The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme now covers most visitors who do not need a visa. British and Irish citizens are outside it — they cannot obtain an ETA, because the scheme is not designed for people who already hold the right of abode.
UK passport guidance
"UK Passport Rule Changes: What Dual Citizens Need to Know from February 25th"
If you are a British citizen who also holds another nationality, the way you prove your right to enter the UK changed on 25 February 2026.
Start here
The short version: British and Irish citizens cannot get a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation. You are expected to prove your citizenship with a valid British passport instead. If your UK passport is expired, very old, lost, or you have never held one, that is now a problem to solve before you book — not at the airport.
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First actions
What are the UK passport rule changes taking effect on February 25?
Clear guidance, in the right order.
For a British citizen, the practical consequence is that the expected way to demonstrate your status at check-in and at the border is a valid British passport.
Eligibility and service
What are the options for UK dual citizens affected by the passport changes?
Renew your existing British passport.
If your last one was issued after 2002, that is our VIP service: 2 weeks or less, guaranteed. A passport issued from 1994 to 2001 may qualify for Gold, 3 weeks or less, guaranteed.
Apply for a first British passport.
If you are British by descent but have never held one, that is a first adult application: £1,499, around 4 weeks, best endeavours.
Sort out a very old or unclear passport history.
Issued before 1994, or unable to link the record: treated as a first-time application.
Apply for a Certificate of Entitlement.
Possible, but tied to one foreign passport and less useful long-term.
Which dual citizens are affected by the new UK passport entry rules?
Anyone who is a British citizen and holds another nationality, and who has been in the habit of travelling to the UK on the other passport.
That is a very large group: British-Australians, British-Americans, British-Canadians, British-South Africans, British-Irish and many more. If you have spent years entering the UK on a foreign passport without difficulty, you are exactly the person this affects.
Can dual citizens enter the UK on an Australian passport after February 25?
Not reliably. An Australian passport holder who is also a British citizen cannot obtain an ETA, because British citizens are excluded from the scheme. That leaves the foreign passport without the accompanying authorisation that a non-British Australian traveller would hold.
The same logic applies to any other second nationality. The practical answer in every case is the same: travel on a valid British passport.
What is a Certificate of Entitlement and when is it required to enter the UK?
A Certificate of Entitlement is a vignette placed in a foreign passport confirming that the holder has the right of abode in the UK. It is the formal alternative for people who cannot or do not want to hold a British passport.
It is a legitimate option, but for most people it is the slower and less useful one. It is fixed to the specific foreign passport it is placed in, so it has to be redone when that passport is replaced, and it does nothing for you anywhere else in the world. A British passport is valid for ten years, works everywhere, and is what airline staff are looking for.
Do UK dual citizens need a UK passport to enter the UK?
In practical terms, yes — either a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement in your foreign passport. For the overwhelming majority of people, the passport is the better answer.
What happens if you already have travel booked to the UK after February 25?
Check the passport you intend to travel on, today, and check the expiry date rather than assuming.
If your British passport is valid, you are fine. If it is expired, very old, or you have never held one, work backwards from your departure date: an eligible adult renewal is 2 weeks or less guaranteed, an eligible replacement or child renewal is 3 weeks or less guaranteed, and a first application is around 4 weeks and is not guaranteed.
Tell us your travel date when you get in touch and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
How do the new UK passport rules affect children born in Australia?
Exactly as they affect adults. A child who is a British citizen is expected to travel to the UK on a British passport, even if they were born abroad, hold another nationality and have always travelled on it.
Two things catch families out. Child passports last five years rather than ten, so they expire sooner than parents expect. And a child born overseas to a British parent may never have held a British passport at all, which makes it a first child application: £1,499, around 4 weeks, best endeavours.
Can UK dual citizens legally hold more than one passport?
Yes. The UK permits dual and multiple citizenship, and holding a British passport does not require you to give up another nationality or another passport. You keep both and use whichever is appropriate for the journey — British for entering the UK.
What happens if a UK citizen arrives without the correct passport?
The problem usually arrives earlier than the border. Airlines carry liability for passengers they bring without correct documentation, so the point of failure is normally check-in or boarding, where staff work from what they can see rather than from your legal status.
Being a British citizen is not something you can readily prove at a departure gate without the document. That is why this is worth resolving before you book rather than at the airport.
Are these UK passport entry rules unusual compared to other countries?
No. Many countries expect their own citizens to enter on their own passport, and several apply it more strictly than the UK. Australia and the United States both operate on that principle. What is new is not the principle but the fact that the UK has now closed the workaround that many dual citizens had been relying on.
Key things UK dual citizens need to do before travelling after February 25
1. Find your British passport and check the expiry date. 2. If it is expired, check the issue date — that determines which service applies. 3. If you have never held one but a parent or grandparent is British, look into a first application early, because it is the longest process. 4. Check your children's passports separately; they run on five-year validity. 5. Do this before booking, not after.
Clear pricing
How much does a UK passport, certificate of entitlement, or renunciation cost?
Through ASAP, from overseas and all-inclusive:
| Service | Price | Turnaround | |---|---|---| | VIP Adult Renewal | £999 | 2 weeks or less, guaranteed | | Gold Overseas Renewal | £799 | 3 weeks or less, guaranteed | | Lost / stolen / damaged replacement | £799 | 3 weeks or less, guaranteed | | Child renewal | £799 | 3 weeks or less, guaranteed | | Name / details change | £799 | 3 weeks or less, guaranteed | | First adult UK passport | £1,499 | Around 4 weeks, best endeavours | | First child UK passport | £1,499 | Around 4 weeks, best endeavours | | Very old / pre-1994 / unclear history | £1,499 | Around 4 weeks, best endeavours |
Every price includes the ASAP service fee, HM Passport Office fees, DHL Express courier collection, secure global air freight and return delivery.
Certificate of Entitlement and renunciation are handled directly by the Home Office and are charged separately at their published rates. Check current fees on GOV.UK before deciding — but note that a certificate solves one passport, while a British passport solves the next ten years.
Start from here
Need a UK passport urgently before travelling?
Tell us your situation and your travel date and we will tell you which service applies and whether the date is realistic.
Can dual citizens enter the UK on an Australian passport after February 25?
Not reliably. British citizens cannot obtain a UK ETA, so a foreign passport is left without the authorisation a non-British traveller would hold. The practical answer is to travel on a valid British passport. The same applies to any other second nationality.
What is a Certificate of Entitlement and when is it required to enter the UK?
It is a vignette placed in your foreign passport confirming your right of abode in the UK. It is a legitimate alternative to a British passport, but it is tied to the specific foreign passport it sits in and has to be redone when that passport is replaced. For most people a British passport is the more durable answer.
Do UK dual citizens need a UK passport to enter the UK?
In practical terms you need either a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement in your foreign passport. For the overwhelming majority of people the passport is the better option.
How much does a UK passport, certificate of entitlement, or renunciation cost?
Through ASAP from overseas, VIP adult renewal is £999 with a guaranteed turnaround of 2 weeks or less. Gold renewals, replacements, child renewals and name changes are £799 with a guaranteed turnaround of 3 weeks or less. First adult, first child and very old or unclear histories are £1,499 at around 4 weeks, best endeavours. All prices are all-inclusive. Certificates of Entitlement and renunciation are Home Office processes charged at their own published rates.
What happens if you already have travel booked to the UK after February 25?
Check your British passport's expiry date today. Then work backwards from your departure: eligible adult renewals are 2 weeks or less guaranteed, eligible replacements and child renewals 3 weeks or less guaranteed, and first applications around 4 weeks and not guaranteed. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
How do the new UK passport rules affect children born in Australia?
The same way they affect adults. A British citizen child is expected to travel to the UK on a British passport even if born abroad with another nationality. Watch two things: child passports are valid for five years rather than ten, and a child born overseas who has never held one needs a first child application at £1,499, around 4 weeks, best endeavours.
Can UK dual citizens legally hold more than one passport?
Yes. The UK permits dual and multiple citizenship. Getting a British passport does not require you to surrender another nationality or another passport.
What happens if a UK citizen arrives without the correct passport?
The difficulty normally occurs at check-in or boarding rather than at the border, because airlines carry liability for passengers travelling without correct documentation. Citizenship is difficult to demonstrate at a departure gate without the document itself, which is why this is best resolved before booking.
Are these UK passport entry rules unusual compared to other countries?
No. Many countries expect citizens to enter on their own passport, and some enforce it more strictly than the UK does. What has changed is that the UK has closed a workaround that many dual citizens had relied on for years.