Upcoming Changes to UK Entry Requirements & Electronic Travel Authorisation

After 25 February 2026, all Australians who hold dual British citizenship will be required to present either a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement at the border in order to avoid delays such as being denied boarding when travelling to the UK. 

What to Know:

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will start issuing certificates of entitlement in digital format. As of 25 February, there will no longer be a need to apply and pay again for a certificate of entitlement once the passport that contains it has expired. Dual citizens simply need to notify UKVI of the new passport details through their UKVI account.

If you’re thinking of applying for a certificate of entitlement rather than renewing your passport, rest assured that it is due to move to a “pay once” model – with subsequent passport updates done by the customer online.

Further guidance on how to apply for a certificate of entitlement proving you have the right to live and work in the UK can be found here. As always, the RoundAbout Travel team are here to assist with any travel queries or support you may need. 

Provision for Urgent Travel:

Those outside the UK who need to travel urgently might be eligible for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). This document allows British nationals to travel if they cannot use their UK passport and must travel within 6 weeks – this includes situations where the passport is lost, stolen, damaged, recently expired, or otherwise.

ETD Eligibility requires: 

• You are a British national outside the UK
• You must travel within 6 weeks 
• You cannot renew or replace your UK passport in time 
• You have previously held a UK passport issued on or after 1 January 2006. People who have never held a UK passport issued on or after 1 January 2006 may qualify for an ETD only in exceptional circumstances

For further details, visit the official GOV.UK website.

Frequently asked questions:

“I am arriving in the UK before 25 February. I am affected by this change?”

The UK will not be enforcing Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirements at the UK border until 25 February 2026. After that date, UK Border Force and airlines will be operating in line with the advice above. Visitors from 85 nationalities, including Australia, the United States, Canada, and France, will not be able to legally travel to the UK without an ETA from 25 February 2026. So Australian citizens will require an ETA to travel to the UK from that date, and dual British-Australian citizens should have a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement.

“I am British. My children were born in Australia. Do they need a British passport to travel to the UK?”

British citizenship is normally automatically passed down one generation to children born outside the UK. You should establish whether your children are British (Check if you’re British – GOV.UK) and if they are, you should apply for a passport or certificate of entitlement (or their parent should on their behalf). The overriding message is that as a dual national, you must travel to the UK using either a valid UK passport (or Irish passport), or any other valid passport (e.g. Australian) with a certificate of entitlement. If in doubt as to your citizenship or your family’s circumstances, use Check if you’re British – GOV.UK. You can also contact UK Visas and Immigration for help.

You cannot renounce British citizenship until you are 18 years old in most circumstances. Give up (renounce) British citizenship or nationality: Overview – GOV.UK

If you’re a British citizen, you can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls.

“So my children are automatically British?”

Automatic citizenship operates by law, provided you meet the requisite conditions at the time of your birth. You can read more and check your family’s individual circumstances using the links provided here: British citizenship and nationality – Contact UK Visas and Immigration for help – GOV.UK

We cannot advise that you travel on an ETA if you are British. You should travel with a valid UK passport (or Irish passport) or Certificate of Entitlement. 

“What about Australian citizens who may be British but have had no formal interaction with the UK Government to “claim” it?”

If you are a British citizen automatically, then there is no interaction needed to “claim” it. You are British by operation of law. This is set out here: Check if you’re British – GOV.UK 

Automatic citizenship operates by law, provided you meet the requisite conditions at the time of your birth. Contact with the UK Government, or not, doesn’t affect it, and a passport confirms your citizenship, it doesn’t grant it: the law does.

There is a formal process to renounce any form of British nationality held. It currently costs £482. Guidance is here: Give up (renounce) British citizenship or nationality: Overview – GOV.UK

“So I am or my child is a dual citizen automatically?”

You do not need to apply for dual citizenship. As above, if you meet the conditions at the time of your birth, you are automatically a British citizen. 

The Australian Citizenship Act (2007) is different in that, although it operates by descent in similar circumstances, it requires an application to become a citizen.

“I’ve applied for and been granted an ETA in the past that doesn’t expire until after the 25 February, but I am (or think I am) British. Can I use this? ”

We cannot advise that you travel on your existing ETA if you are a British citizen, even if the ETA has not yet expired. You should travel with a valid UK passport (or Irish passport) or Certificate of Entitlement.

“Can I get a refund?”

There is no provision for refunds of ETAs once submitted.

Further guidance on how to apply for a certificate of entitlement proving you have the right to live and work in the UK can be found here. In the meantime, we’re here to assist with any travel-related questions or support you need.