A last-minute change in United Kingdom immigration policy is causing distress for dual citizens, particularly those with Australian and British nationality, just weeks before the new rules come into effect. From , all visitors to the UK, including dual nationals, will be required to present a valid British or Irish passport, or a certificate of entitlement, to enter the country.
The shift, announced in , aims to “digitise the immigration system” and move towards a “contactless UK border,” according to the UK government. All international travellers will need either an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) or an eVisa. However, the implementation of the policy has left many scrambling to comply, particularly those who have routinely travelled between the UK and other countries using passports other than their British one.
Gabrielle Mordy, a dual Australian-British citizen and CEO/Artistic Director of Studio A in Sydney, is among those affected. She had planned a routine trip to the UK in for an academic conference, anticipating no difficulty using her Australian passport, as she has done for years. “I had no hint that this was coming in,” Mordy stated. “If I’d had six months notice I would have been fine, but I’ve only had one month’s notice.”
Mordy’s British passport expired in , and she assumed her Australian travel documents would continue to be sufficient. The new regulations require her to obtain a valid British passport before travelling. The process has proven unexpectedly complex. Because of the length of time since her last UK passport, she is required to submit a full application rather than a renewal.
The bureaucratic hurdles have included difficulties obtaining the necessary documentation. Mordy found herself needing to order a long-form birth certificate – including details of her parents – and had to order a second copy after issues with the initial digital application process. As of , she was still awaiting the arrival of the second birth certificate, and considering fast-tracking her passport application to meet her travel dates.
The alternative options presented by the British High Commission are equally problematic. A certificate of entitlement (COE), which proves a right of abode, requires surrendering her Australian passport for up to eight weeks. Renouncing her British citizenship is another possibility, but it is a lengthy process – taking up to six months – and incurs a fee of £482.
“It seems quite cruel,” Mordy said, expressing frustration with the lack of a clear timeline and the potential disruption to her travel plans. “There’s no clear timeline, which you need for your travel plans.”
The impact of the policy change is being felt across the Australian travel industry. Vicki Hope, a Sydney-based travel advisor, reports that clients are being forced to drastically alter their plans. “In some cases, we are working to a firm deadline, if the [UK] passport doesn’t arrive, the trip would need to be cancelled and rebooked,” she explained. She noted that many Australian-born dual citizens who had not previously needed a UK passport are now feeling “unsure” and “anxious.”
Kara Przybylski, a 26-year-old dual citizen based in Brisbane, has decided to delay applying for a UK passport, concerned about potentially delaying processing times for those with urgent travel needs. “I don’t want to clog the system,” she said. She expressed frustration that the government did not provide more advance notice before implementing the new rules. Przybylski also indicated she might prioritise obtaining a Polish passport, given her eligibility, as she perceives the UK’s current stance as unwelcoming.
A spokesperson for the British High Commission acknowledged receiving a “significant volume of enquiries” from British-Australian dual citizens. They stated that they have addressed frequently asked questions through various channels, including email, social media, and videos featuring the Deputy High Commissioner.
However, Mordy found official support channels unhelpful, reporting that attempts to contact the High Commission for guidance were met with redirection to a website or requests for payment for advice.
Public reaction has been mixed. While some argue that citizens should always carry their national passport, others point to inconsistencies in the application of the rules. One commenter on social media highlighted the situation of a four-month-old Australian-born child, a UK citizen by birth, being unable to enter the country while a non-citizen could enter with an ETA.
For many dual citizens, the new enforcement presents a difficult choice between maintaining their heritage and incurring significant expense and inconvenience. “I’m a UK citizen by descent… now I’ll have to decide between the expense and hassle of renewing my passport or the expense and hassle of renouncing citizenship,” one individual commented online. “Better to not bother going at all.” Another expressed a sense of alienation, stating, “Regardless of the route I take I certainly don’t feel British any more.”
The £16 ($31) ETA is intended to streamline entry for visa-exempt visitors from countries including Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but the new rules effectively render it unusable for dual citizens who also hold a British passport.
