I signed a letter alongside 29 other Members of Parliament, expressing my serious concern regarding the changes to entry requirements for British dual nationals due to come into force on 25 February.
As Members of Parliament representing constituencies with significant overseas heritage and frequent international travel, we are already seeing the consequences of what appears to be a poorly planned and inadequately communicated policy change. Many British dual nationals who have lawfully travelled for years using their non-UK passport now face the very real prospect of being stranded abroad.
The requirement to present a British passport or a certificate of entitlement in order to return to the UK has been introduced with insufficient notice and poor public awareness.
We have heard from constituents facing distressing personal circumstances – including the risk of missing funerals, family emergencies, work commitments and pre-planned travel – because of administrative changes that should have been implemented more responsibly.
Given the scale of the potential impact, we are urging the Government to:
- Pause the implementation of these new rules to allow for meaningful consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
- Substantially strengthen and extend communications so that all affected constituents are properly informed.
- Remove the associated fees, particularly the cost of the certificate of entitlement.
