UK Government Will Deny Dual British Nationals, Including Children, Entry Without British Passport Under New ETA From Feb 25

The UK government will from 25 February require most visitors to hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before boarding a flight, ferry or train.

“Jelena, a British-Latvian dual national, said she only learned of the passport changes recently When Jelena returns home from a "holiday of a lifetime" travelling around South America later this year, she faces being told she can no longer enter the UK”

BBC

It has announced a separate documentation requirement for British dual nationals: they must either travel on a valid British passport or obtain a digital certificate of entitlement attached to their non‑UK passport (cost about £589).

BBC

Dual nationals cannot use the £16 ETA option available to many other visitors, and carriers may refuse boarding to those who cannot prove their right to enter.

The announcement is framed as part of the ETA rollout and wider digital border modernisation.

The change has prompted urgent concern among expatriate families and children born abroad who automatically qualify for British citizenship.

Several outlets report that babies and children will be required to present a British passport or the costly certificate, and that passport processing or certificate applications from overseas can take weeks.

Chronicle Live

Tabloid and expat-focused outlets describe families cancelling or changing trips amid fears infants could be refused entry, while mainstream outlets note people who recently naturalised say they were caught out.

The government’s stated rationale is to modernise the border and make checks consistent with systems used by countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.

“ByWILL HALLOWELL, TRAINEE NEWS REPORTER Published:02:02 GMT, 17 February 2026|Updated:11:29 GMT, 17 February 2026 1”

Daily Mail

Officials say guidance has been published since October 2024 and that a wider communications campaign about the ETA has been running since 2023.

Critics, including campaign groups and some expat voices, say the change was poorly communicated and introduced with little notice, leaving vulnerable people at risk of being delayed or refused entry.

Carriers and Border Force will now check documentation before travel or on arrival.

Some outlets say airlines, ferry and train operators can refuse boarding if travellers cannot prove permission to enter.

DESIblitz

Border Force will have discretion over admissions.

The ETA is described across sources as a digital permission to travel, not a visa, costing £16 and rising to £20.

The ETA allows multiple trips of up to six months at a time over two years.

Dual nationals are excluded from the ETA route and must use passport or certificate routes instead.