DUAL British nationals could be denied entry to the UK from next week if they are not carrying their British passport, warns the Home Office.
A change in border controls from February 25 means they must show their UK passport or pay €634 (£589) for a ‘certificate of entitlement’ attached to their second nationality.
Without this or a valid passport they will be unable to board a flight, ferry or train heading to the UK.
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This new rule is causing distress for many Brits living abroad whose UK passports have long expired.
These individuals are faced with a choice, to reapply for a UK passport, pay the hefty price for the aforementioned certificate, or renounce their British citizenship and visit as a foreign tourist.
Those with young children have one less option as one’s citizenship cannot be denounced until they are 18-years-old.
The two adult daughters of British expat James Stuart, based in Cadiz, will be forced to choose between the three options as currently their UK passports ‘sit in a cupboard expired’.
This hotelier’s children, 21 and 18, were born in Spain and always travel on their Spanish passports because ‘they’ve had no problem before’.
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“It tends to be easier to travel around Europe on an EU passport,” he told the Olive Press.
The decision has caused them ‘considerable angst’, in particular because the youngest travels regularly to the UK to see her boyfriend.
“They really do not understand the need for the change,” continued the boss of the Califa Hotel, in Vejer.
Reapplying for a British passport involves presenting original birth certificates and numerous other pieces of documentation, something which many expats cannot do easily.
Even those who have all the paperwork ready to reapply for a new passport will likely be frustrated. Renewing an expired British passport takes weeks from when the application is sent and costs approximately £100.
This means that those with upcoming UK trips planned before the Home Office warning was made could face delays or be refused boarding.
These people could have to cancel their travels while others will be unable to travel until their new passport arrives, something which Stuart says his daughters will be ‘upset’ about.
A ‘certificate of entitlement’ is also difficult to obtain as they must be applied for in person at a consulate and can take between six to eight weeks to be processed.
The document is anticipated to be even more difficult to obtain in the coming months as an influx of applications is expected to hit the Home Office.
Dual nationals are not the only individuals who will be affected by border control changes; unless British, Irish or otherwise exempt, those visiting the UK will need permission to travel.
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For short holidays and trips, visitors need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that costs £16.
It is the necessity of this ETA that stops dual British nationals from entering the country without their UK passport or a ‘certificate of entitlement’ – those with dual citizenship are unable to obtain a ETA.
These changes are set to cause chaos for hundreds of expats who now face rushed applications, unexpected costs and potential travel disruptions in the coming weeks.
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