From 25 February 2026, all travellers entering the United Kingdom must hold either a British or Irish passport or a valid electronic travel authorisation (ETA). But a late-stage Home Office edict means dual British citizens—including the estimated 250,000 Australian residents who also hold UK nationality—can no longer rely on their Australian passport plus ETA. Instead they must present a current British passport at check-in or pay £589 for a Certificate of Entitlement, a document that can take weeks to issue. Airlines and ferry operators have been instructed to deny boarding to non-compliant passengers.
The Guardian reports a surge of complaints from dual citizens caught unawares, many discovering the change only after booking travel for business trips, family visits or school holidays. The price shock is acute for families: renewing four British passports from Australia now costs more than AU$1,100, excluding courier fees.
![UK tightens border rules for dual nationals, hitting Australian-British citizens]()
British consular staff admit that processing backlogs could leave travellers stranded in Australia or third countries. Immigration lawyers warn that Australians who renounced British citizenship to acquire another EU nationality—common among expatriates—may be forced to choose between expensive paperwork and jeopardising their current status.
For corporate mobility managers the upheaval is immediate: audit employee travel rosters, identify staff with latent British nationality and budget for emergency passport renewals or COE applications. Failure to comply risks denied boarding and costly itinerary changes as conference season ramps up in March.
The Guardian reports a surge of complaints from dual citizens caught unawares, many discovering the change only after booking travel for business trips, family visits or school holidays. The price shock is acute for families: renewing four British passports from Australia now costs more than AU$1,100, excluding courier fees.
British consular staff admit that processing backlogs could leave travellers stranded in Australia or third countries. Immigration lawyers warn that Australians who renounced British citizenship to acquire another EU nationality—common among expatriates—may be forced to choose between expensive paperwork and jeopardising their current status.
For corporate mobility managers the upheaval is immediate: audit employee travel rosters, identify staff with latent British nationality and budget for emergency passport renewals or COE applications. Failure to comply risks denied boarding and costly itinerary changes as conference season ramps up in March.
Source: The Guardian
