British dual nationals may be allowed to use an expired UK passport to prove their nationality to airlines when controversial new immigration rules come into force next Wednesday, the Home Office has said. Carriers can accept expired passports ‘at their own discretion’ as an alternative to a valid British passport or a costly ‘certificate of entitlement’.
From 5 February, anyone with British dual nationality travelling to the UK must present a valid British passport when boarding a plane, ferry or train, or have a certificate of entitlement costing £589 attached to their foreign passport. Transport operators risk fines if they board passengers without proper documentation.
The Liberal Democrats have called for a grace period to allow affected travellers time to obtain new passports, a process that can take weeks. Will Forster, the Lib Dems’ immigration spokesperson, said the changes had left many dual nationals ‘in the lurch’, unable to visit ill relatives or attend important family events. He urged the government to provide a low-cost alternative.
In a statement on Thursday, the Home Office said that at their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation. Individuals who have previously had a British passport can also apply for an emergency travel document if they urgently need to enter the UK.
Immigration barrister Morgan Read noted that the Immigration Act 1971 does not require a valid passport to prove British citizenship; expired passports can be used for that purpose. Many British citizens abroad have complained they have not had time to renew their passports before the rule change, with some cancelling trips to family events.
