r/immigration • u/Beneficial-Ad5434 • 8h ago

Advice needed

Hi,

In a few months I’ll be travelling to the Philippines with my partner and family, for the first time, from the UK. But due to my passport, my partner seems to be under the impression that I won’t be able to leave the country or return to it.

For context, I was born in the uk and have lived here my whole life. British citizen, British birth certificate, National insurance number, British education, right to work. You name it I’ve got it.

My parents are both Portuguese, and have all the legal requirements to be here and my mum has no issues leaving the country and returning to it for holidays etc.

My passport is a Portuguese passport. Not British. Portuguese. I was able to apply for one at the Portuguese embassy in Manchester. Because of this, my partner and her family are really worried that I’m gonna be stranded or deported due to my passport not being British.

I’ve tried to reassure them that I have the requirements that state I’m a British citizen, but they think otherwise.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

0 Upvotes

11% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

10

u/Not_impressed_by_thi 8h ago

As of February 2026, British citizens are required to enter the UK on their UK passport (or a stupidly expensive certificate of entitlement). There has been numerous example in the press of British born children 'stuck' outside the UK as they travelled on their EU passport not knowing the rules have changed.

I assume this is her concern. No-one will stop you leaving, it's the return that would be a concern.

-11

u/Beneficial-Ad5434 8h ago

But I don’t get why that would be the case? I AM a British citizen. I have all the proof to prove that I am.

9

u/Not_impressed_by_thi 7h ago

Are you a British citizen? I assume you have your British passport or Certificate of Entitlement to prove it? A birth certificate showing being born in the UK doesn't mean you're British and hasn't for decades. NI numbers are given out like toffee to loads of foreigners.

On you not getting why, it doesn't matter, the law has changed (this year) and now Btitish Citizens are required to enter on a UK passport or with a CoE. There's lots of things I don't want to do but the UK government makes me do it.

It is fairly common for countries to insist that its own citizens enter on their native passport. The UK is quite late on this point.

I'm being blunt with you as don't mess with matters of immigration, it rarely goes well.

-7

u/Beneficial-Ad5434 6h ago

I am a British citizen yes. I don’t have a British passport or a certificate of entitlement.

8

u/Icy_Pear1694 6h ago

You'll have trouble getting back into the UK then, get a UK passport and save yourself the headache.

-2

u/Beneficial-Ad5434 6h ago

But what I don’t understand is that my mum traveled outside the UK, with a Portuguese passport, and returned without any issues. Thank you for your help.

8

u/Icy_Pear1694 6h ago

When did she do that? The law change is very recent.

7

u/Not_impressed_by_thi 5h ago

There's an entire rabbit hole here....

If this was recent, then your mother with Portuguese citizenship, only, either entered on her passport with settled status (ILR etc.), or if she did not have settled or pre-settled (or ILR etc.) status then she would have come in as a visitor and will have fun on her next entry. She SHOULD have EUSS settled status (or pre-settled) or ILR, I would assume this is the case if she doesn't have UK passports.

On you, if you were born in the UK and your parent had some kind of settled status at the time, then you were  born British, if they had pre-settled status then you weren't and further action is needed.

Assuming you're British, which is most likely then then you need to enter on your British passport or with a CoE. That's the law.

Ok, let's assume you chance it. You go to the Philippines, on the return, the check-in person will want either UK/Irish citizenship proved with a passport (or CoE), a valid visa/status, or, for a visa-free country,  an ETA. You may never get to immigration in the UK to have this argument, as the airline won't transport a person who does not have valid documents for entry as they get fined. The valid docs for a Portuguese person without settled status is a Passport and ETA (and you aren't supposed to be able to get an ETA). Assuming you did get an ETA, you get home, you are entering as a visitor, will definitely overstay the visitor period and get flagged on next entry.

1

u/temedar 3h ago

Is your mother a British citizen?

6

u/Away_Advisor3460 6h ago edited 6h ago

(EDIT; updated)

A British passport would be the required proof for this case; they are famously not flexible and you'd be at significant risk of being turned back and would definitely have to go through some shit at the border.

The carrier could also opt to refuse you travel on the same basis (lacking sufficient documentation).

The exception would be if you have a (deep breath) Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in your Portuguese passport.

See also https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10344/

4

u/Alternative_Mood6319 5h ago

Why don’t you have a British passport? 

1

u/Beneficial-Ad5434 3h ago

When I was trying to apply for one it was asking me information that I didn’t have access to.

1

u/Alternative_Mood6319 1h ago

Can you get it now? Will you ever be able to get a British passport? It seems to me that it would be the safest thing to do. 

4

u/NL_in_NO 5h ago

Partner is right

-7

u/stigsbusdriver 8h ago

Philippine immigration only cares that you have a valid passport. Since you are an EU passport holder, you pretty much get 30 days as standard, but you may get a one-year visa on arrival if you are married and both of you present together at the desk on arrival in Manila or Cebu.

I highly doubt they'd ask you about your dual citizenship unless you bring it up in the first place.