<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Analysis:</span></strong><span> The airport chaos officially begins today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-dual-citizen-rule-expired-passport-loophole-explained/f67b643f-992d-4e6d-930e-997dfe3dcf20" rel="" target="_blank" title="As the United Kingdom's controversial Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme (ETA)"><span>As the United Kingdom's controversial Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme (ETA)</span></a><span> scheme kicks in, countless dual Australian-British citizens have been left confused and upset.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/united-kingdom-eta-rules-for-dual-citizens-british-passport-questions-answered/7ba80087-0d88-43ae-8819-02a26a56afcd" rel="" target="_blank" title="The new rules"><span>The new rules</span></a><span> are complicated and messy and I have seen first-hand the mayhem it has triggered after reporting extensively for </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/?rf=true" rel="" target="_blank" title="nine.com.au"><span>nine.com.au</span></a><span> on the newly-enforced visa waiver.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/harrisville-pub-queensland-owner-plea-as-country-pubs-struggle-to-stay-afload/53d3c499-0b0c-4818-bba1-9373c9b14286" rel="" target="_blank" title="Queensland pub owner's plea after being forced to raise menu prices"><strong><span>Queensland pub owner's plea after being forced to raise menu prices</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Do you have a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter April Glover at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:april.glover@nine.com.au" target="" title="april.glover@nine.com.au"><em><strong><span>april.glover@nine.com.au</span></strong></em></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a nutshell, Australian travellers need to pay $32 for an ETA to visit England, northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, but British citizens are exempt.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dual citizens have been told they cannot travel on their Australian passport and need to use a valid British passport.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-passport-scheme-how-dual-citizens-have-been-impacted/884e44d6-d134-48f5-9281-b46e2c1818ca" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-dual-citizen-rule-expired-passport-loophole-explained/f67b643f-992d-4e6d-930e-997dfe3dcf20" rel="" target="_blank" title="The news that some airlines might actually let dual nationals on board"><span>The news that some airlines might actually let dual nationals on board</span></a><span> with expired British passports has muddied the water even further.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The last-minute change means some UK-bound dual citizens could be exempt from the rule – but this is at the discretion of the airline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hundreds of thousands of dual nationals living in Australia are now furiously trying to make sense of the conflicting messages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-for-australian-2026-travel-rules-changes-dual-citizen-passport-requirements/6d415761-bdea-4d26-8aa5-35baf5cda026" rel="" target="_blank" title="After publishing our first story alerting"><span>After publishing our first story alerting</span></a><span> dual citizens of this change, the emails came flooding in.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-dual-citizen-rule-expired-passport-loophole-explained/f67b643f-992d-4e6d-930e-997dfe3dcf20" target="_blank" title="Mass confusion among expats over expired passport loophole"><strong><span>Mass confusion among expats over expired passport loophole</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dozens of people contacted me in a panic, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-australia-dual-citizen-passport-stuart-and-gwen-rayner-expensive-cruise-potentially-ruined/b0c3af93-c9d6-425d-a116-fe0a24d1a5c6" rel="" target="_blank" title="asking if their trip in late February or March would be ruined"><span>asking if their trip in late February or March would be ruined</span></a><span> if they did not rush-order a British passport in time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some said they needed to visit elderly parents, were planning a family reunion or had saved for years to bring their children a once-in-a-lifetime holiday back home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One expat worried their plans to bring a parent's ashes home to the UK would be upended.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/uk-eta-passport-changes-dual-british-australian-citizens-reveal-plans-to-rescind-citizenship/824c043a-cf7b-4e35-bf06-6add63f82df6" rel="" target="_blank" title="Others boldly declared they would renounce their British citizenship altogether"><span>Others boldly declared they would renounce their British citizenship altogether</span></a><span> to avoid the hassle.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Of course, there is also the question of British citizenship passed down from a parent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If you or your parents were born in the UK, you might automatically be a British citizen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pokemon-card-trading-how-lucy-makes-six-figures-buying-selling-cards-online/fa14a3d5-4369-46d6-b8e5-7f298be950cb" target="_blank" title="Lucy earns more cash trading Pokémon cards than from her 9 to 5 job"><strong><span>Lucy earns more cash trading Pokémon cards than from her 9 to 5 job</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This has become a big problem for many Australians who arrived Down Under as "ten pound poms" under the £10 migration scheme between 1945 and 1972.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many of them haven't held a British passport for decades but still remain citizens.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Or their children – who may be automatic UK citizens – have never held one.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>People with missing birth certificates or changed names face jumping through multiple costly hoops to have a British passport issued.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There were over 1.1 million British expats living in Australia as of 2023 – this rule impacts so many people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And a major problem facing most is the spiralling cost.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It costs about $189 to renew or replace each passport, plus postage fees from the UK.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A certificate of entitlement costs $1100.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And renouncing your citizenship can cost $968.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The changes are best summed up by one British expat who hasn't held a UK passport since the 1960s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's all a bit unclear."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" 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