If you're an Australian or American who also holds British citizenship—whether by birth, descent, or naturalization—pay close attention. A rule change coming into effect on February 25, 2026 could leave you stranded at the airport if you're not prepared.
For years, many Australian-British dual citizens have traveled to the UK on their Australian passport without a second thought (and Americans have done the same). Your UK passport expired years ago, or maybe you never got one, and it didn't matter—you could still enter the UK just fine.
That's about to change. And the consequences of not being prepared are serious: denied boarding before you even get on the plane.
What's Changing?
The UK has been rolling out its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system since 2023. Think of it like Australia's ETA or the US ESTA—a digital travel permit required for visa-free visitors.
Here's the catch: British and Irish citizens are exempt from the ETA. You don't need one because you're a citizen with an automatic right to enter and live in the UK.
But here's where it gets complicated. Because you're exempt from the ETA, you can't apply for one. The system treats you as a citizen, not a visitor. And from February 25, 2026, when you try to check in for your flight to the UK, the airline's system will need to verify that you have permission to enter.
If you're traveling on an Australian passport with no proof of your British citizenship, the system can't verify you. And airlines—facing fines of up to £2,000 per passenger they bring without proper documentation—will deny you boarding.
Who Does This Affect?
This change impacts any Australian who:
- Holds British citizenship (by birth, descent, marriage, or naturalization) AND
- Holds a citizenship of another country AND
- Has been traveling to the UK using their non-British passport
This includes people who:
- Never applied for a UK passport
- Let their UK passport expire years ago
- Have a UK passport but prefer traveling on their other passport for convenience
- Became British citizens but kept using their other-country documents
About 300,000 Australian residents hold UK passports, and more than 80,000 visited the UK in 2025. Many of them traveled using expired UK documents alongside Australian passports—a practice that's about to become very risky.
Who Isn't Affected?
If you only hold Australian citizenship (no British or Irish citizenship), you're not affected by the dual citizen rules. You simply need to apply for an ETA before traveling to the UK. It costs £16 (~AUD$32), is valid for two years, and most applications are approved within minutes.
If you already have a valid UK or Irish passport, you're fine. Just make sure you travel with it and enter it into the online systems when entering the UK.
This also only applies when flying into the UK, so for flights in and out of the US, you should see no issues at all and can continue flying however you have done so in the past. If you are making an “airside” transfer through the UK (where you don't go through immigration and simply land in the airport and take-off again) you should not be affected by this change because you generally would not require an ETA to do so. This being said, airlines are facing severe fines if they allow you to board (without the documentation you need) and this means that there's a chance you will have issues boarding the plane.
While the technical rule says one thing, it's always best to err on the side of caution and assume that not everyone in the process will be as informed as you.
Your Three Options for Flying Safely
If you're an Australian-British dual citizen, you have three ways to enter the UK from February 25:
Option 1: Get or Renew Your UK Passport (Recommended)
This is the simplest and cheapest long-term solution.
Cost: £102 for adults (~AUD$190)
Processing time: 3-4 weeks for renewals, 4-6 weeks for first-time applications when applying from Australia
How to apply: All UK passport applications from Australia are completed online at GOV.UK. There's no British consulate or embassy that processes passports in person—everything is submitted online and your documents are couriered to the UK.
Important: You'll need to send your old passport (if you have one) to the UK as part of the application. Don't book travel until your new passport arrives.
Option 2: Certificate of Entitlement
If you don't want a UK passport but need to prove your right to enter the UK, you can apply for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE). This is a physical stamp placed in your Australian passport that proves you have the “right of abode” in the UK.
Cost: £589 (~AUD$1,180)
Processing time: About 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK
Good news from February 26: From 26 February 2026 the UK will be issuing certificates of entitlement in digital format. Once you have a digital certificate you will not need to make and pay for a new application each time your passport expires. Instead you must update your record to show you have a new passport and upload a new photo. These updates will be free.
The catch: A COE costs six times more than a passport, and until now, you've had to reapply every time your passport expired. The new digital format fixes the renewal issue, but the upfront cost is still steep.
For most people, just getting a UK passport makes more sense.
Option 3: Renounce Your UK Citizenship
You could formally give up your British citizenship, then travel to the UK as a regular Australian visitor with an ETA.
This is a drastic, irreversible step. You'd lose your right to live and work in the UK, access to the NHS, and any other benefits of British citizenship—permanently.
Unless you have a very specific reason to do this, it's not recommended.
The Deadline: February 25, 2026
From 25 February 2026, dual British citizens who cannot produce a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement will need to have additional identity checks and will not be able to go through UK passport control until their British nationality is verified.
More critically, airlines will be checking documentation at check-in, not at the UK border. Traveling with only a foreign passport (including Australian, EU or US passports) will result in denied boarding, even before reaching UK border control. Airlines are being instructed to strictly enforce these rules.
If you show up at Sydney or Melbourne airport with just your Australian passport and no proof of UK citizenship, you're not getting on that plane.
What About Australian Exit Requirements?
Here's an important wrinkle: Australia requires its citizens to leave and enter the country on their Australian passport.
So if you're an Australian-British dual citizen flying to the UK, you need to:
- Use your Australian passport to leave Australia
- Use your UK passport (or COE) to enter the UK
- Use your UK passport to leave the UK
- Use your Australian passport to re-enter Australia
This means you need to carry both passports when traveling between Australia and the UK. This has always been the case, but with the new enforcement, it's now essential.
Real Consequences Are Already Happening
Travel advisors have reported clients in tears, with losses stretching into the tens of thousands of dollars as trips are canceled or disrupted due to documentation issues.
The changes were only widely publicized in January 2026, leaving many travelers scrambling. If you have upcoming UK travel, act now—don't assume you can sort it out at the airport.
What If I Need to Travel Urgently?
If you have travel booked before February 25, you can still fly on your Australian passport under the current grace period.
If you need to travel after February 25 but can't get a passport or COE in time:
- Emergency Travel Document: You may be able to get an emergency travel document from the British High Commission if you've already submitted a passport application. These are typically processed quickly (sometimes same-day) but require an appointment and only cover specific travel.
- Reschedule your trip: This isn't what anyone wants to hear, but it may be your safest option if you can't get documentation sorted in time.
Step-by-Step: What to Do Now
If you're a dual citizen planning UK travel in 2026:
- Check your UK passport validity. If it's expired or you don't have one, apply now.
- Apply online at GOV.UK for a new or renewed passport. Budget 4-6 weeks from Australia.
- Don't book travel until your passport arrives. Processing times can vary.
- Carry both passports when traveling between Australia and the UK.
If you're an Australian citizen with no UK ties:
- Apply for an ETA before your trip at GOV.UK
- Cost is £16 (~AUD$32), valid for 2 years
- Most applications are approved within minutes, but allow up to 3 days
The Bottom Line
The UK isn't changing who can enter—if you're a British citizen, you still have every right to live and work there. What's changing is how you prove it.
For years, the system was flexible. You could show up with an Australian passport and sort things out at the border. That flexibility ends on February 25, 2026.
If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of Australians with British citizenship, the time to act is now. A UK passport costs less than $200 and takes a few weeks. A denied boarding costs you your flight, your trip, and potentially thousands in rebooking fees and lost accommodations.
Don't be the person crying at the check-in counter. Get your documentation sorted.
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