Kenneth Glad
Passengers heading back to Britain are being stopped at check-in desks and told they cannot fly. The problem is showing up before departure, not at the UK border.
Since 25 February, dual nationals must show a British passport or a certificate of entitlement, which confirms their right to enter the UK.
The change was outlined in government guidance on gov.uk ahead of rollout, but some travellers only encountered it at the airport, reports The Guardian.
Airline staff now check documents during check-in. If the passport is missing, boarding is refused. No appeal process at the desk. No boarding pass issued.
Stopped in Copenhagen
A 16-year-old British-Norwegian student has been stuck in Denmark for two weeks after being turned away from a Norwegian Airlines flight to London, according to the British newspaper.
She had travelled with her mother. At the airport counter, staff processed her mother’s documents, then paused over hers. Without a UK passport, she was not allowed through.
The flight departed without her.
Her school later warned she is “at risk of missing important assessments, including GCSE exams.”
Her mother said: “Obviously, it is very stressful. We are very worried about the GCSEs, she is missing school, missing her mother, her siblings and all the other things in her life.”
“It will be a disaster if she can’t come back soon.”
The mother travelled back to Denmark with her daughter’s school materials after briefly returning to the UK.
Application setback
Before the trip, the family had already applied for a British passport. That route closed quickly.
Officials cancelled the application after confirming she was outside the UK, meaning a new application must be submitted from abroad. Processing can take up to six weeks, The Guardian writes.
At the same time, airline staff contacted the British embassy. Neither step produced a quick solution.
The Home Office said it is “working at pace to provide assistance” and pointed to guidance published in late 2024.
Political reaction
The case has drawn criticism over how the rule was introduced. Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary said it has led to “heartbreaking situations for dual nationals.”
“The government’s hopeless planning and communication of its changes to entry requirements for dual nationals has caused an untold amount of chaos and stress,” he told The Guardian.
The requirement is part of tighter border procedures linked to digital entry systems and identity checks, according to UK government guidance.
For now, enforcement sits with airlines. If the document is not there at check-in, the journey stops there. In this case, it has already meant two missed weeks of school, with exams getting closer.
Sources: The Guardian, gov.uk
