Dual British and Australian passports

[TheStudent]

I know a similar question has been asked before, but I'm wondering as a holder of an Australian and British passport, what is the best way to travel between Australian and the UK. I understand that you need to leave Australia under the Australian one, and then I presume that you enter the UK under the British, however how does it work on the way back? Do you have to leave the UK on the British or Australian?

Furthermore, out of curiosity, if you were to leave Australia on a foreign passport, how would you go about getting let back in?

Thanks in advance
The Student

 

[TonyHancock]

You leave the UK on your British passport and enter Australia on your Australian passport. (When checking in for your return flight you show your Australian passport, but you then show your British passport to the uninterested official, if there is anyone there!!, when you clear UK immigration.)

You'd need the correct visas in your British passport to get back in, and If you are like me these would have expired some time ago.

 

[amaroo]

Sorry, this doesn't answer your question.

I have both, haven't used the Brit one yet! Only reason I got it was to secure EU rights.....never used that either!

 

[chrisb]

If you hold a passport for a country then you enter and leave that country using that passport.

If you tried to leave Australia on an international passport that you didn't use to enter I would hope you'd get questioned as a potential illegal entrant.

 

[TheStudent]

Okay guys I think I have it.

Its as simple as entering and leaving each country on that countries passport, although when leaving the UK you will need to show both.

Easy enough, thank you.

 

[TonyHancock]

Okay guys I think I have it.

Its as simple as entering and leaving each country on that countries passport, although when leaving the UK you will need to show both.

Easy enough, thank you.

When you leave Australia you will need to show your UK passport when checking in. This provides proof that you can enter the UK, you then show your Australian passport at Australian immigration.

You reverse the process when returning.

 

[Deleted member]

I have British and kiwi passport
But live in oz.
I too have the British passport in case I ever wanted to live/ work over in Europe.
But I have yet to see any point in using one to leave and another to enter etc.
Is there some value in this? Or is to just physically get it in the system as it were ?

 

[Princess Fiona]

This has been my experience also. OT I spent 10 years here on various visas and every time I left SYD the Immigration officer would roll his/her eyes and ask why I didn't have an Australian passport.
(It's a long story which I'll be happy to share at the next AFF drinks )

 

[TheStudent]

GPH - If you have the EU passport you can get in though the shorter EU queues at customs as I understand it, although I am yet to actually do it. Also some countries may have laws against their citizens being in the country on a foreign visa.

However I agree the value of having both passports and entering Europe on the EU passport is more if you want to live/work in the EU

 

[here2go]

I have dual Irish and Skippy citizenship. As others have said, I have found there is no real benefit in having both unless you want residency, or you are planning on traveling somewhere like Ukraine where a visa is not required for EU residents, but is for Aussies.

Even when landing in DUB ex FRA, I found the value was marginal - as the queue for Irish/British nationals was far longer than others (my wife with Skippy-only citizenship cleared customs way before me and was twiddling her thumbs waiting for me.)

If stopping over in Singapore, they'll want to see the passport you booked the flight on, so stick with the Skippy (or Kiwi) one there too.

 

[TonyHancock]

Whilst a little off topic Brazil is a country that you need to get a visa for if you have an Australian passport, but you don't need one of you have a UK passport.

I go to the UK at least six times a year and from experience the EU queues have been shorter.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I go to the UK at least six times a year and from experience the EU queues have been shorter.

Yes at T3 that's my experience too, both queues are long but I've always been glad of my UK passport as that's been the shorter of the two

 

[Deleted member]

GPH - If you have the EU passport you can get in though the shorter EU queues at customs as I understand it, although I am yet to actually do it. Also some countries may have laws against their citizens being in the country on a foreign visa.

However I agree the value of having both passports and entering Europe on the EU passport is more if you want to live/work in the EU

Yep. I did see he queue.
I thought about using it.

 

[DTM1]

Unless you have some reason why you absolutely have to enter the UK on your british one, it is worth briefly considering whether you will be buying anything in the UK for which you may want to claim the VAT back.

I have both passports and tend to get to the UK once or twice a year. It is usually (but not always) faster to go through the EC immigration channel, but from time to time I do some shopping (suits, shirts etc) and then I go in on my Aussie passport and claim the VAT back on the way out.

 

[simongr]

I find it useful entering other countries in teh EU (Cyprus) on my UK passport as the queues there behind the russian mafia are much shorter.

I only use my UK passport for entry into countries that don't need a visa or provide a stamp as the UK passport is pretty full.

 

[thewinchester]

Just a general reminder to pax with dual passports - there are some countries (i.e. Saudi Arabia) where it is illegal to hold two or more passports (see Laws tab under Dual Nationals heading).

IF you are a dual national OR hold multiple passports, it's always a good idea to check Smart Traveller to be aware of relevant issues to make sure you're not caught out overseas.

 

[simongr]

Just a general reminder to pax with dual passports - there are some countries (i.e. Saudia Arabia) where it is illegal to hold two or more passports (see Laws tab under Dual Nationals heading).

I always leave my UK passport at home when I go to Saudi.

 

[aplmac]

I too have both UK and Aussie passports, and enter with that country's docs as it invariably beats the foreign nationals queues at either end. My last entry into the UK I was off the plane and out of the airport, complete with luggage, within 30 mins after pulling up at the gate (and it was a long walk to the arrivals hall!). Not the only plane there, either! Amazing!

When travelling o/s, I use whichever passport a) doesn't need visas, and b) is less hostile to the nation being visited. Given the recently announced cutbacks to the diplomatic corps(e), it's more than likely Her Maj would send a gunboat over to rescue me than Julia, especially if my last name was Assange. There again, if I was banged up in an Asian-based penitentiary in an election year, I could expect a phone call from the PM and a visit from the ambassador.

 

[greenfrog86]

I have both UK and Australian passports and have similar experiences to others here...

Some key points

• Leave Australia on AU and enter Europe (any entry point) on the UK (and therefore EU passport)
• I've experienced shorter lines in the UK because I'm a citizen. If you have a new UK chip passport, you can also use that for extra speedy entry
• Anecdotally London is the place where more Aussies get turned away than anywhere else in the world so by using your UK passport you're likely to get far less questions. In fact I didn't hear a word from the official I saw
• To someone's point before re showing both when leaving the UK - you will often only get a glance when leaving as they don't really care as long as you have a passport... You may however need to show both to the airline so they are comfortable you have the right to enter the country you are going to
• Very smooth using my UK passport across the EU

I would double check what DTM said regarding VAT - I claimed all of my tax back for all of my shopping across the EU when leaving London and the whole time I had travelled on my AU passport. It doesn't matter what your citizenship is, just that you are leaving the EU...
Much like when you leave Australia you can claim the tax back on some items too... eg a new iPad will give you back the GST etc as long as you take it overseas with you.

There are also some other advantages some mentioned re Visas (although an Aussie passport is usually pretty good for this) and also the length of stay - given an upcoming trip to HK, I noticed that UK citizens can stay up to 180 days without a visa which is substantially longer than an Australian passport holder.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

I have both UK and Australian passports and have similar experiences to others here...


I would double check what DTM said regarding VAT - I claimed all of my tax back for all of my shopping across the EU when leaving London and the whole time I had travelled on my AU passport. It doesn't matter what your citizenship is, just that you are leaving the EU....

Did you mean you travelled on UK passport? My experience (2008?) was VAT is claimable and I only had a UK passport...did have Au permanent residency visa