New UK border rules: Dual British citizens will not be allowed to enter without UK passport

British individuals with dual citizenship may not be able to enter the UK anymore if they don’t have a British passport. They have been warned they could be denied boarding a flight, ferry or train to the UK after February 25 if they do not carry a valid British passport. The change will come into effect on February 25, following new border rules by the Home Office stating that everyone travelling to the UK will need permission to travel, unless they are a British or Irish citizen, or are otherwise exempt. ## What if one doesn’t have a British passport? Visitors making short stays must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation costing £16 (Rs 1,977). However, for the first time, dual citizens will be obliged to show their British passport to travel to the UK or pay £589 (Rs 72,799) for a “certificate of entitlement” to attach to their second nationality passport in order to board a flight, ferry or train. As reported by The Guardian, a Home Office spokesperson said: “From 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border.” They said this was part of a digitisation programme to enable a “seamless travel experience”, while also giving the government “greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and gives us a fuller picture of immigration”. The EU citizens’ campaign group known as “The 3 Million” called for a scheme offering a low-cost, one-off travel authorisation, structured in much the same way as the one in place in Canada. “The UK already has the technology to do the same, so we urge them to act now to ensure British citizens are not locked out of their own country,” said Monique Hawkins, the head of policy and advocacy at The 3 Million, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.