How to use multiple passports

[Biker9090]

I have both British and Irish Citizenship (born in the UK and Irish by descent).

I've only had the Irish one since Brexit - for obvious reasons - and whilst it makes EU travel easier it does seem to make me a target for UK Border Force/customs which never happened before.

In theory, can I use my Irish Passport to book the flight/tunnel and enter/exit the EU country with, and my UK passport when I arrive back at UK Border Control? Or would this mean I'm effectively in "no man's land" as far as anyone looking at my Irish Passport is concerned?

[the-norseman]

My cousin who is Australian/British travels from Oz on her Australian passport and arrives into Britain on her British one. She's never had issues.

[abzmike]

How does it ‘make you a target’? I’m sure they have bigger fish to fry.
If travelling to the EU why not just use the Irish passport, in and out, you got for that purpose?

[fourthpedal]

Biker9090 said:

I have both British and Irish Citizenship (born in the UK and Irish by descent).

I've only had the Irish one since Brexit - for obvious reasons - and whilst it makes EU travel easier it does seem to make me a target for UK Border Force/customs which never happened before.

In theory, can I use my Irish Passport to book the flight/tunnel and enter/exit the EU country with, and my UK passport when I arrive back at UK Border Control? Or would this mean I'm effectively in "no man's land" as far as anyone looking at my Irish Passport is concerned?

- Checking in: use the passport of the destination country (or EU passport for any EU country).
- Border: use the passport of the border you are crossing.

For an EU->UK flight this means you'd check in on the UK passport, cross the EU border on an EU passport, and enter the UK on the UK passport. Meanwhile, going to the EU, you'd only ever have to use the EU passport because there's no formal exit check in the UK. Where things get tricky is when the border check cross-references against check-in data. EU countries don't seem to this, but the UK might (the US certainly does). You might confuse the system if you check in for a UK bound flight/train with an Irish passport and arrive on a UK passport or vice-versa.

Multi-citizens are common, the only situation where you might have trouble is if the passport data doesn't match exactly, including middle names. The UK passport office is very particular about this.

But actually you can probably ignore most of what I wrote thanks to the CTA - you probably wouldn't run into any issues always entering the UK on an Irish passport because they're generally not going to be as worried about overstays. What I wrote is more useful for UK+other citizens.

Edited by fourthpedal on Tuesday 10th September 17:23

[QuickQuack]

It's absolutely fine. I have dual nationality with another country and have always left UK with my UK passport, entered destination with with my preferred passport, exited the country in question with the passport I entered it, re-entered UK with my UK passport. Never had an issue in many decades. Neither did anybody in my family. After Brexit, Mrs QQ got her Irish passport by descent and has been doing exactly the same, still no problems.

[whimsical ninja]

I have two passports - one EU and one other (never felt the need to get a British one). Generally the EU one fulfils all my needs. You're the same person whatever document you use to request permission (or get his Britannic Majesty to request and require, or whatever imperialist guff it says). The fact that someone else's administrative life may get trickier because you're using two passports shouldn't be your concern.

[Biker9090]

abzmike said:

How does it ‘make you a target’? I’m sure they have bigger fish to fry.
If travelling to the EU why not just use the Irish passport, in and out, you got for that purpose?

Because in 30+ years of UK passport use I've never been stopped.

All six times using the Irish one I've been stopped every time.

[Biker9090]

fourthpedal said:

- Checking in: use the passport of the destination country (or EU passport for any EU country).
- Border: use the passport of the border you are crossing.

For an EU->UK flight this means you'd check in on the UK passport, cross the EU border on an EU passport, and enter the UK on the UK passport. Meanwhile, going to the EU, you'd only ever have to use the EU passport because there's no formal exit check in the UK. Where things get tricky is when the border check cross-references against check-in data. EU countries don't seem to this, but the UK might (the US certainly does). You might confuse the system if you check in for a UK bound flight/train with an Irish passport and arrive on a UK passport or vice-versa.

Edited by fourthpedal on Tuesday 10th September 17:23

Yes, this is an issue. For the whole package holiday we're on at the moment I've used the Irisih one inc check in both ways (didn't give me an option to do otherwise).

I do have both with me however.

[Simpo Two]

Biker9090 said:

I have both British and Irish Citizenship (born in the UK and Irish by descent).

I've only had the Irish one since Brexit - for obvious reasons -

Biker9090 said:

I do have both with me however.

[eeLee]

the short answer is if you're entering a country where you have the passport, use it. So if you have a UK passport and are entering the UK, use that one.

For everywhere else, choose the *best* one for the task.

I use my Swiss one mostly because any visas are usually cheaper if needed (or can be avoided). There is usually a reciprocal charge for stamps and the like - and the UK isn't the cheapest one....

Oh and I will let my UK passport lapse, it's stupidly expensive to renew from abroad.

[romft123]

Heres a scenario I want to try but am scared...

Say I have a UK and another non EU passport, and I want to visit say France a bit. So I go over the channel for 3 months minus 1 day....then a month later, go back to France with my other non UK passport. What would happen......?

If theres no biometrics either way, will I get away with 3 months?
What if there are biometrics...will the alarm go off .....

[fourthpedal]

eeLee said:

Oh and I will let my UK passport lapse, it's stupidly expensive to renew from abroad.

ETA might make that a problem if you want to travel to the UK from 2025 onwards. You'd need to apply for an ETA for non-UK/Irish passports, but there's a good chance they'd prohibit you from applying for one if you are also a citizen. I think that's the case for the Canadian ETA.

[eeLee]

fourthpedal said:

ETA might make that a problem if you want to travel to the UK from 2025 onwards. You'd need to apply for an ETA for non-UK/Irish passports, but there's a good chance they'd prohibit you from applying for one if you are also a citizen. I think that's the case for the Canadian ETA.

I do believe that an expired UK passport will be valid for travel into the UK but naturally not for other purposes. I've a couple of years before that day comes so I will do my research. Thanks, though, for reminding me.

[XJSJohn]

Biker9090 said:

I have both British and Irish Citizenship (born in the UK and Irish by descent).

I've only had the Irish one since Brexit - for obvious reasons - and whilst it makes EU travel easier it does seem to make me a target for UK Border Force/customs which never happened before.

In theory, can I use my Irish Passport to book the flight/tunnel and enter/exit the EU country with, and my UK passport when I arrive back at UK Border Control? Or would this mean I'm effectively in "no man's land" as far as anyone looking at my Irish Passport is concerned?

I have the same dual citizenship, my kids have triple (indonesian too), so regularly swapping passports.

never had any issues with Border Force "singling me out",

Enter / Exit the uk on your UK passport, switch over and enter France (or any other country) on your Irish one, if thats what you want to do.

[Pistom]

If you use an EU passport to enter the UK - does it not get an entry stamp?

I've always used my UK passport for going out and coming in, with EU passport for overseas use only.

If I could use my EU only, it saves taking my UK one.

[Boleros]

My wife has EU/UK and was questioned by the Border Force last year as she used one to exit and the other to enter, was told to present both passports next time. Next time, she presented both passports and Border bloke asked why she was handing both over. Since then, no issues using either/or.

[fourthpedal]

Pistom said:

If you use an EU passport to enter the UK - does it not get an entry stamp?

I've always used my UK passport for going out and coming in, with EU passport for overseas use only.

If I could use my EU only, it saves taking my UK one.

EU passport holders can use E-gates for most travel, and E-gate users don't get stamped.

It's hard to control what passport you use when leaving, because it's whatever passport you gave the airline during checkin.

Boleros said:

My wife has EU/UK and was questioned by the Border Force last year as she used one to exit and the other to enter, was told to present both passports next time. Next time, she presented both passports and Border bloke asked why she was handing both over. Since then, no issues using either/or.

Is it possible she checked in for a flight to the UK on one passport, and presented the other passport on arrival at the border? I know a few people who repeatedly enter on UK, and "leave" on the non-UK (by checking in with their non-UK), and they've had zero issues. Mind you, they're always entering via e-gates but the e-gates can redirect you to a border guard if needed.

[Biker9090]

Pistom said:

If you use an EU passport to enter the UK - does it not get an entry stamp?

I've always used my UK passport for going out and coming in, with EU passport for overseas use only.

If I could use my EU only, it saves taking my UK one.

If it's Irish you won't get the stamp either way.

[Biker9090]

XJSJohn said:

never had any issues with Border Force "singling me out",

Bully for you. There is either a MASSIVE coincidence in the circa half a dozen times I've used it or they are.

Nothing is ever verified, they just run off a list of questions whilst being as difficult as possible.

[tex200]

eeLee said:

it's stupidly expensive to renew from abroad.

It really isn’t, it was about £30 extra to get mine. And at 10 days from application to delivery to New Zealand was pretty damn good service.