NEW passport rules are being rolled out by the UK government this week, and it affects anyone with two passports.
From February 25, dual British nationals will have to carry a valid British passport.
Anyone who tries to travel into the UK – via train, ferry or plane – could be banned from boarding if they are unable to show one.
The only alternative to having a British passport is instead paying for a £589 “certificate of entitlement,” the Guardian reports.
A Home Office spokesperson explains: “From February 25, 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border.”
This will be attached to the non-British passport instead.
It is thought as many as 1.26million people in England and Wales hold more than one passport – working out to 2.1 per cent of the population.
The new rules follow the roll out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which requires any non-British or non-Irish tourists to £16 for.
The UK government said the changes were to create a “seamless travel experience”.
Some have slammed the rules, claiming there is not enough time to allow them to get a British passport or change flights.
Kara Przybylski, 26, from Brisbane, is a dual citizen but doesn’t currently have a British passport.
She said: “It sucks for people who have flights booked, the government should have allowed more time before it comes into effect.”
Others worry for their children – one British woman in Germany said that it would affect their kids.
She called the rule change “short-notice, shortsighted [and] arbitrary”.
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explains: “People abroad have said they weren’t told enough in advance this was happening.
“Getting a passport is going to be a lengthy process, and expensive for families to have two passports per person.
“You could be denied boarding unless you have a British passport or this certificate”.
British nationals living in the UK will not be affected by the rule change, nor do they need to purchase an ETA when returning to Britain.
However, an ETIAS will be required from Brits heading to Europe when it is rolled out later this year.
Yet to confirm an official date, the visa-waiver will be similar to the ESTA required for the US.
Costing around £17, it will last three years, although will be free for under 18s and over 70s.
And here is what to know about the new Entry/Exit System (ESS) being rolled out across Europe as well.
