Entering the UK- or going to happen now

UPDATE:

A link to this was posted on my Facebook page this morning:
The UK Government has done a U turn which may or may not be temporary.

^Travelling on or after 25 February 2026^
You may not be able to board your transport to the UK without a valid document.

Apply for a passport or a certificate of entitlement now. It will avoid complications when travelling to the UK.

In line with temporary guidance, carriers (such as airlines and ferry companies) may allow you to travel if you have both:

an expired UK passport, issued in 1989 or later
a valid passport for one of the nationalities that can get an ETA
The personal details on both passports must match.
(Fine if you didn't get married or change your name in any other way.)

www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-guide-for-dual-citizens?fbclid=IwY2xjawQHty9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEey1OjbhuFrjJJjD_usILitb7PI23GYPs5Q0WTMKG9uOIL-GohsZi8W-dPgBs_aem_ZMP1594yNgiGOP4bA8h6Uw#how-to-prove-your-permission-to-travel-to-the-uk-as-a-dual-citizen

I actually think that this is a very helpful temporary solution as it gives people time to sort out what they want to do - getting a passport or renouncing their British citizenship so they don’t need a UK passport. I also think it would be interesting to find out the real costs of renouncing citizenship as it sounds really expensive. A few years ago there was a campaign about the costs of getting probate and it was determined that the OPG should not be making a profit, just covering the costs. The campaign was successful and people who’d applied earlier got a partial refund - I was one of them.

Sorry not probate, I meant LPAs

I actually think that this is a very helpful temporary solution as it gives people time to sort out what they want to do

Yes. I keep hearing about more people who had booked visits here from Australia, mainly visiting elderly parents, grandparents and the cost of paying for passports for a family of eg six people is prohibitive on top of paying for Australian passports, travel, accommodation etc. They are Australian citizens and already have perfectly valid passports for that country.

Automatic citizenship of a country which you did not claim or register and requiring the passport for entry to that country is ludicrous. If someone wants to register British citizenship by filial connection that is fine, they can apply for it and the passport.

It does not bring the UK in line with the rest of the world, if that were so my DGC would require three passports.

When British. by descent was brought in it was to limit the number of children who were automatically entitled to British citizenship. I’ve always thought that they kept this category as nod to British citizens born here but who then emigrated and had children afterwards. I can understand why no Govt would want to take British by descent away politically that is. So I suppose it’s about keeping the legal right but it not being activated . You can have it if you want but you have to apply formally ‘activate’ it. Would that work?

In line with temporary guidance, carriers (such as airlines and ferry companies) may allow you to travel if you have both:

^an expired UK passport, issued in 1989 or later
a valid passport for one of the nationalities that can get an ETA
The personal details on both passports must match.^

The devil in the detail to this is that it will be up to individual airlines as to whether they accept an expired passport etc. Airlines get fined considerable amounts if they carry people to the UK who have no right of entry.

I think an ‘activation’ of UK citizenship might be a good idea.

I actually posted much earlier in the thread that I agreed with being able to apply for citizenship on the basis of descent, but strongly objected to its unasked for imposition. I was told I was wanting my family to be made an exception.........

Rosie51

I actually posted much earlier in the thread that I agreed with being able to apply for citizenship on the basis of descent, but strongly objected to its unasked for imposition. I was told I was wanting my family to be made an exception.........

No, it's the sensible option.

There are about 250,000 Australians who are apparently 'British by descent'. Passports will be linked electronically from from next Wednesday so carriers can check, whereas they weren't previously.
How long the 'temporary measures' will remain in place is unclear.

What is the reasoning behind all this? It gives dual nationals Right of Abode - but most just want to come on holiday or visit relatives and escape back to Australia!

What is the reasoning behind all this? It gives dual nationals Right of Abode - but most just want to come on holiday or visit relatives and escape back to Australia!

Exactly!

Several posters have been keen to point out it gives the right to live here, work here etc etc but the vast majority have no interest in doing either so no it isn't a benefit to them, just an unnecessary inconvenience and cost.

Rosie51

^What is the reasoning behind all this? It gives dual nationals Right of Abode - but most just want to come on holiday or visit relatives and escape back to Australia!^

Exactly!

Several posters have been keen to point out it gives the right to live here, work here etc etc but the vast majority have no interest in doing either so no it isn't a benefit to them, just an unnecessary inconvenience and cost.

It would be interesting to see how people reacted if the British by descent legislation was repealed. Remember atm it gives the right to every child born overseas with a British parent born in the UK. I think there would be serious pushback in some quarters.

I've never wanted it repealed, I agree there'd likely be a huge pushback, I just want people to apply or at least consent to it if offered. It's the unwanted imposition I object to. nanna8's granddaughters didn't apply for this they've had it imposed on them against their wishes. There's no escaping that it is costing them more to enter the UK than other Australian visitors.

Rosie51

I've never wanted it repealed, I agree there'd likely be a huge pushback, I just want people to apply or at least consent to it if offered. It's the unwanted imposition I object to. nanna8's granddaughters didn't apply for this they've had it imposed on them against their wishes. There's no escaping that it is costing them more to enter the UK than other Australian visitors.

So back to what I posted up thread - that the child would have the right to UK citizenship but would have to apply for it? In cases like that, the British born parent still has their UK citizenship so what happens with them? I just think there’s not an easy solution. I do think the fee for renouncing should just reflect the actual costs of processing it.

The thing is ,it is grandchildren we are talking about. Not children. Why on earth would they want to have British passports ? It is forced on them if they want to visit the UK. Yes, forced. No choice. Ridiculous money grabbing.

Oh Nana8 suck it up, like we have to when we come to Aussieland we can’t just walk in, we need Visas, this is just an updated electronic visa with a new name
So the choice is get an ETA (electronic visa) or apply for a British passport and use that
Your grandkids need sonething
Mine are coming over from NZ for a holiday they will need to get an ETA as they don’t have British passports
No one is punishing you or your family no one is trying to grab your money either, come using the new rules or don’t they have a choice
Travel is expensive I have one grandaughter travelling round Asia at the moment she needs different paperwork for each country she needs expensive jabs, for different countries Travel isn’t cheap. Your grandkids don’t need jabs so that s one expense they haven’t got

nanna8

The thing is ,it is grandchildren we are talking about. Not children. Why on earth would they want to have British passports ? It is forced on them if they want to visit the UK. Yes, forced. No choice. Ridiculous money grabbing.

Yes nanna it’s getting boring now. The whole issue of British by descent impacts more than just your family and would be really complex to solve. You chose to emigrate after you’d had your daughter - if you’d emigrated before her birth your grandchildren would not have had British by descent probably. So actually it’s all your fault 😂

I know someone whose British parents were working overseas when she was born. She was able to have British citizenship. However, she was also living abroad when her child was born so this child cannot have British by descent. It’s causing problems but she accepts she should have thought about this and come home to have the baby.

BlueBelle So the choice is get an ETA (electronic visa) or apply for a British passport and use that

No that isn't their choice, how have you missed that this is not an option for nanna's granddaughters? They'd love to get the much cheaper ETA but even though they were born in Australia to an Australian born father, are Australian citizens and have Australian passports that is not an option. They, for some bizarre reason, have to accept dual nationality (or pay a very high price to renounce the unwanted British part) and apply for British passports.
Your grandchildren should look at their situation, they may find they too have dual citizenship and will be forced to suck it up and apply for British passports.

Bluebelle says above:

^So the choice is get an ETA (electronic visa) or apply for a British passport and use that
Your grandkids need something

They do NOT have this choice. This is the whole point of nanna8's original post. If they apply for ETA they will be refused.

There are quite a few people now popping up all over the internet explaining this.

Crossed posts! Rosie said almost word for word the same as me but was quicker off the mark!

JackyB a few of us have explained this very point, several times, on this thread but some just either don't read other's posts or aren't processing the information.

Rosie51

JackyB a few of us have explained this very point, several times, on this thread but some just either don't read other's posts or aren't processing the information.

Yes, it falls on deaf ears.

Like 250,000 other Australians:
They are automatically British citizens by descent whether they want to be or not. They may not have even have realised this.
They are Australians and, like other Australians, want to travel with their Australian passport and an ETA or Visa if required.

They then have to pay for the privilege of this possibly unwanted citizenship or pay even more to divest themselves of it!

Surely it would be better if the rules were that they could apply for British citizenship if they are entitled and if they want to claim it.

This "privilege" 🤔 may be welcomed by some but not by all.

On forums, once someone has:

Repeated the same grievance
Ignored explanations
Shifted the goalposts
Continued arguing after factual clarification

…it usually isn’t about the passport anymore.

DaisyAnneReturns

On forums, once someone has:

Repeated the same grievance
Ignored explanations
Shifted the goalposts
Continued arguing after factual clarification

…it usually isn’t about the passport anymore.

Yes just yes .

DaisyAnneReturns

On forums, once someone has:

Repeated the same grievance
Ignored explanations
Shifted the goalposts
Continued arguing after factual clarification

…it usually isn’t about the passport anymore.

And why do some insist on repeating false information ie they can choose to do an ETA or get a British passport which is factually wrong?
Of course it's about the imposition of British citizenship and the necessity of a British passport. The cost of the passport is going to be much greater for these unwilling participants when they have to obtain original copies of grandparents' birth certificates and marriage certificates if these aren't in their possession. Do you all have copies of your grandparents' birth certificates?
Once you've had a justified grievance 'explained away' does it stop being a grievance for you? nanna is far from alone in her grievance about this policy. The internet is awash with articles and complaints from people affected.

Allira
Like 250,000 other Australians:
They are automatically British citizens by descent whether they want to be or not. They may not have even have realised this.
They are Australians and, like other Australians, want to travel with their Australian passport and an ETA or Visa if required.

Oh wow, I had no idea it was so many affected. If they all decided they'll exercise their right to vote in our elections I bet there'd be a rapid change of policy.
Presumably there are large numbers scattered in Canada, New Zealand as well as other countries who also might want to take up the right........