The UK is introducing an electronic travel authorisation system (ETA) from the 25th of February 2026 and this is going to cause all sorts of real problems for British citizens and others. From the 25th travellers coming tom the UK, and who do not require a visa to enter, will be expected to apply for an ETA via a mobile 'phone app or an internet website. The system will record the passport details of the traveller.
https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-factsheet-february-2026/
This means that US, Canadian, Australian and EU citizens etc. must apply for permission to travel to the UK. Airlines are being instructed to deny boarding to travellers who require an ETA but do not have one . There are of course notable exceptions, being: British and Irish citizens and foreign citizens who have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the the UK or Settled Status. British and Irish citizens will be expected to show their British or Irish passport , or in the case of British Citizens without a UK passport, but who are dual nationals must show a certificate of entitlement attached to their foreign passport. It takes a long time to get a British passport if you are abroad and and Certificates of Entitlement are very expensive - £500 plus.
The rules could cause severe problems for UK /Foreign dual nationals. Before the 25th a UK citizen who is a dual national could enter the UK on their foreign passport provided that a visa was not required . Thus a UK and German dual national could enter the UK with just their German passport. After the 25th all British travellers must show evidence of their UK nationality using a British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. In other words; no British passport then no entry. The same reasoning applies to Irish nationals. There are many thousands of British dual nationals residing in countries all over the world and when they travelled to the UK they were able to use their American, Canadian, German or Australian passport etc. Many of these citizens did not know of the new restrictions even though it was well advertised on government websites- but not in the international press. Some people have been caught out by these new measures if they have to travel quickly to the UK to go to a funeral or visit a very sick relative.
Some people have suggested that those dual nationals who do not have a British passport should apply for an ETA just like single nationality foreigners, but it would mean making a declaration on the ETA application form that you are just a single national; this is lying by omission and could cause difficulties if you are found out. Some nations like Spain frown upon having dual nationality and such citizens are reluctant to use a British passport when travelling for fear of being found out.
All in all the situation is going to be a mess and there will be lots of disappointed citizens who will be denied boarding to come to the UK.
My wife and I are both dual nationals of Britain and France. I was born in the UK and acquired French nationality because I was married to a French woman, it was my absolute right. When I became French I was immediately registered to receive a French National Identity Card, and for free. The card allows me entrance to all EU and EEA countries and allows me to avoid the silly finger printing and eye printing of foreign nations by the EU at the border; a system which is causing lots of difficulties with queues etc. My card is easily tucked into a wallet for convenience.
When my wife became British she was given a Certificate of British Nationality for free, it is useful in some instances but cannot be used to identify you as a British citizen, by an airline at the border because it is easy to forge. My wife became British in the morning and in the afternoon was applying for her British passport, perhaps this demonstrates the esteem that she holds for her adopted country. When we travel back to France we always carry our British passports to re-enter the UK, and after the 25th this will be a necessity.
Both of us recognise that if you are a resident of the UK and are a British or Irish citizen then you are obliged to travel to the UK with those passports. However, what if you are a non-resident? You may feel no real compulsion to obtain a British passport for travel. So why should you be compelled to obtain a British or Irish passport if you are making infrequent trips. Surely, if you are a non-resident you should be allowed to travel to the UK just using your foreign passport with an ETA.
I often question myself why should an ETA be necessary at all? The British government claims that the ETA will improve border security by denying entry to unwanted individuals. However, just think for a minute, as state sponsored terrorists or organised criminals can easily obtain or even generate forged passports. They might even just pay and use individuals without a criminal record to do their dirty deeds by proxy. Also, the British border is completely porous, as there are no checks whatsoever between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK). In fact, if ever I was in France and I lost my British passport I would jump on a plane to Ireland, with my French id. card in my back pocket, and then cross the border to Northern Ireland, and then use my driving licence or photo bus pass to travel on a domestic flight to London! I would be doing nothing illegal because I am a British citizen and don't need an ETA. In fact, the Irish border situation makes a mockery of border control, for an American or Canadian etc. could travel to The Republic of Ireland and then spend some time in the UK without being checked at the border- technically this is illegal, but provided you keep your nose clean no one not even a policeman would question you whether you had an ETA or not.
The British government also claims that it will help with statistics gathering for how many tourists etc. come to the country and who is coming in and going out. Unfortunately, the government has not got a clue about this and never will have a clue about it, because it is notoriously difficult to log in and log out everyone especially when border systems go down and when the airlines etc. do not provide the information and the borders are porous anyway. To me it seems as if the government are only recording all our mov,ements because they can do it with computers. Did they do a cost benefit analysis before deciding on an ETA system?
The American Civil Liberties Union made the comment years ago that finding a terrorist is like looking for a needle in a haystack but now the government authorities have decided to make the haystack bigger in the vain attempt to catch terrorists etc. But this solution is not working. Intelligence rather than the brute force of recording everyone's movements is needed to catch miscreants.
https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/burying-needle
I quote. " It should be common sense: larger and larger haystacks only make the needle harder to find. Unfortunately, it's not. And the result is the FBI is collecting more and more data on Americans, which dramatically increases the error and abuse, with significant consequences to innocent Americans' privacy, civil rights, and security".
Shortly, the EU is going to introduce their own Electronic Travel Authorisation called ETIAS, and this will sit alongside their system (EES) for finger printing every foreigner that enters the EU. All this means that the average Australian, American or Canadian tourist who wants to spend a week or so in Britain and a week in Europe just to see Buckingham palace, or the Eiffel Tower must jump through bureaucratic hoops to go on holiday, and if they forget their British passport because they are dual citizens then they could find themselves not able to complete their trip at all. The overall majority of tourists are good honest people and have no intention of coming to the UK or other European countries to rob, rape or assault anyone, so why make their life more difficult and to no real purpose? Why stop someone who has to travel to see a sick or dying relative because they don't have the right passport?.
If we are not careful; we might put off tourists travelling altogether and we will just be left with state sponsored terrorists and organised criminals coming to our European fortresses, and they will be easier to catch because the haystack will be much smaller. Perhaps, this is what the authorities intended all the way along. I am sure that the tourist industry and its employees have got lots of opinions about that.
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