Calls for new border rules for British Nationals to be quickly shut down - Alex Finch comments in The Guardian

The Liberal Democrats have urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to delay new border controls that could prevent British dual nationals from entering the UK. From 25 February 2026, dual citizens must present a valid or expired British passport, or a £589 certificate of entitlement (which takes 8 weeks to obtain), or risk being denied boarding. Families report cancelled trips to see dying relatives and attend funerals, while others fear being stranded abroad.

Commenting to The Guardian, immigration partner Alex Finch urged the government to "step back from its rollout, which is causing unnecessary deep damage to the goodwill of overseas British citizens". He called for dual nationals to be allowed to apply for a £16 electronic travel authorisation (ETA). He noted that a partial "fix" issued by the government last week, whereby travellers may show an expired British passport along with a valid passport for a nationality eligible to apply for an ETA, still leaves "anyone without a qualifying expired British passport in an uncertain position".

Read Alex's comments in full here.