Expired British passport issued as long ago as 1989 could get dual nationals into UK

Dual citizens of nan UK and different state person been handed a lifeline that could let them recreation to Britain without either of nan officially required documents.

From adjacent Wednesday, 25 February 2026, nan physics recreation authorisation (ETA) will beryllium mandatory for each travellers arriving successful nan United Kingdom – isolated from British and Irish citizens.

UK citizens are not allowed to use for an ETA. Until now nan authorities has insisted that only a valid British passport aliases a “Certificate of Entitlement” costing £589 will allow a dual national to beryllium admitted. These caller rules are to beryllium policed by airlines and ferry companies, who guidelines to beryllium fined if they return personification to Britain without due documentation.

But The Independent has learnt nan carriers person been told they tin judge “at their discretion” an expired British passport issued arsenic agelong agone arsenic 1989 – arsenic agelong arsenic it is accompanied by a valid passport issued by a federation whose citizens do not require a visa to recreation to nan UK.

The biographic specifications connected each passport – sanction positive spot and day of commencement – must match.

Officials accent it is an “operational decision” for airlines and ferry companies to take. They will not beryllium penalised for accepting nan passport combination, but conversely location is nary responsibility for them to do so.

Anyone surviving overseas who has had a UK passport issued since 2006 and who needs to recreation urgently tin get an Emergency Travel Document, value £125.

Many group who person UK citizenship by commencement aliases descent, but who unrecorded abroad, person faced hurdles trying to get British passports up of recreation to nan UK.

The load of impervious for a caller British passport is precocious – starring 1 prospective visitor, Australian writer Carol Richards, to write: “My problem is that my dada calved apparently successful England successful 1921 does not person commencement certificate arsenic he was abandoned. He was adopted earlier take was a ineligible point and truthful does not person immoderate papers.”

The Home Office says HM Passport Office telephone lines are ever open.

Read more: Dual national passport rules you request to know