New UK ETA rules already causing confusion for British dual nationals

As of April 2, 2025, Europeans must have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK — but the new rule is already causing confusion.

Previously, visitors from the EU’s Schengen area (a borderless collective of 29 countries) could visit the UK for up to 90 days, every 180 days, without a visa.

However, now Europeans must apply for an ETA on the UK government website prior to arrival.

The visa lasts for two years, and visitors can travel to the UK as many times as they want during that time — but they must not stay for longer than six months on one trip.

British and Irish citizens and dual citizens with a British or Irish passport do not need to apply for an ETA.

The Home Office website states: ‘We recommend that all British citizens travel on a valid British passport to avoid unnecessary delays at the border.’

However, the process has already caused problems for British citizens with dual nationality, because some don’t have a British passport — either because it is expired, lost, or they were never issued one.

On Reddit, one user shared in r/uktravel that they have been unable to apply for an ETA for their dual citizen children because of the apparent ‘glitch’, as their British passports have expired.

The user complained: ‘We’re in a very unusual situation where my German wife can enter under her now valid ETA, but our dual citizen children can’t because the application process doesn’t take this into account, despite having valid German travel documents.’

Another user faced a similar problem, sharing in r/Jersey that their Jersey passport has expired, and they will be travelling with a different document instead.

They said: ‘In the UK ETA application process, I would simply be lying if I didn’t select that I have a second British Nationality, but the options (there are four of them) I don’t believe cover Jersey.’

They asked: ‘What to do — apply for an ETA (because I have to travel on my other passport) and then lie telling them I’m not a British Citizen, or don’t get an ETA and hope that a second expired passport from Jersey suffices?’

Guidance on the Home Office website explains that, in the absence of a valid British passport or Irish passport, dual citizens can prove their permission to travel using another valid passport containing a certificate of entitlement.

Previously, The British Embassy in Paris also provided some clarification, stating on its Facebook page:

‘For British Nationals with an expired British Passport and valid French Passport, you will need to apply for an ETA.

‘If you or your children have dual nationality and decide to travel with a French Passport, you/they will need to apply for an ETA.

‘If you have a valid British passport, you will not need to apply for an ETA.’

However, this information has since been changed, and the updated version reads:

‘All dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border.’

A certificate of entitlement costs £550 in the UK, while applying for a UK passport costs upwards of £88.50. Both applications take several weeks to process.

Meanwhile, the ETA application form asks travellers to declare any other nationalities, but the drop-down menu does not give the option to select ‘British citizen’, adding to the confusion.

If dual citizens complete the form for their EU passport without declaring their secondary nationality, they are, in theory, giving incorrect information about their dual nationality.

Metro reached out to the Home Office for official guidance on this issue.

A spokesperson said: ‘Dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship do not need an ETA.

‘We recommend that all British citizens travel on a valid British passport to avoid unnecessary delays at the border. UK passports can be renewed at GOV.UK.

‘As an alternative to travelling with a valid British passport, British dual citizens can evidence their citizenship in another passport by obtaining a certificate of entitlement on GOV.UK.’

They added: ‘We recognise that the introduction of the ETA is a substantial change for British dual citizens of ETA eligible nationalities, and they are currently permitted to travel on their non-British passport while the scheme is being implemented.

‘In the future, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border. We will make it clear when this change will be enforced.’

Elsewhere, an ETA has already been launched for non-European citizens, which came into force on January 8, 2025.

The ETA for the UK costs £10, but this fee will increase to £16 on April 9, 2025.

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