Dual citizenship and travelling on non AU passport

[Tiki]

This is a pita when I fly to the US and need to input my documents. I have to leave on my Aussie passport which does not have a USA esta and show the airline my US passport which does not have an Aussie visa in it. Always requires human interference.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Isn't there a practical issue that if you use a foreign passport to fly to Australia, the airlines will ask for your visa or online visa waiver etc?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Isn't there a practical issue that if you use a foreign passport to fly to Australia, the airlines will ask for your visa or online visa waiver etc?

This is not what the thread is about.
You need to use your Australian passport at check-in when coming back to Australia.

The debate seems to be whether or not if your passports are linked you can exit Australia using your foreign passport at the border.
I have indicated that I have done so on numerous occasions without any issue. Others eg. @Austman have had problems.

 

[Princess Fiona]

This is a pita when I fly to the US and need to input my documents. I have to leave on my Aussie passport which does not have a USA esta and show the airline my US passport which does not have an Aussie visa in it. Always requires human interference.

And this is the one of the precise itineraries on which I have no problems.
I show my GB passport at check-in at SYD (only that passport) and then use it to exit the border at the electronic gates.

 

[Austman]

Others eg. @Austman have had problems.

Not insurmountable ones however! Sometimes after a red light it's been just to use the manual processing line.

It's always worked for me eventually.

 

[Warragul]

Not insurmountable ones however! Sometimes after a red light it's been just to use the manual processing line.

It's always worked for me eventually.

Ultimately, Australian citizens cannot be prevented from crossing the border in either direction unless there is a legal impediment to this (eg court order, arrest warrant). The issue is establishing AUS citizenship without an AUS passport, which as per Austman experience can mean being taken aside while the credentials are verified if the magic passport linking hasn't occured, but you will get through.

The practical impact of trying to do this inbound to Australia is getting the airline to uplift without an APP 'OK to board'. Can be done but creates more work and time taken etc for staff as they may have to contact the ABF Border Operations Centre. So much like the ABF staff saying this is what you 'have' to do - it sometimes is a bit of poetic licence with the aim of making things quicker and easier for everyone in the long run.

Provided the APP passport data matches the passport being presented at the egates, an AUS citizen using NZL passport should not, in itself, cause issues at the gates.

 

[madrooster]

I've been told, face-to-face, one-to-one, by passport control officials that I must both check-in and use my Australian passport when leaving Australia to avoid the issue.

Sometimes my EU passport allows access to countries without a visa (eg Vietnam) so I do need to show it at check-in. I explain to the agents that I have two passports. Still, it happens.

Anyway:

1. If you can, check-in in Australia with your Australian passport and use it at departures passport control to avoid issues.

2. I've been able to leave Australia on my EU passport alone, even if it did flag a manual intervention that needed a detailed explanation. I was taken to a room/office actually.

3. See if you can link the passports?

Part of the issue is ABF staff at the border do not know their own processes as you've experienced. The procedure for dual nationals is well documented on the ABF website publicly.

Dual national passports should be linked in the ABF APP (advance passenger processing) system. These links last for the life of either passport so it is a process that only needs to be done once each time a passport is renewed.

This linking process can be done by a travel agent who is familiar with it or airline staff at airport check in.

As @Princess Fiona has already mentioned, once the passports are linked, you use the foreign passport at BOTH check in as well as the outbound smartgates.

For example, if you are a dual GBR/AUS national and entering the USA with your GBR passport as your ESTA/Global Entry is on the GBR passport, you would check in on your GBR passport AND also use the GBR passport to exit Australia at the outbound smartgates.

This issue will become more prevalent and more important next year when the UK and EU travel authority systems come online for Aussies, so it'll apply to travel to Canada, USA, UK and the EU. Given the sheer number of dual GBR/AUS nationals in Australia, it will become quite a common procedure in future.

This is a pita when I fly to the US and need to input my documents. I have to leave on my Aussie passport which does not have a USA esta and show the airline my US passport which does not have an Aussie visa in it. Always requires human interference.

This is actually not correct procedure. See above.

Isn't there a practical issue that if you use a foreign passport to fly to Australia, the airlines will ask for your visa or online visa waiver etc?

No. There is a well established procedure for this that airlines should be/are aware of. The process involves obtaining a manual authorisation to uplift the pax from ABF.

 

[Scarlett]

The debate seems to be whether or not if your passports are linked you can exit Australia using your foreign passport at the border.
I have indicated that I have done so on numerous occasions without any issue. Others eg. @Austman have had problems.

Yeah, but everyone knows there are special rules for ‘princesses’!
They know who you are!

 

[blackcat20]

Part of the issue is ABF staff at the border do not know their own processes as you've experienced. The procedure for dual nationals is well documented on the ABF website publicly.

Dual national passports should be linked in the ABF APP (advance passenger processing) system. These links last for the life of either passport so it is a process that only needs to be done once each time a passport is renewed.

This linking process can be done by a travel agent who is familiar with it or airline staff at airport check in.

As @Princess Fiona has already mentioned, once the passports are linked, you use the foreign passport at BOTH check in as well as the outbound smartgates.

For example, if you are a dual GBR/AUS national and entering the USA with your GBR passport as your ESTA/Global Entry is on the GBR passport, you would check in on your GBR passport AND also use the GBR passport to exit Australia at the outbound smartgates.

This issue will become more prevalent and more important next year when the UK and EU travel authority systems come online for Aussies, so it'll apply to travel to Canada, USA, UK and the EU. Given the sheer number of dual GBR/AUS nationals in Australia, it will become quite a common procedure in future.



This is actually not correct procedure. See above.



No. There is a well established procedure for this that airlines should be/are aware of. The process involves obtaining a manual authorisation to uplift the pax from ABF.

However the whole process falls over if you are travelling on NZ and US passports, as we've experienced every time we travel. They've even held a flight for us after spending some 7+ hours trying (and failing) to sort it out.

 

[madrooster]

However the whole process falls over if you are travelling on NZ and US passports, as we've experienced every time we travel. They've even held a flight for us after spending some 7+ hours trying (and failing) to sort it out.

Not anymore - that was fixed a while ago! If you're still experiencing it, then something hasn't been done correctly.

 

[blackcat20]

Not anymore - that was fixed a while ago! If you're still experiencing it, then something hasn't been done correctly.

I guess we will see what happens in June

 

[aaa99]

As a dual NZ AU citizen for years I travelled out of - into AU on a NZ passport, while an AU citizen (more than a decade ago before e-gates.) Eventually got an AU passport when NZ passport expired.

AU govt --> Dual nationals leaving and returning to Australia. Which passport should you use?

Note the use of "advice is that....should leave and enter Australia on their Australian passport." Not "Australian law requires......must leave"
AU govt -->

Advice for dual nationals

Many Australians hold two or more nationalities. If you're travelling to the country of your other nationality, find out how your citizenship can impact you.

www.smartraveller.gov.au

About 25%~35% of people legally resident in AU were not born in AU. Many would be/may be eligible for dual passports. [Legal residency is not the same a citizenship]
AU Govt https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and...ssenger-movement/advance-passenger-processing

Aus/NZ Dual Nationality - Smooth Trans-Tasman Travel

I have dual AUS/UK citizenship but have been living in NZ for the last ~14 years and over COVID decided it was time to become a citizen there (a relatively easy process for an Australian - something that ended up being quite helpful as I had to leave NZ during COVID to visit my very sick father...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Dual CAN/AUS citizen - what passport do I use where?

Ok. Trying to figure out how I make the most of my Canadian NEXUS benefits (and visa-free travel). I have an AU and a CA passport. This is what I think I need to do... Is this right? Flight Passport entered into system Passport shown to exit customs Passport shown on entry customs...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I am glad I found this thread as I had this very same question and this post is reassuring to know.

As a newly naturalised AU citizen, I don't have enough time before my upcoming trip this week to apply for a new passport. I was told we need to wait atleast 10 days after the ceremony prior to applying. So, I will need to use my NZ passport for the upcoming trip. Once I am back from this trip, I intend to apply for the AU one.

On a side note, the AU passport is almost twice the cost of the NZ one

 

[burmans]

Wondering what other peoples’ experience is here as the Dept of Immigration website only talks in terms of advice vs a requirement.

I‘ve recently gotten my AU citizenship, and retain my NZ citizenship. My NZ passport still has 6 years on it and I’d prefer to keep travelling on that and not get an AU one. I’m also about to travel and between award of citizenship, there is not sufficient time to get an AU passport, and I’m also loathe to pay the cost given the expiry on my NZ one.

Am I going to be able to travel back to AU and re-enter without issues on my NZ passport?

Yes, have done so many times. I’ve heard the advice about you should travel on Oz passport but have had some legal experience and lawyers are very careful of language, if it was compulsory the law would say must not should.

 

[tdimdad]

I've also left Australia as a dual citizen using an EU passport. I got stuck at the check-in counter where the agent called DFAT to confirm they can check me in. Then another 10 mins at the manual passport control to get to the airside when ABF did their own checks and balances.

The tricky bit for all new citizens is that on conferring your citizenship, DFAT voids your visa. While exit is possible with some potential delays, entry to the country will need ABF to confirm your right to entry. It is also likely to need some extra legwork at the overseas check-in before you get your boarding pass (been there, waited that, but that was a visa vs ticketing mismatch).

 

[tdimdad]

This is a pita when I fly to the US and need to input my documents. I have to leave on my Aussie passport which does not have a USA esta and show the airline my US passport which does not have an Aussie visa in it. Always requires human interference.

But wouldn't you check in with your US passport and depart the country with your AU one in this case? I.e. check in with your visa / entry permit, and enter/exit the country with the local or most suitable passport.

E.g., a return trip to EU looks like this for me: in Australia, check-in with the EU passport, exit the country with the AU passport, arrive using the EU passport. On return trip, check-in with AU passport, exit the country with EU passport, arrive with the AU passport.

 

[Tiki]

But wouldn't you check in with your US passport and depart the country with your AU one in this case? I.e. check in with your visa / entry permit, and enter/exit the country with the local or most suitable passport.

E.g., a return trip to EU looks like this for me: in Australia, check-in with the EU passport, exit the country with the AU passport, arrive using the EU passport. On return trip, check-in with AU passport, exit the country with EU passport, arrive with the AU passport.

Yes it's like that. But I always have to wait in line and check in, I can't do online check in. I don't check bags so otherwise I could just skip all that and go straight to the gate.

 

[bcworld]

E.g., a return trip to EU looks like this for me: in Australia, check-in with the EU passport, exit the country with the AU passport, arrive using the EU passport. On return trip, check-in with AU passport, exit the country with EU passport, arrive with the AU passport.

Currently travelling to the EU or UK it really doesn't matter which passport you use to enter...until either implements any sort of visa or ETA (which I think is in the works?) Australians can happily use the eGates and enter without a visa.

 

[tdimdad]

Currently travelling to the EU or UK it really doesn't matter which passport you use to enter...until either implements any sort of visa or ETA (which I think is in the works?) Australians can happily use the eGates and enter without a visa.

That is true, you get the visitor visa on arrival. But entering with an EU passport removes the time limit from the visit and would allow the person to hang around for long.

 

[bcworld]

That is true, you get the visitor visa on arrival. But entering with an EU passport removes the time limit from the visit and would allow the person to hang around for long.

If the person entering is an EU citizen there is no time limit on the visit, regardless of which passport they use to enter. Same for the UK...they have no outbound passport control...they have no idea when you leave!

 

[Warragul]

If the person entering is an EU citizen there is no time limit on the visit, regardless of which passport they use to enter. Same for the UK...they have no outbound passport control...they have no idea when you leave!

They get outbound API and PNR data to achieve that just like the 5 Eyes countries and some continental European nations. Some, like us, have outbound CIQ as well