More British dual nationals have been stranded abroad after being refused entry on return flights under new UK border rules.
Two more British teenagers have been stranded abroad after being denied boarding on return flights because of new UK border rules imposed on dual nationals.
This comes after a British schoolgirl was left in Denmark because she was not allowed to board her Norwegian Air flight back to the UK on March 8th following a weekend visiting her father, a British academic working at a university in Copenhagen.
The Guardian reports that British schoolgirl had travelled with her Norwegian mother and did not have a valid British passport with her, but was in the process of applying for one. The article does not state which other passport the girl was travelling on, but given the nationality of the mother we can presume it was likely a Norwegian one.
Now the British newspaper reports that two further British teenagers have fallen foul of the rule change: a 19-year-old stuck in Madrid on a university trip, and a 18-year-old British-Danish national stranded in Mumbai.
READ ALSO: Can dual national Brits travel to UK without valid British passport after all?
This is despite the 19-year-old in Madrid having various forms of identity with her, reports suggest.
“She has her British birth certificate with her and photos of both her parents’ British passports and proof of residence in the UK. We are extremely concerned, as you can imagine,” the girl’s grandmother told The Guardian.
The 18-year-old British-Danish national was left in Mumbai after Air India did not allow her to board without a British passport.
“She couldn’t leave the airport as she had no visa to find accommodation. She was very, very scared,” the girl’s mother told The Guardian.
She reportedly left the country before the rule change came into force on February 25th and did not know that dual nationals must now carry their British passport with them.
Under new border rules for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system in place from 25th February, British dual nationals can only enter the UK if they have a valid British passport or alternatively a Certificate of Entitlement, which costs £589.
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Under pressure the UK’s Home Office has softened the rules slightly saying Brits can prove the UK nationality using an out of date passport if they don’t have a current one. However there was no solution offered for those who have never had a British passport such as children born abroad to British parents, or dual nationals born in the UK like the schoolgirl stranded in Copenhagen.
The girl’s parents were not aware of the rule change and she was not allowed to board her return flight, meaning the student has been stranded in Denmark as her GCSE exams approach.
“We tried to check in on the app and it allowed me to check in but not Hanne,” her mother told The Guardian.
“When we got to the airport… they wouldn’t let her check in either.”
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The report does not specify why she was denied boarding or if she had applied for an ETA, the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation for for foreign arrivals.
The Local has contacted Norwegian for clarification on the case but has not yet received a response.
The family’s local MP, James MacCleary, has spoken publicly and blamed mixed messages from the government: “The government’s hopeless planning and communication of its changes to entry requirements for dual nationals has caused an untold amount of chaos and stress.
“Too many dual nationals have found themselves stranded abroad in heartbreaking situations, missing funerals, weddings, or in the case of my constituent, an absolutely crucial time in education.
“The home secretary needs to pull her finger out and urgently provide a low-cost and quick alternative for dual nationals stuck abroad. If she fails to act, the prime minister must step in to bring an end to the chaos, otherwise more children and families will pay the price.”
In a statement, the Home Office said: “Public information advising dual nationals to travel with a valid UK passport or certificate of entitlement has been available since October 2024, including official guidance on gov.uk”.
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What are the rules?
Dual-nationals abroad have expressed anger at the change, telling The Local they felt they were being ‘punished for having dual citizenship’ and describing the ETA system as a “money making racket”.
Ever since the launch of ETA, there has been confusion when it comes to British dual nationals. The Home Office had done little to allay these fears, but for a full breakdown of the rules, or what is understood of them so far, at least, read The Local’s explainer here.
In short: British or Irish nationals travelling on their UK or Irish passport do not require the electronic travel authorisation known as the ETA.
Many British dual nationals, however, might not have a British passport anymore. These people have always previously had the option of simply using their other passport to enter the UK but the rule change makes this more difficult, if not impossible.
This is because the website and app used to apply for the ETA demands that people list any other nationalities they possess – but does not allow applicants to select ‘British’ as another nationality – meaning that dual nationals cannot truthfully complete the ETA application and travel on their other passport. Basically British dual nationals have been told they cannot get an ETA.
They would therefore be at risk of being accused of making a false declaration if they hadn’t applied for and paid for a new passport (for £108) or a Certificate of Entitlement, which costs £589.
READ ALSO: Explained: The UK’s £16 ETA travel permit
