Entering the UK- or going to happen now

Tuliptree

MartavTaurus

Why shouldn't those residing abroad deserve to have the vote back home? The democratic rights conferred by citizenship should not depend on location. As Mamie explained, links back to the UK go way beyond just physical space.
For example, when I lived abroad for many years I was always relieved that the UK state remained the ultimate source of protection for UK citizens wherever I was, so voting in the UK on issues like defence was important. Likewise social issues should I one day decide to return to the UK.

There are lots of rights conferred by citizenship but also responsibilities. You have to give as well as take as a citizen and living abroad for decades but having the right to influence the make up of the government that I have to live under isn’t a right that can be justified.

I think the short answer to that is Brexit. People who spent the next day Googling "What is the EU", disrupted our lives and made things much harder for us in many ways, which still persist.
As predicted it also caused huge and ongoing harm to UK businesses, the economy and the lives of many people in Britain.

My son had to go to the embassy in London to have his USA passport sorted out.
He didn't have to post his birth certificate to America.

Is there a way of doing something similar with our embassy regarding verification of the original birth certificate if you don't think it's safe to post it?

NotSpaghetti

My son had to go to the embassy in London to have his USA passport sorted out.
He didn't have to post his birth certificate to America.

Is there a way of doing something similar with our embassy regarding verification of the original birth certificate if you don't think it's safe to post it?

Applications can be made online, certificates et have to be sent to the UK.

DH has just renewed his passport online but had to send in the old passport before the new one can be issued this cost about £9.50 to post tracked UK address to UK address.
In the meantime he has no passport if he needed to travel urgently, although his old one had not run out.

When I renewed my passport I had a few days between sending old one in and receiving new one. This is how it works.

You have to give as well as take as a citizen and living abroad for decades but having the right to influence the make up of the government that I have to live under isn’t a right that can be justified.

That's rich!
You don't know how much I gave to the UK before living abroad? Or how I took my responsibilities seriously, like giving a free education to many UK children over a decade for example. There was little take on my part, my own children being educated privately and none of us costing the NHS for medical treatment because we had private medical isurance.

I won't bore readers here with our business in France which served British business men as well British University students visiting the foreign country.

So why would I not perceive my vote back in the UK as being equal to anyone living there? Just because I was out of the country didn't mean that I was out of touch or giving nothing, quite the opposite, and probably a lot more than some residents back home.

I'm guessing it's quite costly to courier important documents from Australia? I know a few years ago we were charged €70 to send an urgent contract back to the UK.

MartavTaurus

I'm guessing it's quite costly to courier important documents from Australia? I know a few years ago we were charged €70 to send an urgent contract back to the UK.

Probably but there you go.

This subject has now hit the Guardian in the UK.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/13/dual-nationals-denied-entry-to-uk-british-passport-border-control?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

SueDonim

This subject has now hit the Guardian in the UK.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/13/dual-nationals-denied-entry-to-uk-british-passport-border-control?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The people quoted in the article sounded as whingey as some on this thread and as unwilling to take responsibility for not being aware. I was tempted by the of the article to think that a solution would be for the UK not to allow dual citizenship and let people decide which they wanted. That’d give them something to really whinge about

Best not to react to that, everyone.

Designed to goad. So familiar.

Allira

Best not to react to that, everyone.

Designed to goad. So familiar.

Are you in charge of this thread then? Have you got a monitor badge?😂😂😂

Good advice Allira, pure goady.

I'm sure there used to be a different poster that delighted in similar.

Maybe a middle ground so the OPs GC entitled to British citizenship but have to apply for it.

SueDonim

This subject has now hit the Guardian in the UK.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/13/dual-nationals-denied-entry-to-uk-british-passport-border-control?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I think this is another of those unexpected consequences of the Government trying to solve a huge problem but not thinking it through properly.

The farmers - trying to target wealthy landowners but instead hitting those who are just about making a living providing our food and who wish to pass on the family farm

The Winter Fuel Payment which hit those just above the threshold ad left many pensioners cold and frightened.

The attempt to cut the Welfare bill but they had to make U turn on PIP payments after 100 backbenchers threatened to rebel.

Other U turns:
Hospitality sector
Digital ID for workers
Plus any others. How many U turns so far?

Will this become another U turn?

I'm not whingeing. I am sorely disappointed that they do not think everything through, examine the details and the consequences for ordinary people and don't get everything right before changing the rules and laws.

There’s some master classes in goadiness on some threads atm. Responding to an article posted by someone else hardly comes close😂😂

Rosie51

Good advice Allira, pure goady.

I'm sure there used to be a different poster that delighted in similar.

Yes, just confirmed in her last post to me, Rosie51.

Allira - mmmm some might see this as a bit of goadiness.

One of my grandaughters is travelling in the Far East and Australia/ NZ at the moment and she has spent a LOT of money on visas and other necessary paperwork and done a large amount of research to have the correct paperwork that’s needed It's not a ten minute job and you CANNOT do it over night at least you don't need lots of injections to come to Uk

Nana8 is angry because the family have been caught on the back foot and now have to play catch up. Many people hold two passports for the sake of convenience and this would have been the answer.
Travelling anywhere is not easy nor is it cheap You need to do your homework in plenty of time not a few weeks before and it’s no good blaming everyone else

SueDonim

This subject has now hit the Guardian in the UK.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/13/dual-nationals-denied-entry-to-uk-british-passport-border-control?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Well, if it's being reported in the Guardian it must be a real problem to bd taken seriously!

BlueBelle

One of my grandaughters is travelling in the Far East and Australia/ NZ at the moment and she has spent a LOT of money on visas and other necessary paperwork and done a large amount of research to have the correct paperwork that’s needed It's not a ten minute job and you CANNOT do it over night at least you don't need lots of injections to come to Uk

Nana8 is angry because the family have been caught on the back foot and now have to play catch up. Many people hold two passports for the sake of convenience and this would have been the answer.
Travelling anywhere is not easy nor is it cheap You need to do your homework in plenty of time not a few weeks before and it’s no good blaming everyone else

You're missing the point Bluebelle.

Australians are finding that they have to have a second passport to enter the UK simply because one of their parents was born in the UK.

This is not something they chose.

Allira when this thread started that was not the issue. Read the opening post and then carry on telling us all off😂

Any Australian citizen should be able to travel on that passport plus any required entry visa. To make some Australian citizens' passports somehow 'lesser' seems quite prejudicial to my mind.
It's rather draconian to insist that any child born in a foreign country to parents only one of whom has any tie to Britain must assume British citizenship and travel on a British passport.
There really must be a cheaper, easier way to relinquish your unwanted entitlement to British citizenship than paying £589 for a certificate of entitlement.

Allira what would a U-turn on this issue look like? I genuinely don’t understand. The British by descent rule was not brought in by KS and the rules about entering a country on the passport if that country if you have two passports is hardly unique to the UK.

Rosie51

Any Australian citizen should be able to travel on that passport plus any required entry visa. To make some Australian citizens' passports somehow 'lesser' seems quite prejudicial to my mind.
It's rather draconian to insist that any child born in a foreign country to parents only one of whom has any tie to Britain must assume British citizenship and travel on a British passport.
There really must be a cheaper, easier way to relinquish your unwanted entitlement to British citizenship than paying £589 for a certificate of entitlement.

Like I suggested it should be an active choice.

It's rather draconian to insist that any child born in a foreign country to parents only one of whom has any tie to Britain must assume British citizenship and travel on a British passport.
My DGC's father has no links whatsoever to this country.
I'm wondering if DGC will need three passports now if other countries have introduced this?