British citizen travelling on foreign passport? Visa?

smudge56

If the passport is still valid for travel you can request it back for the journey and return it when the trip is over. If it expires whilst in the uk, a faST track appointment can be made for renewal of the passport. Only thing about that is that the fee for the overseas passport would be retained by HMPO

martindow

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

There are no holes. A British citizen remains a British citizen irrespective of any documents held. I do not cease to be a Polish citizen when using my other citizenship for some purposes. The Polish authorities, just like the British authorities to British citizens, regard me as being Polish at all times.

Yes, but the problem is that you will not get to London to argue your case. In the OP's example the airline in Bolivia will not allow a passenger on with a Bolivian passport and no UK visa. I don't think they will be swayed by any paperwork apart from a valid visa or a UK passport.

peachyprice

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

There are no holes. A British citizen remains a British citizen irrespective of any documents held. I do not cease to be a Polish citizen when using my other citizenship for some purposes. The Polish authorities, just like the British authorities to British citizens, regard me as being Polish at all times.

And sureky, by the same token, OP's friend does not cease to be Bolivian and is entitled to apply for a visa to enter the UK on his Bolivian passport.

You can't have it both ways.

yellowmug

PolishBigSpender is entirely correct - the man is a British citizen regardless of documentation. He is also clearly not eligible for a visa to enter the UK, as he's a dual national.

I would contact the airline to find out what documentation he needs. I suspect he might have to get an emergency travel document from the nearest British embassy or consulate, but perhaps another solution could be found.

InsideInsurance

peachyprice wrote: »

And sureky, by the same token, OP's friend does not cease to be Bolivian and is entitled to apply for a visa to enter the UK on his Bolivian passport.

You can't have it both ways.

You can always apply, he may however get declined as a Bolivian because he is British and thus free from immigration control. Traditionally you wouldnt get a visa in your foreign passport but instead a right to abode stamp but I heard they'd stopped them.

Voyager2002 wrote: »

someone travelling on a Bolivian or Chinese passport needs a visa to enter the UK, whether or not they are also entitled to a British passport.

This is wrong, my wife's "visa" in her non-EU passport was immediately invalidated by her becoming a british citizen. We spoke to immigration because we hadnt been aware of this and had a short break booked for a week or so after the ceremony.

The chief immigration officer at Gatwick said that they cannot refuse entry to a british citizen even if they dont have a british passport and she should simply bring her certificate of naturalisation with her in case she was challenged with her non-EU passport.

PolishBigSpender

martindow wrote: »

Yes, but the problem is that you will not get to London to argue your case. In the OP's example the airline in Bolivia will not allow a passenger on with a Bolivian passport and no UK visa. I don't think they will be swayed by any paperwork apart from a valid visa or a UK passport.

It's entirely at the airline's discretion. I wouldn't turn up at the airport unannounced, but it may well be possible to get the airline to agree in advance that a Bolivian passport combined with reasonable proof of British citizenship may be enough.


These things are not black and white, as the airlines aren't obliged to check documents. They only do so because of the fines in place, no other reason.

peachyprice wrote:

And sureky, by the same token, OP's friend does not cease to be Bolivian and is entitled to apply for a visa to enter the UK on his Bolivian passport.

Nope. A British citizen is not entitled to apply for a visa, because they are already exempt from immigration control under the relevant laws. When you enter the UK as a citizen exempt from immigration control, the passport control is rather an identity check. That's why passports are not marked, because the marking implies that immigration control has taken place.


He can be Bolivian too, but under international law, the British authorities will recognise him solely as British. His Bolivian citizenship is more or less an irrelevance for the British.


InsideInsurance, thank you for clarifying with a personal example.

peachyprice

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

He can be Bolivian too, but under international law, the British authorities will recognise him solely as British. His Bolivian citizenship is more or less an irrelevance for the British.

If he turns up at immigration control in the UK with a Bolivian passport they won't know he's a British citizen.

My brother always travels on his Australian passport, he's treated as an Australian at immigration and has never been asked if he's a British citizen or been treated as solely a British citizen.

InsideInsurance

peachyprice wrote: »

If he turns up at immigration control in the UK with a Bolivian passport they won't know he's a British citizen.

Just like my brother always travels on his Australian passport, he's treated as an Australian at immigration and has never been asked if he's a British citizen.

This however was in relation to asking for a british visa and you'd hope to get a british visa they'd do at least some enquiries and this MAY pick up his british nationality. He used to have a british passport so they'd also have a photo to compare with the one in the Bolivian passport.

peachyprice

InsideInsurance wrote: »

This however was in relation to asking for a british visa and you'd hope to get a british visa they'd do at least some enquiries and this MAY pick up his british nationality. He used to have a british passport so they'd also have a photo to compare with the one in the Bolivian passport.

Or it may not

InsideInsurance

peachyprice wrote: »

Or it may not

I dont have a scoobies of what checks they ever do on visa applications. Went through the whole process with a few relatives and the wife's naturalisation etc and beyond the basic documents you send its a black art as far as I am concerned