The UK’s ETA visa waiver becomes obligatory for Europeans from Wednesday April 2nd, but there is still confusion for certain British dual nationals who have received very different official advice from the UK.
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will be expanded to all EU/EFTA nationals from Wednesday, April 2nd. It costs €12 but from April 9th the fee will rise to €19.
From that date, anyone entering the UK will need to request the ETA in advance of travel – with the exception of those travelling on a UK or Irish passport, or those who have residency status or a visa for the UK.
However the situation for some British dual nationals has been unclear – with an apparent glitch in the website and app used to make ETA applications, plus conflicting advice from official sources adding to the confusion.
As previously reported in The Local, the issue only affects those people who hold British nationality, plus another EU passport (with the exception of an Irish passport) – and who do not have a current, valid, in-date UK passport. In other words they have lost or not renewed their British passport, or never had one in the first place.
Many dual national readers have said they intended to travel to the UK on their other passport, for example French or German – and therefore applied for an ETA.
Advertisement
But an apparent glitch in the ETA application process on the app and website means when they are asked to “declare other nationalities” they are unable to say they are British. This effectively means that either their application won’t go further or they are forced to give misinformation and not say they are British in order to get an ETA.
When seeking advice, dual national travellers who have contacted the UK government say they have received inconsistent information. The Local has also been given some conflicting advice, which all adds to the confusion.
On Tuesday, less than 24 hours, before the scheme goes live, the Home Office was still refusing to provide detailed guidance for British dual nationals who do not have a current, valid UK passport.
The British Embassy in Paris had provided some clarification on the situation for British dual nationals, stating on its Facebook page:
“For British Nationals with an expired British Passport and valid French Passport, you will need to apply for an ETA.
“If you or your children have dual nationality and decide to travel with a French Passport, you/they will need to apply for an ETA.
“If you have a valid British passport, you will not need to apply for an ETA.”
Screenshot of the British Embassy in Paris Facebook page, taken on April 1
However when contacted by The Local, an embassy spokesperson said that the information was wrong and would be corrected.
The Local first flagged this issue in mid-March after reports from readers who were struggling with the app.
The Home Office told us: “Dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship do not need and should not apply for an ETA.
“Under the Immigration Act 1971, British citizens automatically have the right of abode in the UK and are exempt from immigration control. Section 3(9) of that Act provides for a British Citizen to demonstrate their right of abode by showing their UK passport or other passport containing a certificate of entitlement. They cannot use an expired passport.”
Advertisement
When we pointed out that this does not answer the question of British nationals with expired UK passports, the Home Office spokesman declined to offer more advice.
Meanwhile several British dual nationals report that the UK Home Office’s web chat service advised them to “just not mention” their British nationality – in other words lie on the ETA application form.
When The Local spoke to an adviser on the Home Office website, we were advised that British nationals cannot qualify for an ETA and those dual nationals without a valid British passport had three choices; renew their passport, get a certificate of entitlement to travel or get proof of their British citizenship to show the border police. We were also advised to contact the border police to find out what they’d accept.
Screenshot of a chat with a Home Office adviser. The Local.
Renewing a UK passport from overseas costs £101 while a Certificate of Entitlement costs an eye-watering £550. Both process take several weeks.
Advertisement
When asked whether a UK dual national could just travel on their French passport and not mention they were British in the application process we were warned this was “misinformation” and it “would not be accepted”.
What exactly is the app glitch?
An apparent glitch in the ETA app means that it is not possible to list British as a ‘secondary’ nationality.
Dual nationals should, in theory, be able to choose which passport they travel on – on the understanding that if you were using your EU passport then you need an ETA.
However those applying with an EU passport input the details of their passport, plus personal details but then come to a question asking “please list any other nationalities that you hold”.
This takes them to a drop-down menu in which British is not listed as an option – the only options under GB are statuses like ‘British Citizen (Overseas) or British Subject; citizenship status that apply only to small groups of people such as those born in Hong Kong. There is no option to declare oneself a British citizen at this stage.
Tell us your own experiences
The Local would like to hear from anyone who has applied for an ETA as a dual national and travelled to the UK. What were you advised to do? Were there any problems at the border? Please share in the comments section below of email us at news@thelocal.com
