Right passport to use for dual nationals?

Flatfacedcat

pieroabcd said:

Any idea?

A few years ago I had a conversation with a border control officer about this and I remember I was told to always use for the entire trip the same passport in order to prevent problems. So if one starts the trip in France with the EU passport then is advised to use the same EU passport for the entire duration of the trip.
Based on what I was advised by the border control officer, doing something like "leaves the French border with the EU passport [...] enters the UK border with the UK passport" would cause the person to have problems at the border control point as likely would be suspected of being engaged in some sort of illegal activities.

jimi_man

Flatfacedcat said:

pieroabcd said:

Any idea?

A few years ago I had a conversation with a border control officer about this and I remember I was told to always use for the entire trip the same passport in order to prevent problems. So if one starts the trip in France with the EU passport then is advised to use the same EU passport for the entire duration of the trip.
Based on what I was advised by the border control officer, doing something like "leaves the French border with the EU passport [...] enters the UK border with the UK passport" would cause the person to have problems at the border control point as likely would be suspected of being engaged in some sort of illegal activities.

This is completely wrong I’m afraid. At least in regards to the U.K.  You can use either passport and enter and leave on different ones. 

When you arrive in the U.K. the border control officer will have no information as to where you’ve come from or what passport you used to exit that country. All they are concerned in is whether you have a valid passport to enter (with visa if necessary). 

DullGreyGuy

smudge56 said:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/names-aligning-names-on-foreign-documents/names-aligning-names-on-foreign-documents-accessible

This is the guidance for name alignment on passports.  The reason for the observation is to link the two identities.   If the passport can only be changed in the country of origin, a letter explaining why you can’t travel to change it will allow the British passport to be issued without alignment.  If the passport can be changed at the embassy in the UK it is expected that it should be done,  all you have to provide is evidence that the process has started.

My point is @smidge56 her old passport was already expired at the time of renewing her UK passport. Let's say she did decide to renew her non-UK passport and pay the judge to allow her to change her name to her British name and so got a new non-UK passport in her British name. In principle that would mean that she could renew her British Passport without a problem next time and yet she would still be holding the same out of date passport that they had to note this time round. Same as many people hold old passport in maiden names etc. 

If the passport wasnt expired then I could see a logic to it, but I dont see a logic to having to note an expired passport but only if no new passport has been applied for. 

eDicky

Flatfacedcat said:

pieroabcd said:

Any idea?

Based on what I was advised by the border control officer, doing something like "leaves the French border with the EU passport [...] enters the UK border with the UK passport" would cause the person to have problems at the border control point as likely would be suspected of being engaged in some sort of illegal activities.

So 'based on' what the officer advised, you've indulged in speculation..?

There's no chance of having problems or being suspected of illegal activity simply by producing your valid UK passport on arrival at the UK border, regardless of which passport was used on prior embarkation.

In fact I'm pretty sure that if you have a UK passport the expectation of UK border control is that you produce it on entry. This gives immediate indication of your right of entry, avoiding any unnecessary work or time spent on the part of the officer, yourself, and those in queue behind you.

Spaceace

I have UK and Irish (EU) passports.   For European trips I use the EU passport exclusively (don't carry UK passport).  For trips outside of Europe I take only the UK passport.   Never had any problems with either.

DullGreyGuy

eDicky said:

In fact I'm pretty sure that if you have a UK passport the expectation of UK border control is that you produce it on entry. This gives immediate indication of your right of entry, avoiding any unnecessary work or time spent on the part of the officer, yourself, and those in queue behind you.

What a random officer may expect isnt particularly relevant, the law doesn't require you to enter on a UK passport. Like Spaceace I too have an Irish passport which equally gives a right to live in the UK as a British one so makes no difference if I present it on returning however the Irish passport does make EU travel easier. 

eDicky

It's true of course, an RoI passport gives the same immediate right of entry to the UK as a UK passport, and its presentation at the border would be equally welcomed. Not having the good fortune to hold an Irish passport myself, I neglected to mention this exception.

Also true that there's no law forbidding use of a foreign passport to enter UK when you also have a UK or RoI one available, but I can't see much point in doing so...

eDicky

This thread reports relevant expectations of Border Force officers:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6483469/lost-passport-travel-on-non-uk-one/p5

jimi_man

eDicky said:

This thread reports relevant expectations of Border Force officers:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6483469/lost-passport-travel-on-non-uk-one/p5

It really depends which posts you read and which you ignore as to whether you get the right answer! 

DullGreyGuy

eDicky said:

This thread reports relevant expectations of Border Force officers:

Border Force Officers dont always get it right... g/friend at the time split with her husband after 15 years of marriage with 5 of those being in the UK via EU rights of the ex. She applied for and was granted Permanent Residency on the basis of retained rights 6 months later correctly declaring she had broken up with her ex but she'd continued meeting the requirements under EU legislation and a couple months later she got her passport back with the PR stamp. 

2 years later on her about 10th trip across the border the BFO asked where her EU relation was. She correctly stated she had no idea as they'd lost contact after the divorce. BFO said that it made the PR invalid, she pointed out the divorce was pre-PR and the divorce/retained rights had been accepted when the PR was issued. He wouldn't engage, just said she was wrong and put her in the holding pen. 3 hours later she was released, he stamped her passport and let her cross the border without explanation or comment. 

A few months later she became a British citizen but needed to travel before she could get her British passport. I had read that being British does invalidate PR and so contacted Immigration at the airport to check. Surprisingly got through to the head of immigration who said he wasnt aware of PR being invalidated but pointed out a British Citizen cannot be denied entry but he would make notes on the system just in case so gave her name etc. He then said it was really spooky as he'd just seen her landing card from her previous trip "and like that time she'd cross without problems"... pointed out that being held for 3 hours in a pen isnt exactly without problems and the Head of Immigration said that the BFO hadn't recorded that on the card. 

So, not only getting it wrong but faking documents too!