LONDON: Thousands of dual British nationals risk being denied boarding on flights, ferries and trains to the United Kingdom from Feb 25, unless they carry a valid British passport as new border controls come into force this week.

The change confirmed by the UK Home Office means British citizens who also hold another nationality will be required to present a British passport when travelling to the UK. Those without one must apply for a “certificate of entitlement” attac­hed to their non-British passport at a cost of £589.

The measure is part of a broader overhaul of UK border systems requiring most travellers to obtain prior permission before entering the country.

Similarly, from February 25, visitors who do not hold British or Irish citizenship and do not require a visa to enter the country will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), costing £16, before departure. According to the UK government, “Enforcing will mean that everyone who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa.”

The BBC reported that dual nationals cannot apply for an ETA and must have a certificate of entitlement instead, “with checks now carried out by airlines when departing en route back to the UK”.

Alarm among dual nationals

The changes have caused alarm among dual nationals, with some saying that they were unaware of the new requirements and now fear being stranded abroad. A British woman resident in Germany told The Guardian she was concerned her children could be affected, particularly her son, who was due to travel to the UK in the coming weeks.

“I’m really annoyed about being treated as Brexit collateral once again with this short-notice change of the rules,” she said.

Another long-term resident in Spain told the newspaper the requirement posed legal complications. Spain obliges non-nationals who naturalise as Spanish citizens to renounce their previous nationality. Although the UK permits dual nationality, presenting a British passport at a Spanish airport could jeopardise her Spanish citizenship.

“It seems a strange anomaly that while the UK is willing to recognise dual nationality, it refuses to recognise that a valid EU passport held by a UK citizen can give the right of entry,” she said.

The issue also affects British-born dual nationals who have never applied for a British passport. One London-born professional holding Italian citizenship was reported to have said he only recently realised he might be unable to return to the UK after a work trip because he does not possess a British passport.

A Home Office spokesperson said the policy forms part of a digitisation programme designed to create a seamless travel experience and strengthen border security.

Campaign group ‘The3million’ has called for a low-cost digital authorisation instead of the £589 certificate. With the deadline days away, dual nationals are scrambling to check passport status or begin applications amid fears that failure to comply could leave them stranded.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2026