UK Visa for a UK national

pencillin · Post by **pencillin** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:54 pm

My two little nieces-in-law (9 and 11 years old) want to visit us in the UK. They have two nationalities one is british by descendent from their mother side and they have british passports, however, for some reason related to their father's job they can't use their british passports for time being.

What do you think the sequences of them applying for a visa using their other passport and using this visa to enter the UK? will this cause any problems?

Many thanks

UKBAbble · Post by **UKBAbble** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:43 pm

As British citizens they cannot apply for any visas for the UK - it can't be done I'm afraid.

Vanadil · Post by **Vanadil** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:53 pm

Thats a strange situation. Any idea why they can't use thier passports?

benjy · Post by **benjy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:54 pm

pencillin wrote:My two little nieces-in-law (9 and 11 years old) want to visit us in the UK. They have two nationalities one is british by descendent from their mother side and they have british passports, however, for some reason related to their father's job they can't use their british passports for time being.

What do you think the sequences of them applying for a visa using their other passport and using this visa to enter the UK? will this cause any problems?

Many thanks

What country are they from?

pencillin · Post by **pencillin** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:09 pm

They are from the Middle East.
Their father is a diplomatic personnel, he is not allowed to marry a foreign national, so they can't really use their british passports as long as he is in this job.

What would happen if they apply for a visa?

benjy · Post by **benjy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:35 pm

pencillin wrote:They are from the Middle East.
Their father is a diplomatic personnel, he is not allowed to marry a foreign national, so they can't really use their british passports as long as he is in this job.

What would happen if they apply for a visa?

Is it they can not use there British Passports leaving there Country?

Sky_High · Post by **Sky_High** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:22 pm

Can they not go to 3rd country e.g Dubai on their Middle East passport and than use their Bitish passports to fly to UK.

traveller1973 · Post by **traveller1973** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:54 pm

It would be unlawful for them to have visas for the UK with British passports.

pencillin · Post by **pencillin** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:14 pm

Sky_High wrote:Can they not go to 3rd country e.g Dubai on their Middle East passport and than use their Bitish passports to fly to UK.

Many thanks to all who replied.

This is a possible solution although it would mean more hassle and there's a risk of the missing stamps. As it would be obvious on their passports that they left dubai well before they got back to home country.

For those saying it's not legal, can someone point me to any official link that mentions this? is it possible to talk to the home office about it? Do you think there's anyone that have a definite answer?

Mr Rusty · Post by **Mr Rusty** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:57 am

Have the children actually been issued with British passports (as opposed to registered as British citizens)? If not, they could obtain a Certificate of Entitlement to Right of Abode in their other passport. This would enable them to travel to the UK and enter as British Citizens.
If, however, they have already got British passports this can't be done.

The reason other posters say it's "unlawful" to apply for a visa if you're British is that UK citizens have the "right of abode" here, so don't require "leave to enter". But dual nationality is perfectly legal, and if someone chooses to present themselves as a foreigner and accept the limitations that imposes, it's certainly not "unlawful", and I don't see why they should be denied.

I wouldn't bother trying to get a sensible and authorititive answer from UKBA here. If Dad's diplomatic staff, he can sort this out at his end by approaching his opposite number at the British Embassy, and sound them out that way. "Wasta" gets most things done in the Middle East.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:58 am

This is something I don't fully understand myself.

Scenario:

I am a dual foreign national who holds British nationality (via naturalisation). I have an expired ILR/PR stamp in my foreign passport and wish to travel back home where I would need to produce my national passport upon entry.

Bearing in mind that using my British passport would mean applying for a visa to enter my country of birth, how do I go about this?

Can I apply to renew my PR so that my foreign passport has a valid UK permit confirming my legal status?

Is it not possible to alternate between both passports as and when needed?

Mr Rusty · Post by **Mr Rusty** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:09 am

Plum70 wrote:This is something I don't fully understand myself.

Scenario:

I am a dual foreign national who holds British nationality (via naturalisation). I have an expired ILR/PR stamp in my foreign passport and wish to travel back home where I would need to produce my national passport upon entry.

Bearing in mind that using my British passport would mean applying for a visa to enter my country of birth, how do I go about this?

Can I apply to renew my PR so that my foreign passport has a valid UK permit confirming my legal status?

Is it not possible to alternate between both passports as and when needed?

If your own country accepts dual nationality, your last sentence is certainly the way to go. When we travel to my wife's country of origin, she shows her UK passport at Heathrow, and her other passport on arrival at our destination. When returning, she shows her UK passport at checkin (because that demonstrates her right of entry to the UK, and also carries the name on the ticket) and her other passport (which carries her maiden name) to the IO there. Then we come through the IRIS gate at Heathrow and don't show any passport. Never had a problem.

You won't get any further UK endorsement in your foreign passport, because as previously stated, you no longer require "leave to remain", and if you've been issued with a British passport you can no longer have a "Right of Abode" sticker in the foreign one.

86ti · Post by **86ti** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:12 am

Plum70 wrote:Is it not possible to alternate between both passports as and when needed?

That's how my daughter travels to Russia and back. For Russia its the entry in mum's passport and back it is her own Austrian passport. But as far as I am aware of neither country has legal objections against this practice.

Plum70 · Post by **Plum70** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:21 pm

If your own country accepts dual nationality

Yes, my country does.

When we travel to my wife's country of origin, she shows her UK passport at Heathrow, and her other passport on arrival at our destination.

For some reason I assumed that when entering ones home country you are still required to show a valid permit for the UK. I seem to remember the IOs back home flipping through and studying my UK permits before stamping me in. They were probably just being overly efficacious (if that's possible!).

Overall, both your explanations make sense. Merci a vous deux!

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