British dual nationals have been told they may be denied entry to the UK via flight, ferry, or train after February 25 if they do not carry a valid British passport.
The Home Office warning has been met with complaints from British people living or travelling abroad who are now concerned they may not be allowed into the UK.
This will come following a change in border rules, which states that everyone travelling to the UK will need permission to travel, unless they are a British or Irish citizen, or are otherwise exempt.
Visitors embarking upon short stays will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which costs £6.
For the first time, dual nationals will be affected and will have to show their British passport or otherwise pay £589 for a “certificate of entitlement” to use their second nationality passport to board a flight, ferry, or train.
A spokesperson for 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 to avoid delays at the border.”
The department explained that this change was part of a digitisation programme which aims to ensure a “seamless travel experience”.
The scheme also aims to give the government “greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and gives us a fuller picture of immigration”.
The EU citizens’ campaign group known as “The 3 Million” has said the UK is in need of a scheme which offers low-cost, one-off travel authorisation, structured in much the same way as the one in place in Canada.
This would enable dual citizens to travel with more flexibility, and would avoid the £589 certificate, which many feel is a punitive measure.
Monique Hawkins, the head of policy and advocacy at The 3 Million, told The Guardian: “The UK already has the technology to do the same,
“So we urge them to act now to ensure British citizens are not locked out of their own country.”
