UK's new passport rules for dual citizens are result of border control in digital age

"New passport rules for British dual citizens reflect border control and citizenship in a digital age, writes Nando Sigona in The Conversation. From February 2026, most dual British citizens will need to use a British passport to travel to the UK. Presenting only a non-British passport will no longer be sufficient for boarding flights or ferries, unless it carries a certificate (costing 589) that confirms right of abode."

"Over the past three decades, dual citizenship has become widely accepted internationally. In 1990, fewer than a third of countries allowed dual nationality in cases of naturalisation. By 2016, roughly three-quarters did. This change reflected globalisation. As populations became more mobile, states adapted. Migrants often maintain attachments to more than one country. Dual citizenship is a pragmatic recognition of that reality, allowing people to belong in more than one place without forcing an exclusive choice."

"According to the 2021 census, 1.2% of UK-born residents (587,600) were dual citizens with another country, rising from 0.5% in 2011 (231,600). For non-UK-born residents, 6.5% were dual citizens with the UK in 2021 (648,700), up from 5.1% in 2011 (381,200). The rise reflects broader demographic change, but it also coincided with Brexit. The number of people holding both British and EU passports increased significantly between 2011 and 2021, suggesting that many UK residents sought to retain EU citizenship protections as the UK left the EU,"

From February 2026, most British dual citizens must use a British passport to enter the UK; non-British passports alone will not permit boarding flights or ferries without a certificate confirming right of abode costing 589. The rule aligns dual nationals with the UK's electronic travel authorisation (ETA) system and aims to reduce confusion at border checks. Legally, British citizens retain the right to enter and live in the UK, but the required evidence of that right has changed. Dual citizenship has become more common worldwide, and UK census data show rising dual citizenship rates partly linked to Brexit and retention of EU protections.

Read at www.thelocal.com