Ahead of the end of the ‘tolerance period’ of the Electronic Travel Authorisation system in February 2026, British dual nationals have been targeted with official messaging suggesting that they will only be able to enter the UK if they have a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement (see below).
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Is this really the case? Will those British dual-nationals, who simply haven’t renewed their old passport or never had one and choose to travel on their “other” passport, be refused entry?
On closer inspection, the situation appears to be not quite so simple.
What changes
Although ETA has been up and running since 2023, and has applied to all EU nationals since spring 2025, there has been a ‘tolerance period’ in operation where people were not turned away at the border if they did not have the correct ETA registration.
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February 25th,2026,marks the end of the tolerance period for EU/EEA citizens travelling to the UK,and those without the correct paperwork will be turned away at the border,according to British authorities.
Importantly, the UK government has also stated that British dual nationals will be subject to this crackdown.
What’s the deal for British dual nationals?
Ever as the launch of ETA, there has been confusion and mixed messages when it comes to british dual nationals.
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For British or Irish nationals travelling on their UK or Irish passport the situation is clear – they do not require the electronic travel authorisation known as the ETA.
However, many British dual nationals do not have a current, valid British passport – either because it has expired, is in the process of being renewed or because they have never had one. These people have always previously had the option of simply using their other passport to enter the UK.
Though, the website and app used to apply for the ETA demands that people list any other nationalities they posses – but does not allow applicants to selected ‘British’ as another nationality – meaning that dual nationals cannot truthfully complete the ETA request and travel on their other passport. They would be at risk of being accused of making a false declaration.
What’s the official advice?
Part of the problem is that the official line from the British government has changed several times, meanwhile some British government bodies – such as embassies in europe - are giving different information to the UK’s Home Office.
The Electronic Travel authorisation (ETA) and British Dual Nationals
The ETA is a new requirement for visitors who do not need a visa to enter the UK, replacing the previous waiver scheme. It is indeed an electronic travel document that must be obtained before travel. However, the application process presents a problem for British dual nationals who do not currently hold a British passport.
The ETA application asks applicants to declare all nationalities.The system flags certain British nationality statuses - such as British Citizen (Overseas) or British Subject – which are applicable to specific groups, like those born in Hong Kong, as incompatible with the ETA. This effectively prevents these individuals from completing the application.
Potential Consequences and Workarounds
The primary consequence of this issue is the potential denial of travel to the UK for affected British dual nationals. The system doesn’t allow them to proceed with the application without declaring their British nationality,but declaring it results in an error. Some travellers have reported circumventing the issue by omitting their British nationality, but this carries the risk of being accused of making a false declaration, which is a criminal offense.
As of the original reporting date, some dual nationals have successfully travelled to the UK using their non-British passport after completing the ETA application, or have obtained ETAs for their dual-national children without encountering issues. However, this is not a guaranteed solution and the situation may change.
ETA Frequently Asked Questions – UK Government
The UK government’s FAQ page on the ETA does not specifically address the issue of dual nationals encountering errors due to ancient British nationalities. The FAQ states that individuals should apply for an ETA using the passport they intend to travel with, but doesn’t provide guidance for those whose British nationality causes an application error.
Latest Updates (as of January 19, 2026)
as of January 19, 2026, there have been no official updates from the UK government regarding a fix for the ETA application issue affecting British dual nationals with historical British nationality statuses. Reports from January 2024 indicated the issue was expected to be addressed by February 25th, 2024, but this date has passed without resolution.Travellers continue to report difficulties.
The UK Visas and Immigration contact page remains the official channel for reporting issues and seeking assistance, but response times may vary.
UK Visas and Immigration
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is the government agency responsible for managing the ETA scheme and addressing related issues. Individuals experiencing problems with their ETA application are advised to contact UKVI directly for support.
