After the week of confusion and contradictory information on the functioning of the exemption of Visa ETA of the United Kingdom for Dual British citizens, the United Kingdom government has changed its advice once again, and has created more uncertainty and anger for travelers.
The electronic travel authorization of the United Kingdom (ETA) expanded to all EU/EFA nationals from Wednesday, April 2. It costs € 12, but as of April 9, the rate will increase to € 19.
From that date, anyone who enters the United Kingdom must request the ETA before the trip, with the exception of those who travel in a passport of the United Kingdom or Ireland, or those who have a state of residence or a visa for the United Kingdom.
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However, the situation for British dual nationals has not been clear, with contradictory advice from official sources that add to confusion.
For dual citizens who travel using their passport from the United Kingdom or Irish, the situation is clear: they do not need an ETA.
The confusion has emerged for the dual citizens who choose to travel in their other passport, either because they never had a passport from the United Kingdom; Or simply because they choose to travel in their other passport (for example, to use the same passport tail as their travel companions).
Many dual national readers have said that they intended to travel to the United Kingdom for their other passport, for example, French or German, and therefore requested an ETA.
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But the ETA application process is requested in the application and the website that includes “declare other nationalities”, and at this point they cannot say that they are British. This means that their application will not go further or are forced to give erroneous information and not say that they are British to obtain an ETA.
As many point out, giving erroneous information to enter the United Kingdom can generate problems at the border and sausage open the possibility of being processed.
When looking for advice, dual national travelers who have contacted the United Kingdom government say they have received inconsistent information. The place has also received some conflicting and frequently changing tips, which adds to confusion.
On April 2 as the scheme was addressed, the United Kingdom Interior Ministry initially said to the premises: “We recognize that the introduction of the ETA is a substantial change for the British citizens of the eligible nationalities of ETA, and are sold to travel in their unburned nationality while the scheme is implemented.”
But then, on April 7, the ETA data sheet of the Ministry of Interior changed again as well as the Council.
Now he says: “We recognize that the introduction of the ETA is a substantial change for the British dual citizens of the eligible nationalities of ETA. In the current transition period, we do not expect carriers to neglect the shipment to passengers they cannot.
But this change seems to have created more confusion. What happens if operators deny shipment? Has this information leg communicated to airlines and other travel operators? Show this information sheet will be enough? These dual citizens still need to obtain ETA with their other foreign passport? How long does this “transition period” last?
The Ministry of Interior also establishes: “In the future, British dual citizens who do not have a valid British passport or a certificate of law can find difficulties in the point of boarding or on the border of the United Kingdom. It is recommended that passengers in this position begin to make the necessary arrangements now, to avoid such complications on a date later.”
What does it mean for “necessary arrangements”? Presumable, it means guaranteeing that it has a valid passport of the United Kingdom. But all “British citizens”, even those who never had a passport from the United Kingdom, need to make them get one?
A reminder that the renewal of a passport from the United Kingdom from abroad costs £ 101 (which increases to £ 108 on April 10), while a certificate of law costs a ventilation of £ 550. Both processes take several weeks and in the case of a certificate of law they can involve a visit in person to a visa processing center.
The premises has requested clarifications to the Ministry of Interior, but has not received an answer.
To highlight the confusion, the British embassies in European countries still (as of April 8) gave different tips such as the Screenengrabrs suggest below.
British Embassy Paris’s Facebook page screenshot.
Screening of the Facebook page of the British Embassy Stockholm.
“No one is giving clear answers,” said another.
“This information simply creates even more uncertainty and confusion. It doesn’t help anyone,” said another angry national dual.
Meanwhile, on the Facebook page of the British Embassy Paris there were more angry comments.
“Total complement as usual with contradictory advice from different agencies and departments of the United Kingdom!”
“This is becoming ridiculous,” said another.
The first place marked this problem in mid -March after reports of readers who were fighting with the application.
The Interior Ministry told us: “Dual citizens with British or Irish citizenship do not need and should not request an ETA.
“According to the 1971 Immigration Law, the automatic of British citizens has the right of abode in the United Kingdom and is exempt from immigration control. Section 3 (9) of that law establishes that a British citizen demonstrates its correct sports port, use an expired passport.”
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Reader Steve told us that he had received a advice that was different again: he said: “Border force at Newcastle airport told me at Newcastle airport in February to fly on my Swedish passport and go through the control of passports with my expired United Kingdom. I am. “
Other readers of the premises told us that they simply requested an ETA in their foreign passport and decided not to mention that they are a British citizen. We have no report of dual citizens who have border problems.
Why can’t Dual National travel in your other passport and get an ETA?
Dual citizens must, in theory, be able to choose which passport travel, in the understanding that if they were using their EU passport, then it needs an ETA.
However, those who apply with an EU passport input the details of your passport, plus personal data, but are found to a question “lists any other nationality that you have.”
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This leads them to a fall menu in which the British do not appear as an option: the only options in GB are states such as the British (abroad) or the British subject; Citizenship state that applies only to small groups of people such as those born in Hong Kong. There is no option to declare British citizen at this stage.
The reader Andy reported: “I have double citizenship, including the British, but with an expired British passport and, therefore, I travel in an ETA with my German passport.
“Request the ETA through the application, the additional or previous citizenship list does not include GBR, which applies to people born in the United Kingdom as Myelf. British passport and my birth certificate just in case!”
Other British in Europe reported to disburse for last minute passports to avoid any border problem, although they did not legally need it.
A British summed up the legal problem for the dual nationals they say on Facebook: “I have never requested a passport from the United Kingdom while I keep my other nationality, so I am depositing the fact that they do not mark me as a national dual dual. But I am not very bee”
Tell us your own experiences
The premises would like to know of any British dual citizen who has traveled to the United Kingdom such as the introduction of ETA or who have plans to travel. What was advised to do? Was there any border problem? Share the comments section below the email to news@thelocal.com
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