British dual nationals can board Ryanair flights in Europe to the UK without a current British passport New immigration rules come into effect next week, the airlines said.
The airline is sticking to controversial rules introduced by the Home Office, but says it can accept alternative documents proving a person is a British national.
The development will come as a relief to many Britons living in Europe who are alarmed by new Home Office rules requiring dual nationals to show a British passport or Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to fly to the UK as part of a streamlining of border operations that comes into effect from February 25.
Some have planned family visits, while others worry travel plans may be scuppered by the new rules as children born abroad do not have British passports.
Hundreds of dual nationals unhappy with the introduction of the new rules have, in some cases, been able to travel to the UK to visit family on their other passport for decades, with many complaining about how the Home Office is handling it.
When asked whether foreign passport holders without ETAs would be allowed to board if they could show another document to show they were British, the company said: “Yes, we will allow the passenger to fly to the UK if we are satisfied that they have a British national, Irish national or other status, including passengers with an old stamp in the UK.
Ryanair added that a “valid or expired British passport” and proof of right of residence is acceptable proof of being British. From 25 February “Airlines will need to check that passengers from non-visa countries who are eligible for an ETA have one. If the passenger does not have an ETA, we will need to check any other document that would allow them to enter the UK.”
Ryanair did not provide further details when asked whether alternative documentation could include things like a birth certificate, an old British passport or a naturalization certificate.
Airlines will be fined if they accept passengers who do not have the right to be in the UK, and a Home Office announcement on the new rules makes it clear that passengers can be refused boarding if they do not produce a passport or certificate of eligibility, a £589 digital stamp linked to a dual national’s overseas passport.
It said: “From 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens will be required to present a valid British passport or Certificate of Eligibility when traveling to the UK. Without a single carrier being able to verify they are a British citizen, this may result in delayed or denied boarding.”
A House of Commons briefing paper in January on the rule change stated that a British citizen could not be refused entry to the UK, but also said they had to prove their right to enter. It states: “All British citizens have a right of abode in the UK (ie, the right to live or work in the UK without any immigration restrictions). This exempts them from immigration control. They do not need permission from an immigration officer to enter the UK, but must be able to prove that they have a right of abode.”
One man, writing to the Guardian in Canada, said he brought forward his flight to February 23 to ensure he could enter the UK because he wanted to visit his brother, who is suffering from a brain tumour. “I didn’t want to miss his birthday on March 12. To rule that dual nationals like me are ineligible to enter the UK as a tourist without an ETA is completely absurd. I think you have to have a curious Whitehall mentality to think that a British citizen should enter the UK as a British citizen and nothing less,” said James (whose name has been changed).
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
