Key Takeaways:
- From February 25, dual citizens of the UK and Ireland will need to use a valid British or Irish passport, or a foreign passport with a certificate of entitlement (COE), to enter the UK.
- A COE is a document that proves the holder has the right to stay in the UK and costs £589 ($1,180) when applied for outside of the UK or Ireland.
- Most travelers to the UK from visa-exempt countries, including Australia and the US, will need to have an electronic travel authorization (ETA) from February 25, which costs around $32.
- Dual citizens can check their citizenship status on the UK government website and can apply for a COE or renew their British or Irish passport if necessary.
- Renouncing citizenship is not necessary unless the individual does not want a UK passport or to pay for a COE.
Introduction to the Changes
From February 25, dual citizens of the UK and Ireland will have to follow new passport regulations, implemented by each country separately. The changes have caused panic among many Australians with dual citizenship who plan to travel to the UK or Ireland in the next few months. British Australian retiree Ian Fletcher is one such individual, who is meant to be going on a seven-week holiday to the UK with his wife, Vicki, in April, but it may not go ahead due to passport changes. To avoid such complications, it is essential to understand the new regulations and the options available to dual citizens.
Understanding the Certificate of Entitlement
A certificate of entitlement (COE) is a document placed in a foreign passport to prove the passport holder has the right to stay in the UK. It allows the holder to live and work in the country without immigration restrictions or a time limit. The COE is an expensive option, costing £589 ($1,180) when applied for outside of the UK or Ireland. Every time the passport is renewed, the COE will need to be renewed as well. Without a British passport or a COE, dual citizens will not be able to board a plane or ship to the UK on or after February 25.
Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
From February 25, most travelers to the UK from visa-exempt countries, including Australia and the US, will need to have an electronic travel authorization (ETA). The digital permit is required for those entering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and will cost around $32. The ETA is valid for two years or until the holder’s passport expires, and the holder can travel to the UK as much as they like during that time. The UK’s Home Office advises that the quickest way to apply for an ETA is via the UK ETA app, available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Checking Citizenship Status
Associate professor Dannielle Ireland-Piper, a citizenship expert at the Australian National University, notes that the concept of dual citizenship can be very complex. She advises that it is up to each nation to determine who is its citizen, and historically, this has created complications in Australia, where MPs had to work out whether they were a citizen or may have had the status or not been aware of it. To figure out if you are a British citizen, you have to follow the British system to work it out, which can create complications in a world where people often have a relationship or connection to more than one country through ancestry, marriage, or residency.
Dual Citizenship and the UK
Many countries do not allow dual citizenship, but the UK does. This means that existing British citizens can apply for a foreign citizenship without forfeiting their rights in the UK. Additionally, you may be considered a UK citizen, even if you hold foreign citizenship elsewhere, if you have a parent who is considered a national of the UK, apply for citizenship of Australia or another country and do not renounce your UK citizenship, were born in the UK, or have a parent who was born in the UK. British citizenship is normally automatically passed down one generation to children born outside the UK if one of the parents is a citizen at the time of birth.
Dual Citizenship and Ireland
If you or your parent were born on the island of Ireland before 2005, you are an Irish citizen. You can apply for an Irish passport without making an application for citizenship. If you, or your parent, were born on the island of Ireland on or after January 1, 2005, your right to dual Irish citizenship depends on the parents’ citizenship at the time of the birth and the residency history of one of the parents before the birth. Your entitlement to an Irish passport through ancestry does not mean you are automatically a citizen. If you are unsure, it is best to check with Irish authorities like the Embassy.
Renouncing Citizenship
You do not have to renounce your citizenship unless you do not want your UK passport or to pay for a COE. You can apply to give up your British citizenship to the UK government. If accepted, you’ll get a "declaration of renunciation" that you can use to show that you’re no longer British. If you give up your British citizenship, it could affect the status of children you have in the future. You can only give it up if you already have citizenship elsewhere or you will get another citizenship after giving it up. It is essential to consider the implications of renouncing citizenship before making a decision.
