Dual Citizens! Travelling with two passports - UK and US

[TMDM 15]

Hey all,

 

I’ll be travelling for the first time next week to the U.K. as a fairly new US citizen. I’m wondering how I use my two passports. I am guessing I show my US one when I leave the US and also show it when leaving the U.K. to the airline and when I re-enter the country. So the only time I need the British one is at U.K. immigration. Is this correct? I have ready conflicting things online about whether to show the U.K. one when you leave the U.K. so they know you left. Any clarification for other dual citizens would be helpful! 

[Mike E 11,739]

3 minutes ago, TMDM said:

Hey all,

 

I’ll be travelling for the first time next week to the U.K. as a fairly new US citizen. I’m wondering how I use my two passports. I am guessing I show my US one when I leave the US and also show it when leaving the U.K. to the airline and when I re-enter the country. So the only time I need the British one is at U.K. immigration. Is this correct? I have ready conflicting things online about whether to show the U.K. one when you leave the U.K. so they know you left. Any clarification for other dual citizens would be helpful! 

Yes, you have it correct. The UK is one of the few countries where the immigration police don't have exit controls (USA and Canada are the only other two I know of) at airports.

 

As far as I know, the UK doesn't have a law requiring you to check into the airline with your UK passport, but if it did, you'd show both passports when leaving the UK.

 

Whenever you are staying in the UK for longer than the 90 days, at check in from the USA you will need to also show your UK passport.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

I only use my UK passport to get in the shorter line upon arrival at Heathrow. If you are flying with American family, they can go with you through that UK Citizens line. 

 

Leaving the UK, you would need a visa or ESTA if using the UK passport, neither of which you have. Use US passport when you leave.

[SalishSea 17,829]

21 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Whenever you are staying in the UK for longer than the 90 days, at check in from the USA you will need to also show your UK passport.

Why?  OP is a citizen.

[Mike E 11,739]

4 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Why?  OP is a citizen.

Indeed.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_the_United_Kingdom

 

I thought Americans could enter the USA visa free for just 90 days, but it is 6 months. So amend what I wrote to say "more than 6 months". In that case, an airline check in clerk, seeing that OP is staying longer than 6 months will ask where the visa entitling OP as a USA citizen to stay past 6 months is. Presenting the UK passport deals with that.

 

(It is 3 months if entering via Ireland).

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

1 minute ago, Mike E said:

Indeed.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_the_United_Kingdom

 

I thought Americans could enter the USA visa free for just 90 days, but it is 6 months. So amend what I wrote to say "more than 6 months". In that case, an airline check in clerk, seeing that OP is staying longer than 6 months will ask where the visa entitling OP as a USA citizen to stay past 6 months is. Presenting the UK passport deals with that.

 

(It is 3 months if entering via Ireland).

 

It is completely moot.  OP is first and foremost a UK citizen.

[Mike E 11,739]

1 minute ago, Jorgedig said:

It is completely moot.  OP is first and foremost a UK citizen.

Good lord.

 

When he checks in to the airline in the USA to travel to the UK, by USA law he must present his USA passport.

 

OP knows this.

 

If he is staying for 6 months or less, he doesn't need to present his UK passport too. 

 

If he is staying for more than 6 months,  then the airline won't board him unless he has one of the following:

 

* A visa in his USA passport allowing him to stay more than 6 months

 

* Proof of a ticket out of the UK before the 6 months

 

* An unexpired UK passport

 

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

Good lord, indeed.  Why complicate things by dragging "if he didn't have his UK passport" etc into it?  

 

Once a British citizen, always a British citizen.  My kids are dual citizens and simply use the UK passport for entering the UK and the US passport for entering the US.  Period.  Never, ever a problem or some hypothetical 6 month stay issue. 

[austex 42]

I agree I am a new US citizen and I enter Australia on an Australian passport and enter US as a US citizen. Nothing is ever asked.

 

M.

[Mike E 11,739]

2 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Good lord, indeed.  Why complicate things by dragging "if he didn't have his UK passport" etc into it?  

 

Once a British citizen, always a British citizen.  My kids are dual citizens and simply use the UK passport for entering the UK and the US passport for entering the US.  Period.  Never, ever a problem or some hypothetical 6 month stay issue. 

In your parallel universe airlines don't ask for visas and passports before boarding international flights. In mine, they ask for visas, passports, and proof of ongoing travel. Over 2 million miles traveled in mine. 

 

A question was asked. I answered it. Welcome to my ignore list.

[SalishSea 17,829]

Just now, Mike E said:

In your parallel universe airlines don't ask for visas and passports before boarding international flights. In mine, they ask for visas, passports, and proof of ongoing travel. Over 2 million miles traveled in mine. 

 

A question was asked. I answered it. Welcome to my ignore list.

Good for you.  I have an equal travel history (yay, me).

 

 I never said passports and visas are not requested before travel.  I said that for the holder of a British passport, the question of a 90-day (or 6 month, or whatever) leave to enter the UK is a moot point.

 

Your insistence that it is an issue isn’t helpful to the OP in any way.

 

We can agree to disagree.

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, austex said:

I agree I am a new US citizen and I enter Australia on an Australian passport and enter US as a US citizen. Nothing is ever asked.

 

M.

Australia is a completely different situation from the UK due to exit controls and electronic travel authorizations.

 

Australia has electronic travel authorizations. When you check in for a flight to Australia from the USA and present your USA passport, you will be asked for your travel authorization. Upon which, you then show your Australian passport.

 

Similarly, Australia has exit controls. When you check in for your flight to USA from Australia, you need your USA passport to avoid the electronic travel authorization issue, and then when you go through Australian passport controls, you need your Australian passport. The airline clerk might want to see your Australian passport too before checking a bag if she cannot find a record of your Australian travel authorization, but I am speculating on this point.

[Ontarkie 14,225]

~~Quit bickering and stick to answering the OP and further derailing will result in admin action.~~

[TMDM 15]

Thanks all for your responses! 

 

So how is it that UK immigration know you left the country if you enter on the U.K. passport but leave on the US one? 

 

That is is what I did on this trip I completed:

 

Leave US - US Passport

Enter U.K. - UK passport

Leave U.K. - US passport

Enter US - US passport

 

is this what everyone does?

 

Interestingly for the first time ever, I got the dreaded SSSS on my boarding pass for extra security screening.

thanks again!

[Wuozopo 4,293]

6 minutes ago, TMDM said:

So how is it that UK immigration know you left the country if you enter on the U.K. passport but leave on the US one? 

Entering as British, there is no limit on how long you can stay so does it matter if they know you left or not?

 

i enter and leave as you did.