Dual passport holder entering UK on foreign passport
#16
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,194
#17
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London
Programs: Ba Silver ( for now!)
Posts: 768
My ex wife is a kiwi. Uk passsport was being renewed. Took ages and she travels a lot. Just come in the uk line hand over the passport and the photocopy and explain. They then do a few more checks and let you in. Dot mess with the other passport as if you don't stamp out overstayer etc. They were happy on multiple occasions with the copy and there is always the backup of the overseas passport if you meet someone who is having a bad day. She had one and that persons co worker ended up saying from the next desk it is fine just let her in
#18
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: RTM
Programs: DiamondClub (rip), Currently an Alliance Treble Champion (BA, A3, AZ)
Posts: 1,786
I can confirm from personal experience it is absolutely not an issue.
Mixed up my in and outs with a U.K. And non EU passport once and had to ask immigration to check my other one was 'logged out' and they didn't bat an eyelid.
Mixed up my in and outs with a U.K. And non EU passport once and had to ask immigration to check my other one was 'logged out' and they didn't bat an eyelid.
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 166
Can you please explain this some more? After entering the UK on the foreign passport, you had to make sure they 'logged you out' when leaving the UK? Where/who did you talk to?
#20
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: RTM
Programs: DiamondClub (rip), Currently an Alliance Treble Champion (BA, A3, AZ)
Posts: 1,786
I live in Europe and travel back to the U.K. frequently. When my UK passport was at an embassy for a Visa I used my Mex one to get in to the UK which is 90-day visa free entry. Nowadays there is no exit stamp, the exit is registered by API data on the flight. I booked my return in the wrong name so was worried I might get flagged as a Mex-overstay. Next time I was in I approached the agent and explained the situation and he registered the Mex out and the U.K. In.
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 166
I live in Europe and travel back to the U.K. frequently. When my UK passport was at an embassy for a Visa I used my Mex one to get in to the UK which is 90-day visa free entry. Nowadays there is no exit stamp, the exit is registered by API data on the flight. I booked my return in the wrong name so was worried I might get flagged as a Mex-overstay. Next time I was in I approached the agent and explained the situation and he registered the Mex out and the U.K. In.
#22
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,585
I left my UK passport in my trouser pocket in Cornwall on a recent trip.I completed the trip on my Australian passport,and there was no issue whatsoever.I did not have a UK visa so the immigration officer asked me to sit on the "naughty boys" seat whilst her superior took my Aussie passport to the back office.He returned 5 minutes later with photo copies of my UK passport and admitted me.
It was very calm and pleasant,and the official remarked it happens all the time.No need to worry.
It was very calm and pleasant,and the official remarked it happens all the time.No need to worry.
#23
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pune, India
Programs: Exec Club - Gold Member - yeah baby, Emerald Aisle Executive Elite - Woo, Marriott Silver Executive
Posts: 118
I go in and out of the EU and UK (I think I need to differentiate now ;-) on my UK and US passports frequently.
I've never had an issue as long as I present the correct one when leaving. This isn't as big of a concern in the UK (no emigration control) - but I got called out in the Netherlands recently when the emigration agent couldn't find an entry stamp in my US passport. I had gone in on my UK passport, oops.
He asked if I happened to have a second passport, I realized my mistake and swapped them out. He said something about it not being illegal to travel using 2 but that it was not advisable. I didn't push for more details.
My take away - always make sure to get matching entry and exit stamps where you can.
I've never had an issue as long as I present the correct one when leaving. This isn't as big of a concern in the UK (no emigration control) - but I got called out in the Netherlands recently when the emigration agent couldn't find an entry stamp in my US passport. I had gone in on my UK passport, oops.
He asked if I happened to have a second passport, I realized my mistake and swapped them out. He said something about it not being illegal to travel using 2 but that it was not advisable. I didn't push for more details.
My take away - always make sure to get matching entry and exit stamps where you can.
#24
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,253
I've done this before when I was getting my UK passport renewed and had to travel to Canada (where I was born). I showed my Canadian passport, they asked my purpose of travel, etc. I said I was actually a UK citizen who lived in the UK but my passport was being renewed. I'd taken a photocopy of the expired passport to bring along just in case and they did ask for that. A bit of typing and all was well. No stamp in my Canadian passport.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Posts: 13,811
The proof of the right of abode of a British Citizen is the British Citizen Passport.
#26
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
Hi. I had to do this the other day, when the Argentinian embassy had my UK passport while my performance visa was being attached to it. Border control at AMS were wary of me, a Brit, travelling on a Chilean passport from the UK to NL, but let me in and out no problem. Then I returned from AMS into LCY on my Chilean passport. The Border Force agent at LCY was not happy about it. She wouldn't endorse my entry into the UK as a Chilean, because she didn't believe that my behaviour in the UK would be that of a Chilean tourist (i.e. I might work, or buy property, or marry, or have kids or something). So, after grumbling, she used my Chilean ID to identify me as a UK citizen and let me in. So it's not always plain sailing.
#27
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, US
Posts: 2,210
This famously happened to Boris Johnson a while back. He was born in New York so was a US citizen (no longer). He was denied boarding going to Mexico for a family holiday via Houston because he didn't have a valid US passport. He ended up rerouting so he didn't go through the US.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,141
This famously happened to Boris Johnson a while back. He was born in New York so was a US citizen (no longer). He was denied boarding going to Mexico for a family holiday via Houston because he didn't have a valid US passport. He ended up rerouting so he didn't go through the US.
Ah yes in 2006. He then said he would renounce his US citizenship and was so adamant that he would do so that he even renewed his passport in 2012!
He then did renounce but was only to after settling a US tax bill on the sale of a house in London.
#29
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, US
Posts: 2,210
US would have revoked it for him when he became foreign secretary anyway
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,965
Entry to the UK on another passport by a UK passport holder is no problem. It happens an awful lot. The key to happiness is transparency. Answer any questions posed by the border people honestly and immediately: you are doing nothing wrong, but any hint of evasion raises the temperature