corporate-wage-slave

I wouldn't overthink this. UK citizens don't need a visa for South Korea, and so I'd just populate the API with your UK data, which then helps for the return. If you end up showing a German passport in Seoul (and thus different to your API) then I wouldn't worry, though I don't really see the point. It's the bad guys that are on the radar here, which I assume you are not.

BrianWBrazil

I have never changed the API on my kid's passports. They are British / Brazilian living in Brazil but use the BRA passport only for Brazilian immigration (not check-in). For outbound flights and return flights, the API is always their British passport info (on BA, AA, whichever). The way it works here is they check-in with their UK passport, then go through Brazilian security and show the BRA passport to Brazilian immigration officer (who presumably has not been given any API by the airline). They then swap back to UK passport to board. On the return it's a similar story; they check-in and board the flight with their British passports and then only show the BRA passport on arrival here in Brazil (where presumably no API has been given). I appreciate that other countries may handle this type of situation differently.

Modo

You will need to exit China using the same passport as you entered with. Same for all the SAR's and pretty much anywhere I know. I'm not dual but double. I inadvertently took the wrong passport to do a day trip from Macau to Hong Kong. They made me go and collect the other passport and placed on record my double passport - which required explanation until they brought a senior in who new such a possibility.

:D!

For BA LHR-ICN-LHR, both UK and DE passports allow visa-free entry to Korea visa-free and are evidence of the right to enter the UK. No online visa/visa-waiver check is needed either, unlike for flights to USA/Canada/Australia.

So nobody will care whether you are actually using the same passport as is in your BA profile. They only want to see the passport name roughly matches the ticket name and that no extra documentation such as visas are required.

In any case, there is no obligation to enter API until the time of check in. If you need to check luggage, or you are unable to get a BP from BA.com or the app (which happens occasionally at random), then when an agent swipes your passport the API for that flight will automatically be updated with that passport info.


In the future as more airports start to use only facial recognition for check-in and boarding, people with multiple nationalities are more likely to encounter issues.

PAL62V

I have three passports, my wife has two and my son has three. There is no way I am ever going to save any of them on the BA website after what I have seen them do with data. I will happily fill in the details for the relevant passport as each trip crops up.

Inselhuepfer

Thanks very much for all your responses, I will stick with just the one passport on this trip, mainly because of the China visa and to make sure I don't have any issues getting onto the flight at PVG. I have to admit that it confuses the hell out of me but I am sure it will get better with practice. Maybe I need to do some experimenting, but this is not the trip to do it!

Thanks again.

FlyingScientist

Why is that? I did not have any problems getting Chinese visa with my German passport while being UK resident and British Citizen.

NickB

In theory, you need to provide proof of entitlement of residence in the UK if you are not a UK national but reside there and apply for your Chinese visa in the UK (which you have to, if you are a UK resident). So, it is normally easier for dual nationals to use their UK passports. They do waive the requirement of evidence of right of residence for EU nationals, though. I wonder what they will do after Brexit, especially as there is no formal evidence of "settled status" provided by UK authorities.

Inselhuepfer

The information I was given by our travel visa people was that it is a requirement by the Chinese government that people have to apply with the passport which matches their residence, so in my case i had to apply with my British passport as I am a UK resident. If I was living in Germany, I would have to apply with my German passport.

I seem to remember that this was also stipulated in the online application form which seems to be the only way you can apply for visas. But I had to submit both passports as well and they kept both when they took finger prints last week.

Oh well, it's done, it would have been nice to add another visa to my well-travelled German passport and keep all stamps in one place. At least I don't have to go through that faff for another two years now.

bd95

NickB

Thanks for the clarification. I was not aware that it was a formal requirement for dual nationals when they also reside in the country of one of their nationalities.

FlyingScientist

Thanks for flagging that up. Incidently, my German passport (correctly) states that I am resident in Germany, while I am resident in the UK at the same time.

catandmouse

I have two passports, Swiss and UK. I've always used my UK passport to enter the US as I'd rather not confuse them. However my Chinese visas are all in my Swiss passport as to get one in my UK passport as a resident in Switzerland, I would need to supply a copy of my Swiss resident permit, which of course I do not have, as I don't need one as a Swiss resident.
On one occasion, flying from PEK to LAX at check-in I handed my UK passport over, as the UK passport had my API or whatever it was called at that time. The lady thumbed through the passport and got worried when she couldn't find a Chinese entry visa. I was a little a surprized she was interested in my entry visa, thinking that only immigration would be interested, but handed over my Swiss passport. She had never seen anything like that, i.e. someone with 2 passports, before and asked "is that legal", before calling over a supervisor and sending me on my way.

adrianlondon

The Chinese embassy in Bern, Switzerland, will (theoretically) only process visas of people legally resident here. They've no problem with putting the visa in my UK passport (the only one I have!) but need to see my Swiss residency document each time. I believe this is to stop people travelling to the cheapest and/or quickest visa processing place.

I usually get my Chinese visas in HK and they've been threatening to implement the same rule for some time (ie HK residents only) but it's always worked. I must note I've not done this in a few years though.

To "catandmouse" above, have you tried showing the Swiss passport to prove residency then submitting the UK one for the visa?

greg5

Years ago I was a Swiss National Day event in the US, and the local honorary consul mentioned that Dual Swiss-US citizens can enter Switzerland with a US passport and a Swiss ID card. Perhaps you could use your Swiss id card with the UK passport?