TheDinge

Sorry if this is not related to BA at all, I cannot find anywhere more appropriate to ask this question and I am so worried about what's going to happen

So basically, I have dual citizenship with Macau and Australia. Both passports should be visa free for travel to the UK, and I have a tier 4 (student) on my Macau one.

I arrived in London about a week ago with my Australian citizenship and stayed for only 5 days for non-academic purpose. On my way out, I accidentally registered my Macau passport on API and checked in with my Macau passport- the system checked me through so i did not realise.

That means I have technically not left the country and somehow left the country without entering at the same time. Also I need to extend my tier 4 on my Australian passport so I am wondering will I get punished for that, like refusing visa?

I'm currently in Helsinki and I could either run to the embassy or send them an email. What should I do to inform that about my mistake or do I not need to?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the irrelevant 'BA post'

simons1

UK & Ireland Forum.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-ireland-484/

It would be easy to guess at an answer but ideal if you could find someone who has been there before.

It happened to me in Dubai last year with two UK passports (one expired when there) and it took me an hour at the security office to sort out.

corporate-wage-slave

It happens all the time, the number of dual nationals is huge, and broadly speaking so long as you haven't broken any of the terms of your admission into the UK you are OK. UK dual nationals typically arrive on the UK passport and then leave on their other passport if returning to that state (I accept that is a totally different scenario to you). I would, however, retain for a long time (7 years) proof of your entry and departure from the UK, and any proof of your activities in the UK during the week (e.g. hotel bills, credit card bills showing where you've been), though that's very much "just in case" and in respect of say any Indefinite Leave application or taxation issue. The UK isn't well placed to track people leaving the country at the moment. I wouldn't make a habit of it, but it's not the end of the world.

GadgetGal

---deleted---, better advice upthread

TheDinge

Thanks for your advice! So are you suggesting me to do nothing for now but prepare to explain if anyone asks? I don't think I have broken any law now but potentially I will have over-stayed as an Australian visitor.

lhrsfo

I used to be a dual US and UK citizen. I always arrived on my UK passport and departed to the US on my US passport (I had to because of the US requirements). Certainly no flag ever seemed to come up along the lines of how can you be returning when you never left. It never caused any issues but, of course, I wasn't subject to length of stay restrictions. Nobody from Border Force checks passports on the way out and, as I understand it, there are no regular departure checks. Having said that, I have no idea if airlines are required to hand passport information on departing customers to Border Force, and if their computers are busy matching up all the data behind the scenes. Knowing their level of competence, I somehow doubt it, but keeping details of your departing flight might be a wise precaution just in case.

UKtravelbear

Yes the airlines do provide data to Border Force / Home Officer as per exit check fact sheet

GUWonder

Departing pax manifest and API are amongst that which gets into their hands and is subject to some processing.

antichef

Good advice upthread about keeping records in case you are ever queried on your next trip.

Actually it can easily happen. For example, you land at LHR then go over the land border from NI to Dublin - where there are no passport checks. You then return home from DUB. It would look as if you never left UK, although when you arrive in the UK next time they will realise you had left but the retained documents would establish that you had not overstayed.

Hope that helps.

TheDinge

That's so assuring! Thank you so much

:D!

Is this correct?

As long as your Tier 4 visa is valid, you can't overstay in the UK.

For your own peace of mind use the Macau passport to enter the UK and the next time you leave (as long as it's within 6 months) get the Australian passport details submitted to eBorders via your airline/ferry/Eurostar/Eurotunnel

If you intend to stay in the UK long-term you should be keeping all your travel history anyway. If you ever qualify and apply for a UK passport you will have to submit both Macanese and Australian passports (provided they are still in date) at least with the first application.


Not true, it happens often in LHR T3, and occasionally in MAN, most commonly for flights to destinations outside the EU

They don't necessarily match data all the time but are likely to do so when one is applying for a visa renewal by post and/or there are concerns about the application.

Mizter T

The "eBorders" name is no longer used by the UK government - instead "exit checks" is the terminology now in use (Telegraph article).