A 15-year-old British teenager was stranded in Rome for six weeks, missing school, after being refused boarding on her flight home due to new passport rules requiring dual nationals to present a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement to enter the UK.
The girl, who had been visiting her grandmother in Italy, was caught out by the policy change, which came into effect on 25 February 2026. Under the rules, dual British citizens must show either a British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement—costing £589—to prove their citizenship. The requirement mirrors policies already in place in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Father Criticises Government Bureaucracy
The girl's father, author Rowan Somerville, described the ordeal as a 'bureaucratic nightmare'. He told the Guardian that his daughter's case was shunted between the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). 'They are playing with people’s lives,' he said. 'A child’s education. It is loathsome.'
The teenager's school wrote to both government departments expressing concern over her 'prolonged absence from education'. Joe Powell, the local MP for Kensington and Bayswater, also made representations to the Home Office on the family's behalf.
Emergency Travel Document Issued After Delays
Initially, the family was told that a temporary passport could not be issued because the girl had never held a British passport. The FCDO eventually issued an emergency travel document in May, allowing her to return home. The incident occurred in April and May.
Somerville claimed the policy change was poorly communicated. 'Thankfully, we were able to help and she’s now at home and back in school, but unfortunately this was not an isolated case, and it raises serious concerns about how government departments communicate policy changes once they’ve been introduced – and support those who have slipped through the net,' he said.
Passport Application Took Three Months
Even after returning, the process of obtaining a British passport for the girl took three months, despite standard processing times of three weeks. The Home Office states that applications may take longer when additional information is required. Somerville said he spoke to over a dozen officials during the process. At one point, he was told that an official could no longer speak to him because his daughter had turned 16.
'This is the kind of general circumlocution that goes on, the sheer lack of intelligent use of manpower,' Somerville said. 'They should be focusing on real cases, which need effort. The frontline customer staff are very kind. But it is not their fault they are impotent.'
Other Similar Cases Reported
Somerville's daughter is not the only child affected. Other cases include a young British woman trying to return from Spain and children coming back from Denmark. A Home Office spokesperson told the Mirror: 'This individual was granted an Emergency Travel Document in May, enabling them to return to the UK. We also remained in contact regarding a passport application, and once the required information was received and checks were concluded, a passport was issued within eight days.'
The spokesperson added: 'Since 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens have needed to present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when travelling to the UK. Without one, carriers cannot verify British citizenship, which may lead to delays or refused boarding.'
The Mirror has approached the FCDO for further comment.
