Up to 250,000 Australians could be stopped from boarding flights to the United Kingdom from next week under strict new entry rules. Words by Ella McIlveen.
From February 25, Australian-British and Australian-Irish dual nationals must enter the UK on a valid British or Irish passport. If travelling on another passport, travellers will need a Certificate of Entitlement, setting them back around $1,130.
They will not be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visa. The changes apply even if the person lives permanently in Australia and usually travels on an Australian passport.
Some people born in Australia are only just discovering they’re also British citizens through descent and now face hefty fees and delays to visit the UK. Without the correct documentation, airlines, ferry operators and train services may refuse boarding.
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The UK government has advised the new requirements are being rolled out as part of a broader immigration streamlining program. The UK’s Liberal Democrats say the changes have not be clearly communicated to those who are set to be affected.
“Many who don’t currently hold a British passport find themselves stranded abroad, having to stump up potentially huge sums of money and face long waits just to get back home,” said Shadow Immigration and Asylum Minister Will Forster.
“While they sort out the chaos, the government should allow a grace period, as many dual nations are in heartbreaking circumstances, unable to visit ill family members or attend weddings and funerals. They must also urgently provide a low-cost, affordable alternative to the current system.”
Aussie travel professionals have also indicated an increased “wave of confused and distressed travellers” who are only now realising the rules apply to them.
According to Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), an 80-year-old couple preparing to fly from Adelaide to the UK recently discovered they were “technically British.”
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“They discovered they may be considered UK citizens because their parents were born there, despite having lived their entire lives in Australia and never holding UK passports,” the association said.
The couple now face either having to fork out hundreds to formally renounce their citizenship, or applying for UK passports with significant processing delays.
Another family was forced to cancel and rebook their long-awaited trip to the UK after they realised too late that they required UK passports and couldn’t obtain them in time.
“The postponement came at considerable financial and emotional expense,” the association said.
ATIA revealed that many travellers only discover the issue when prompted with questions such as: where a parent was born, where the individual was born, and whether they’ve ever held another citizenship.
“What used to be a simple holiday booking has now become a deep dive into family history and immigration law,” they said.
Applying for an adult British passport costs between £94.50 and £107.50 (about $180-$205), depending on the number of pages. Dual citizens are being urged to carry both their valid UK and Australian passports when entering and exiting the UK, and their Australian passport for travel to Australia.
This article originally appeared on news.com.au. It has been published here with permission.
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