To think it's crazy to be planning a holiday to the USA right now

[Fragmentedbrain]

I know border control there has never been a relaxed experience but the risk of being detained arbitrarily for weeks or longer seems unacceptably high now.

Yes. I’m a LEGAL immigrant, so I went through 3 years of checks! Legal immigrants can benefit countries immensely. Hence why I asked specifically for illegals! There are hotels of single men doing absolutely nothing all day to benefit the economy.

OK , so I have had dual citizenship for more years than that by a country mile and have never been 'required' to enter on a US passport or even asked about the nationality of my parents. They just look at my British passport which states my place of birth. UK passports say nothing about parents on them.

I had a US passport as a child simply to avoid Visa requirements but travelled on my British one since the age of 16. My US passport has not been renewed for 30 years.

They aren't allowed to work.

Perhaps take this off to a more relevant thread.

I’m assuming you aren’t telling them that you’re visiting your American dad?

It’s really not rocket science… the kid mentioned visiting his dad… the next logical question he would have been asked is about his dad’s nationality or it would have been assumed that dad was American. Which then would have led to questions about the British passport vs. an American one and citizenship status of the kid.

In your case they’ll just accept the British passport and stamp you in.

This whole line of commentary is just silly.

It's my mother, actually and, yes, I did.

I though US law mandated that all dual nationals must enter and exit the US on a US passport?

Requirements for U.S. citizens holding dual nationality
There are some requirements that U.S. citizen dual nationals must follow:

• You must enter and leave the United States on your U.S. passport. You are not allowed to enter on your foreign passport based on U.S. law. U.S. citizens are not eligible for a U.S. visa.
• If your child is a citizen of the United States, they are not eligible for a U.S. visa. This is true even if you have not taken steps to document your child as a U.S. citizen. If you want to enter or leave the United States with your U.S. citizen child, you must obtain a U.S. passport for them.
• As a U.S. citizen, you are obligated to comply with U.S. tax laws. You also may want to consult a tax advisor experienced in filing taxes for dual nationals.

travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/Dual-Nationality-Travelers.html

I wouldn't touch the USA with a barge pole at the moment. Just looking at what's happening there makes me extremely worried about reform getting in.

And if you’re travelling by yourself as an adult on a UK passport, you probably wouldn’t see a problem - as you say CBP wouldn’t know you’re a US citizen. However, it is illegal to apply for an ESTA as a US citizen. Whether doing that will cause a problem is a moot point; certainly questions may be asked if you were caught. The fact that you’re doing it and haven’t r been “caught” is immaterial.

Well, never been the case for me. I'm guessing there is a definition of dual national we're missing here. I have two birth certificates and could probably reapply for a US passport. The background checks for ESTA would have thrown up previous passports . I think the grey area here is whether you actually hold a full passport. If I did, obviously I'd travel on that.

I don’t think the definition of a dual national is in doubt. US law requires a US citizen that holds dual nationality to enter and exit the US on a US passport.

The ESTA website states:

If you are a citizen of the U.S., and also of a VWP country, you should not be applying for ESTA. One of the requirements of being a naturalized U.S. citizen is that you apply for, and use, a U.S. passport for your travels. While we are aware that in some cases, naturalized U.S. citizens use their alternate country's passport to travel, our expectation is that you will use the U.S. passport to travel from another country to the U.S. at both points of travel, departing the foreign country, and arriving into the U.S.

You’d only need a border official to look more closely and ask why you’re not travelling on a US passport, as you’re expected / required to do.

ETA: although the ESTA website mentions naturalised citizens, it’s still a requirement for US citizens to use a US passport to enter and exit the US.

OK, well, whatever. I've done it quite a few times on a British passport. I don't think they clearly consider me a citizen!

Anyway...

DH applied for his ESTA a few days ago. DS (adult) needs to apply for his.

The form asked for DH's social media handles (FB, Twitter, Insta etc). He doesn't really have anything but I'm really worried about DS who does use social media and is NOT a Trump fan. I'm seriously wondering if I should suggest he buys a simple. PAYG phone (do they still exist? ) and deletes any offensive media re Trump.

Not long been in JFK too and waited 45 minutes which was half the time of some European airports recently (looking at you Faro). It was no different an experience to how it’s always been on entering the US, asked the usual questions about the purpose of your visit, how long, where are you staying, are you carrying cash etc, photographed and fingerprinted and we were in.

I have always wondered if immigration would know if you held a US passport. As you don't have an active passport it looks like you're under the radar.

I suspect US citizens have to enter on their US passport so they can't claim protection from another country if things go south.

Well, you'd think an ESTA application might have thrown it up which does make me wonder how scrutinised they are tbh!

Or so they can trace you for tax purposes, since the US can tax your worldwide income.

I live close to the US. I have dual British nationality plus another "dodgy" Eastern European nationality. I travel to the US once a month. It's fine. It's an exceptional place for a holiday. The national parks are unbeatable. Everyone has been nothing but welcoming and friendly, including border control.

But then again my purely British + white friends take it VERY personally when border control asks them a question because they're used to flying through everywhere, whereas I'm used to being questioned. Trust me, Heathrow border control ain't no picnic either. I have a British friend who was really offended to even need an ESTA 😂

It's an issue, so if Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and Elon Musk could piss off, stop interfering in our domestic politics and stirring up the troglodytes here, that would be much appreciated.

Maybe Trump and co would like to give sanctuary to our own homegrown yet equally outspoken extreme right wingers Farage, Anderson, Tyce, Oakeshotte and all the other Reform cheerleaders.

Isn't Farage there already?

Bit parochial to only get your news from the US. Have you looked at Europe's right wing scene lately?

The one Elon Musk was donating money to? What was it I was saying about how Musk/Trump/Vance should piss off and stop meddling?

None of those countries are the USA.