From 25 February 2026, British (and Irish) dual nationals will no longer be allowed to enter the UK using a foreign passport alone. If you are a British dual national and you usually travel to the UK on your non-UK passport, this is an important change to be aware of, especially if you travel frequently.

You will need to prove your right of abode each time you travel with either a valid British or Irish passport or your foreign passport with a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode.

Why is this changing?

The update is linked to the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme (similar to the U.S. ESTA) which also comes into full force on 25 February 2026.

The ETA scheme applies to citizens of countries who can visit the UK visa-free for up to six months, e.g. the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and EU and Schengen Area member states. Under the scheme, travellers must apply for a £16 digital ETA before coming to the UK.

British and Irish dual citizens are not eligible for an ETA. As a result, they will no longer be able to rely on their non-UK passport to enter the UK, even if they have done so for years.

From 25 February 2026, airlines will be required to enforce this more strictly, and travellers without the correct documents may be refused boarding.

What to do?

If you are affected by these changes and need to travel to the UK from 25 February, you need to urgently do one of the following:

Apply for or renew a British or Irish passport
For most people, this will be the simplest and most cost-effective solution. A UK adult passport currently costs £94.50 and is usually processed within a few weeks (longer and more expensive from overseas).

Apply for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode
This confirms your right of abode but at £589, costs more than a passport. These certificates will move to a digital format from 25 February 2026. Processing times are 8 weeks in the UK and 3 weeks from overseas.

Renounce British citizenship and travel with an ETA or apply for an emergency travel document

These options are only practical in very limited circumstances.

How we can help

Many British dual nationals have never applied for a British passport because the application process usually requires submitting an original foreign passport for several weeks. For frequent travellers, this is often impractical, which is why many people have continued to enter the UK on their non-UK passport instead.

We have assisted several clients with dual nationality, who travel frequently, to obtain British passports without having to submit their original foreign passport, avoiding any unnecessary disruption to their travel plans.

If you think these changes could affect you, please get in touch. We would be happy to help you.