British dual citizens have been offered an expired passport lifeline that could make travelling to the UK easier.
From February 25, dual citizens – including children and babies – will have to present a British passport for flights, ferries or trains into the UK or pay for a ‘certificate of entitlement’, costing £589.
Airlines have reportedly been instructed to deny boarding to dual citizens if they don’t have the necessary documents.
But the Daily Mail understands the Home Office has now informed carriers they can accept expired British passports ‘at their discretion’ if the passenger also has a valid passport from another country.
The expired British passport can be issued as far back as 1989.
It has been left to individual airlines whether they wish to accept this from passengers, and it is not guaranteed.
Travellers are advised to check with the carrier they are flying with beforehand.
A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent: ‘At their own discretion, carriers can accept an expired British passport as alternative documentation.
‘In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s suitability to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.’
The details on the two passports must match – including the name, date of birth and place.
The new rules will come into force from Wednesday – and there has been a backlash from Britons overseas feeling blindsided by the change in border controls.
All people born abroad to a UK parent are automatically eligible for dual citizenship that cannot be renounced until turning 18.
The changes affecting Britain’s dual citizens are coming into force as part of the Home Office’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) programme.
Under the new rules, visitors from nations that previously did not require visas to enter Britain will have to obtain ETAs before coming over – including Canada and France.
And there will be knock-on effects for British dual citizens, it has also been warned.
Anyone travelling to the UK must prove permission to enter – with airline, ferry and train firms able to deny boarding if not given the correct documents.
The changes that come into force from next Wednesday, February 25, stipulate that British dual nationals have to present a valid UK passport or certificate of entitlement when arriving in the country.
That is because British and Irish citizens are exempt from ETAs that require people from overseas to pay £16 to visit the UK for up to six months.
In the past they would have been able to travel with non-British passports and use other documents to confirm their citizenship if necessary.
Dual nationals include UK-born people who have acquired nationality from another country, those who naturalised or registered as British later in life and people who have been dual nationals since birth.