Travelling with Non British Spouse

[justaquery]

Hi all

Ive just received my first British passport after naturalisation. My wife (non British non Eu national) and I will be travelling out of the country in two weeks time. When we return to the UK, can she go through immigration with me through UK/EU passport holders lane (she is on a dependent visa through me)? Or will she have to go through the Non UK/non EU nationals immigration lane?

If she does have to go through the Non UK/Non EU lane, am I allowed to enter through there with her or will we need to split up?

Many Thanks

[CULLINAN]

I have a Pakistani passport and my wife and kids are British. I have always gone through UK citizens lane and never had a problem. As long you are a family unit, you can use any UK/non-UK lane. Does not matter.

[secret.simon]

The lanes are (a) for the convenience of Border Force officials (so for instance, officials more aware of EEA regulations and the like could deal with those queries while others may deal with non-EEA citizens, etc) and (b) seem to vary from airport to airport (so, for instance, some airports allow ILR holders to join the queue for British citizens while others tell them to join the non-EEA citizens queue).

So your mileage may vary. There is no standard rule.

[justaquery]

That’s very informative, thank you both.

[arjay]

Hi all

Ive just received my first British passport after naturalisation. My wife (non British non Eu national) and I will be travelling out of the country in two weeks time. When we return to the UK, can she go through immigration with me through UK/EU passport holders lane (she is on a dependent visa through me)? Or will she have to go through the Non UK/non EU nationals immigration lane?

If she does have to go through the Non UK/Non EU lane, am I allowed to enter through there with her or will we need to split up?

Many Thanks

Whenever I, as a British passport holder, have arrived into Heathrow with my non-EEA spouse (spouse visa), they have been happy for me to bring her through the British passport holders channel with me, and told me I could do in future as long as we were travelling together. I think it saves them having to ask many questions.