New passport rules for dual citizens explained
Updated ,first published
A dual Australian-British citizen discovers that their almost forgotten family ties to the United Kingdom and Ireland may prevent them from entering those countries with a cheap online pass, requiring them to instead obtain a foreign passport or certificate costing more than $1,000.
The rule change, which technically affects anyone who is a British or Irish citizen, regardless of whether they have taken the necessary steps to claim their nationality, will come into force on February 25 and has already thrown travel schedules into disarray.
As a result, dual citizens are not eligible for this assistance. cheap £16 ($30.50) ETA this now allows them to travel to Britain. Instead they will need a British or Irish passport.
“British nationals, including those with dual nationality, cannot apply for an ETA even if their other nationality (such as an Australian) would normally require an ETA,” the British High Commission said. “This is because British citizens already have the right to reside in the UK.”
Dual citizens also have the option of obtaining a Certificate of Entitlement from the British government. one-off fee £589 ($1135)Can be used in conjunction with a non-UK passport to enter the country. PoE can be applied depending on whether the person is within the UK or abroad.
The rule change has sparked a flurry of panicked conversations between travel providers and Australians traveling to the UK, whose origins may be unaware British citizens.
Lynton Jones, of Sydney-based travel agency The Savvy Traveler, said he had a client who was born in 1943 to an English father and immigrated to Australia as a toddler in 1913.
Jones said the customer “never had a UK passport, didn’t think he could have one and didn’t want one”. “Now in his 80s, he appears to be technically classed as British by the UK government.”
According to ABS figures, more than 1.1 million people born in the UK were living in Australia in 2023; making it the largest immigrant community in Australia.
2021 Census figures show more than 2 million people in Australia had one or both parents born in the UK.
The UK government warns: “If you or your parents were born in the UK, you can automatically become a British citizen.” Irish-Australian dual nationals are also included in the rule change due to the long-standing Common Travel Area, which provides reciprocal arrangements and shared travel space between the UK and Ireland.
Although the man successfully applied for an ETA online, Jones stated that his “information was technically incorrect.”
“If questioned, he may be refused entry under the new rules upon arrival, even if he has an approved ETA.” With less than two months until his departure, it’s unclear what he should do.
“As a travel professional, I don’t want to give him false information, especially considering the trip cost tens of thousands of dollars,” Jones said.
In another example, the travel agent had to cancel and rebook a family’s long-awaited UK holiday; because travelers realized too late that they needed UK passports and would not be able to get them in time. The Australian Travel Industry Association wrote that the postponement had caused “significant financial and emotional costs”.
One impressed traveler shared on a UK visa forum that they were born in the UK but have lived in Australia for 15 years. They applied for British passports for their two sons at the beginning of the year but saw no progress. “It’s been almost a month since our applications were updated after submitting whatever supporting documentation they needed. I’m starting to panic,” they wrote.
A UK passport, which must be renewed periodically, costs £108 to apply for an adult online in Australia, £70 for a child, plus a £19.86 courier fee (all about $380). A typical four-week turnaround process begins once the initial documents are received. An Australian adult passport costs $422.
While the change affected 85 countries, it sparked a firestorm among British and Irish Australians. “I think there is some confusion,” said Anthony Goldman, joint managing director of Goldman Group, a travel agency focused on corporate and luxury travel. “Not everyone will save the change.”
The changes will also affect Australians who do not claim British citizenship. Although ETAs have been in use since October 2023, the new rule means they will be strictly enforced by British customs from 25 February. ETA will become mandatory to board flights to the UK.
Flight Center notes: “Airlines will be legally required to verify an ETA before allowing travel for short visits, including tourism, business and public transport.”
Despite the turmoil, bookings remain strong. Flight Center Corporate data shows bookings in January 2026 are up from a year ago. The British government argues that “the introduction of ETAs is consistent with many other countries’ approach to border security… and helps prevent the arrival of those who pose a threat to the UK.”
Australians are generally “used to different visa entry requirements”, Goldman said, citing recent updates to European travel rules. “The difference is that this affects a lot of Australians because they are British by origin,” he said. “If someone’s father was born in the UK 80 years ago, they will theoretically now need a UK passport.”
To clear up the confusion, the government made a proposal. “Check if you are a British citizen” The web page allows travelers to confirm which documents they need and which queue they need to join upon arrival.
Underlining the complexity of citizenship rules, a number of Australian politicians were sacked in 2017-18 for being unwitting subjects of other countries. The constitution only requires parliamentarians to hold Australian citizenship.
With Caitlin Fitzsimmons
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