UNITED KINGDOM: New entry rules a costly trap for Australian dual citizens

Australians who also hold British citizenship are facing a rude shock with new UK border rules coming into force later this year.

From February 25, 2026, anyone holding British or Irish citizenship will be required to enter the United Kingdom with a valid UK or Irish passport or a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). Travelling solely on an Australian passport will no longer be permitted, even for people who have lived in Australia for decades.

The change has triggered a rush to renew expired passports, thrown travel plans into doubt, and, in some cases, led people to question the worth of retaining their British citizenship.

A rule change catches travellers off guard

Under the new arrangements, British-Australian dual citizens who arrive in the UK without a valid UK or Irish passport will no longer be able to rely on visa-free entry.

Instead, they must either renew their British passport, apply for a Certificate of Entitlement, or formally renounce their UK citizenship.

The change has come as a surprise, causing confusion and stress for those dual citizens with imminent travel plans.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it has raised concerns from travellers with the British High Commission.

The cost dilemma

For many, the decision comes down to money and paperwork. Renewing a British passport costs about AU$190, making it the cheapest option, if you have the right documents.

A Certificate of Entitlement costs around AU$1,100 and at AU$1,000, there is even a cost of renouncing British citizenship.

For people who lack birth certificates, parental records or proof of nationality, renewing their UK passport could be more expensive than than requesting a CoE or renouncing their UK citizenship.

UK passport website scams

Adding to the stress, some applicants are being caught out by third-party websites that closely mimic official UK government pages.

Some dual citizens have unknowingly applied for their passports through what they thought was a government website after a quick Google search. Web entrepreneurs have been quick to post sites charging anywhere from £314 (about AU$650) upwards for a passport. That is more than three times the real cost.

The issue is that these may not technically be illegal, as they offer private “passport assistance” services. The lesson is make sure that you are dealing with the official UK Government website. That means it should have ‘.gov.uk’ in the web address.

If you want to gain your UK passport, then the address is: https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

Avoiding passport scams

There are five rules of thumb you should use to avoid this UK passport scam:

• Check that websites end in .gov.uk
• Avoid sponsored ads in search results
• Cross-check information with official sources
• Be wary of ‘urgent’ or fast-track offers
• Don’t click links sent by email

So you want to renounce your UK citizenship

You should pause before making such an irreversible decision, especially in a moment of frustration. British citizenship could still offer you some practical advantages, particularly if you may want to live or work in the UK in future. Giving up your UK citizenship also means losing voting rights and potentially affecting your children’s citizenship rights.

There are also financial implications. Some retirees remain concerned about how renunciation might affect access to UK state pensions linked to National Insurance contributions.

Don’t just renounce in a fit of pique! Think it through.

What dual citizens should do now

If you hold both Australian and British citizenship and plan to travel to the UK, you will need a valid UK or Irish passport from February 25, 2026.

Your options are:

• Renew your British passport via the official site: https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport
• Apply for a Certificate of Entitlement
• Seek professional advice before considering renunciation

There are more than 1.1 million UK-born residents living in Australia so you won’t be alone in your dilemma.

2PAXfly Takeout

I’m not personally affected by this change, since I’m not a dual citizen of any country. However, people close to me are dual citizens, but fortunately have always kept their UK passports current, using it to enter and leave the UK. Until recently, using your UK passport made entry to the UK much easier. These days, with electronic entry, that is less of the case.

But, if I were in this situation, I would cough up the money. Losing your dual citizenship, while possibly cost-saving in the short term, means you are giving up a bunch of rights that you may regret in the future. I’m going for the short-term pain, for long-term gain route myself.

So, if you are a dual Australian and UK citizen and intend to travel to the UK soon, check that your passport is valid for 6 months beyond your travel date, or get it renewed before you leave.