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UK Enforces ETA Checks Wednesday, Requiring Dual Nationals To Show UK Passport or £589 Certificate

Last‑minute Home Office guidance lets carriers accept some expired UK passports at their discretion, creating uncertainty over checks and costs.

Overview

  • From February 25, carriers must confirm passengers’ permission to travel, and dual British citizens will be boarded only with a valid UK passport or a £589 Certificate of Entitlement.
  • British citizens with dual nationality cannot use an ETA, which becomes mandatory for most visa‑exempt visitors after the transition period.
  • Temporary guidance allows airlines to accept certain expired UK passports, typically those issued from 1989 onward, when shown with a valid foreign passport, but this is not guaranteed.
  • Airlines bear liability for improper checks and warn travellers to verify documents, as agents report confusion, cancellations and calls for a formal grace period.
  • Roughly 1.1–1.2 million people could be affected globally, and those who previously held a UK passport may apply for an emergency travel document if urgent travel is needed.