25/02/2026
Effective from 25 February 2026, entry requirements for dual British nationals are being overhauled as part of comprehensive changes to the UK immigration system to streamline and modernise our border, according to the government.
Under current rules a British dual national (holder of UK and another nationality), could travel to the United Kingdom using their foreign passport, but from this week, that will no longer be possible. Under the new model, travellers are required to present their British passport or a digital version of their Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode attached to their second nationality passport, or risk being refused entry when travelling back to the UK. Updated Home Office guidance does provide temporary transitional arrangements from 25 February 2026. Travel to the UK for dual British citizens is permitted, if they hold both an expired UK passport from 1989 and a valid passport from an ETA eligible nationality, provided the personal details on both documents are consistent. This flexibility however is temporary and conditional and should not be treated as a long-term solution to renewing a British passport.
This will primarily affect dual nationals who do not have a valid UK passport. The new dual national rules are connected to the roll out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system this month, a major immigration reform that require visitors to the UK who do not have a visa, to apply for an entry document before arriving. The new rules do not apply to Irish passport holders, but other EU citizens will be affected.
What should dual nationals do?
From a practical viewpoint, dual British nationals need to treat proof of citizenship as a pre-departure compliance issue. The best course of action and certainly the safest option is to remain holding and travelling on a valid British passport where British citizenship is relied upon. Where a British passport is not held, individuals should assess their documentation in advance of travel rather than assuming exemptions will be automatically recognised; relying on airline discretion or historic travel experience will no longer suffice.
Considerations for employers
To support business continuity, where there are often strict timelines for business travellers, employers need to be aware of the new UK border controls which will have a direct impact on dual British citizens travelling for work - exposing them to disruption where proof of citizenship is not aligned with the UK’s entry systems. The commercial effect would be immediate for example, if a senior employee is refused boarding due to travelling on the wrong passport, resulting in business disruption. In practice most employers do not actively track dual nationality within their workforce, particularly where individuals are British citizens and not subject to immigration controls in the UK, but now employees who regularly travel on non-UK passports, they can now be stopped from boarding UK-bound travel, if British citizenship is not evidenced.
From an employer perspective, the risk is not legal but operational, and the consequences may still be significant to business continuity. Furthermore, employer travel policies must be clear about which passport employees are expected to use for UK travel and ensure that British passports are valid where required. Soley relying on employees to self-manage this creates inconsistency and increases the likelihood of last-minute travel issues. As the case is for right to work checks, uniform and clear processes will reduce risk. The UK border is moving towards a more evidence-based entry aligned with digital status, biometric passports and automated checks. Travel documentation should consequently be treated as part of workforce risk management, particularly for dual citizens, internationally mobile staff, and employees operating across multiple jurisdictions to ensure compliance is met and to minimise disruption to business travel.
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