who present out-of-date passports but that the decision would have to be taken by the government first.
In a statement, the airline said: “If a dual national claims to be British but cannot present a British passport, Ryanair will need to contact the UK government’s carrier support hub to verify their identity and confirm eligibility to travel – they will decide.”
Abta, the trade organisation for tour operators and travel agents in the UK, has also said there should be a grace period. “While the government’s advice for UK citizens is to either get a passport or certificate of entitlement for travel beyond 25 February, it is clear there will need to be a period during which carriers must allow people to board with alternative proof,” said Luke Petherbridge, Abta’s director of public affairs.
Petherbridge said there was “considerable confusion and uncertainty around the new rules”, especially for those on holidays in the coming weeks.
The Home Office said: “From 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK. Without one, carriers cannot verify they are a British citizen, which may lead to delays or refused boarding.”
The Home Office has been approached for further comment on the “alternative” documentation a British dual national may be able to present to a transport operator next week.
Irish British dual nationals are not included in the new rules and can travel in and out of the UK with either passport.
