British dual nationals are rushing to acquire the necessary documents to allow them to enter the United Kingdom ahead of changes to border control rules that come into force on 25 February 2026. From that date, holders of two or more passports from different countries could be refused entry to the UK without a British passport, or a new digital certificate of entitlement to attach to their second passport.
The shift in immigration policy means that people who have never before had to apply for a British passport or entitlement certificate must now try to obtain one at short notice if they want to travel to the UK. An adult British passport comes at a cost of approximately £100, while certificates of entitlement are priced at £589.
The root of the change lies in the introduction of the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, meaning that visa-free travellers to the UK must apply and pay £16 for the right to enter the country. Irish passport holders are exempt, but other European citizens must comply with the new rules.
From 25 February 2026, you cannot legally travel to the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Make sure you apply for an ETA before travelling.
— 🇬🇧UK in Japan🇯🇵 (@UKinJapan) February 16, 2026
For more information, please check: https://t.co/aUHK6qPxGS pic.twitter.com/vJzPuBI4sH
A BBC analysis of 2021 population data estimates the number of people affected at over 1,236,000. The situation is inundating the British Home Office with queries as British citizens find themselves at risk of being refused entry to the UK. Teachers working abroad who are due to return to the UK on school trips, dual passport holders who have lived abroad but are planning bucket list trips to the UK to visit family and friends, and those who have already made their lives elsewhere but have paid taxes and still own property in the UK, are now all among the group of citizens who face a costly and stressful scramble for documents.
Critics point out too that women are disproportionately impacted by the new dual national rules because of the requirement for names to match on different passports and ID documents, which does not align with the way name changes work after marriage in some countries.
🛂 From 25 February 2026, dual British citizens travelling to the UK will need a:
— UK in Thailand 🇬🇧🇹🇭 (@ukinthailand) February 19, 2026
🔘 valid British passport or
🔘 certificate of entitlement
For more information see 👉 https://t.co/KGVB5axCMe pic.twitter.com/3xAKcGp1xc
In Greece, women legally retain their maiden name on marriage, meaning some women now face a problem trying to obtain the right UK paperwork because they use their husband’s name on UK documentation. Similarly, in Spain, UK women married to Spanish citizens will have both their mother’s maiden name and their father’s surname on their official ID, posing problems when start dealing with British bureaucracy.
The citizens’ rights campaign group, the3million, has accused the UK government of failing to adequately publicise the rule change and ensure that those affected were informed in plenty of time. They are therefore calling on the government to announce a pause in the process. “The Home Office has not done enough to warn dual nationals of the serious impact this will have on them,” said Monique Hawkins, the3million’s head of policy and advocacy.
Travelling to the UK? Entry requires a visa, ETA or UK passport, depending on nationality. NZ visitors must apply online for an ETA. From 25 Feb 2026, British (including dual) citizens must travel on a UK passport or a foreign passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement pic.twitter.com/cXxXYyo8G9
— UK in New Zealand (@UKinNZ) January 29, 2026
But UK officials insist that details of the change have been in the public domain for over two years and that the system is “the same approach taken by other countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Public information advising dual nationals to carry the correct documentation has been available since October 2024, and a substantive communications campaign about the introduction of ETA has been running since 2023.”
Meanwhile, airlines are supposed to be responsible for checking that their passengers are in possession of the documents they need ahead of travel, but some carriers have questioned that role. Ryanair has said in a statement that it would accept “valid or expired British passports” and certificates of entitlement as acceptable proof of being British. The budget Irish carrier said it would “allow a passenger to board a flight to the UK if we are satisfied that the passenger is a British national, an Irish national, or is in possession of any other status in the UK, including passengers who hold an old stamp/vignette with indefinite leave to remain.”
