Confused about EU/UK passports for dual nationals travelling to the UK from Europe

[MrsFinchley]

I'm British and live in Europe with my two kids. I recently discovered the law has changed for dual nationals so we're in the process of applying for UK passports (hopefully in good time for our travel plans in the summer 🤞), but I'm still not sure what passport I should use when? Which details do I use to check in (obviously has to be the same outbound and return), then do I have to use the same passport to go through passport control? Do I use the EU passports for the kids then just have to show the UK passports on arrival?

Points to show passport
Outbound:
Check-in online - EU passport
Bag drop at airport - EU passport
Border control departure - EU passport
Passport control arrival - UK passport? EU and UK passport?

Is there some kind of system keeping track of arrivals and departures? When I leave the UK, there's no specific "border control" so if I enter the UK with a UK passport, but have used EU passport details for check-in, might there be a problem in a system somewhere?

Sorry if this seems obvious to some! It seems like a totally stupid rule change and I don't see the point of it.

Also, to anyone who hasn't heard about it, be aware! I only discovered it by chance by reading an article about a poor Scottish woman who got stuck in Spain with her baby. We fly to the UK 3 times a year and I have seen absolutely nothing about any rule changes. ESTA yes, absolutely all over the Ryanair app/emails. But this? Nothing!

There is a lot of confusion on this thread :)
Going to the UK
You must check in with British passport otherwise you will not be issued boarding pass.
The arlines check if you have the right to travel to the UK by either having Citizenship, Settlement status or ETA, you cant get the last two as British citizen.
On going to Europe, currently you can still check in with British passport as ETIAS is not in place yet.

On border controls you show the passport of the country you are in.
If you travel anywhere else in Europe i.e going on holiday, use EU passports as 100 times quicker and no limits on time you stay

have you travelled recently? EU passport no longer gives you right to enter the UK. EU citizen either needs settled status as ETA but as dual national you can get these. And airlines check before they issue your boarding pass

I think the plan (until Etias at least) is to put API as British passport for outbound UK-EU return to UK, and just show my EU passport upon arrival and exit at EU border control.

what I do find confusing is what the airlines provide to different countries if they do - ie am I recorded as a British national flying to say Spain, but then Spain has to overrule and see I’m Spanish (not the country I have nationality for but just example), or is it merely that airlines want to know you have the ability to travel to that country even if you have another passport which supersedes these rights? That’s the awkward part

and yes Eurotunnel / le shuttle is much cleaner as you have clear exit : entry processes

Yes we have, they both went to the UK this summer, they’re british citizens so they don’t need settled status.

Depends. I have dual citizenship. When you are going to the EU country of citizenship you use that passport. When coming to the UK - you use british passport. For anywhere else I use the passport that makes more sense. If I am going to EU country I use the EU passport so I may avoid the hassle with travel authorisation. If going to US or Schengen Countries I would use the UK passport. Generally always carry both. Sometimes I can’t be bothered to renew my EU one as it is a pain so I just travel on the UK one

edited to say, I don’t know what changes you are on about to be honest. Outbound and return DO NOT have to use the same passport. However it has always been the case you need to pass border control with the passport you check in with! Even when UK was in EU that was preferred although some countries allowed to enter with different passport to that on check in. It is no longer the case as you may need a stamp!

Outbound and return DO NOT have to use the same passport.

If you've booked a return flight with an airline, when checking in you absolutely do have to use the same passport for outbound and return. Which is where the issue arises.

You might not be able to renew your UK passport easily next time it's up, if the passport office is aware you've a 2nd passport. I had mine withheld because my french passport (which had also expired and was in the process of also being renewed) was in my maiden name. The only released it when I sent proof that my french passport renewal was updating to my married name. When they phoned me to tell me my passport was ready - but they weren't sending me it (!) The officer said they don't want people to have passports in different names anymore. It was around the same time prince harry was in the press complaining that he was experiencing delays getting a passport quickly for his kids and i wondered if he was having the same issue if he'd applied for the uk passports to have different surnames than the US ones (mountbatten-windsor vs sussex)

My kids and I have dual nationality (UK/FR) and DH is a French national with settled status in the UK. We live in the UK. The kids and I have British passports and French ID cards, which are accepted in the EU so we haven't needed French passports so far. It's more of a pain for DH when reentering the UK as he has to show proof of settled status. He really needs to apply for citizenship but it's so expensive and we resent having to do it. Bloody Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving.

We’re in a similar situation (dual national wife/child; husband EU citizen, long term resident in UK w settled status). Only difference is we’ve now left the UK.

DH travels to UK often (as do we). The one time he forgot his passport, the Eurostar immigration guy was super kind and he was ok entering on his ID card (he is entitled to do this, because he has SS, but they’re not keen on it).

I travel everywhere now with both passports. The EU ID card isn’t really that helpful, because if I travel from EU to UK, immigration will want to see the EU passport and not an ID card. The UK one is in my married name. I note that Eurostar website recommends inputting the UK passport as API for both legs, which I don’t really understand the rationale behind. I tend to book separate journeys as opposed to a return trip.

Important to note however that it’s the airlines want to see a matching passport to booking name. This doesn’t matter with Eurostar, since there’s no check in other than scanning your ticket. Immigration at airports just want to see a valid passport for entering the country. I returned from the US having flown on my married name, but entered EU showing the maiden name EU passport.

It sounds like your main problem is that you have different names on different ID documents?

Also do be aware that your DH will lose his settled status after a certain length of time living outside the UK; I think it's 5 years.

DH and I have always said that ironically he'll need to get British citizenship if he wants to move out of the UK, to keep the option open to come back!

You don’t. I travel all the time. You can check in for each flight separately

Then I wish Ryanair would update their systems to work like that! What airline is that?

No, each time DH re enters the UK, it resets the clock for another 5 years. It states that clearly on the settled status page.

Ahhhh, I didn't realise that - thank you,