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    I am an EU citizen and after I got settled status I naturalised as a British citizen. I do not have a British passport. Can I travel to and enter the UK on my EU passport?

    **** BREAKING NEWS - START ****

    On 10 March 2026, Home Office guidance on dual citizenship announced a major policy change affecting dual British citizens who had status under the EU Settlement Scheme before becoming British.  

    Contrary to the information in the FAQ below, these dual citizens can now continue to travel to and enter the UK with their other (non-British) passport. They therefore do not need to obtain a British passport if they don’t want to.

    This is not a transitional measure, this is indefinite. But note:

     

    We will update the information in the FAQ below in due course.

    **** BREAKING NEWS - END ****

     

     

     

    When a person naturalises or registers as a British citizen, they no longer require leave to remain, and therefore any immigration status they held becomes void. For those who have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) before they became British, this status becomes void once they become British. However, confusingly even after the person becomes British, their digital status (now called an eVisa) that can be seen in ‘View & Prove’ (UKVI account) usually continues to show a settled status, even though the person no longer holds this  status. The Home Office has stated that this is likely to be changed at some point, such that the void settled status will no longer be visible once someone becomes British.

    When boarding a carrier (flight/boat or train) to travel to the UK, it was previously possible to do so by showing your carrier your EU passport (or National ID card), although they could question you about the purpose of your travel.

    However, since 25 February 2026 this has changed.

    Carriers need to strictly enforce the ETA requirement, which has direct consequences for British or dual British citizens without a British passport. Carrier bear the responsibility of returning passengers who are refused entry at the UK border, and are find £2,000 for each such passenger. 

    British citizens (and dual British citizens) are not eligible to apply for an ETA, and therefore will need to demonstrate to carriers that they are British. They need to do this with a British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement. See this FAQ for more information: I am a dual British-EU citizen. I don’t need an ETA. How does this work in practice?

    See this House of Commons Library explainer and this Home Office webpage.

    When entering at the UK border, dual British/EU citizens enter as a British citizen, and the Home Office generally expects people to hold a British passport for this purpose. See the section "After you become a British citizen" in this Home Office guidance which says "Once you become a British citizen, you will no longer be able to enter the UK using your BRP or digital status, or by presenting your citizenship certificate at the UK border."

    The legal background to this follows from the Immigration Act 1971, where people who enter the UK either enter as someone with a right of abode, or as someone with leave to enter or remain, or as someone "exempt from immigration control". Dual British citizens do not (any longer) have leave to enter or remain (settled status is a type of leave to enter or remain), and are not "exempt from immigration control". Therefore they enter as a person with a right of abode.

    The simplest way to prove this right of abode is via a British passport, or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in a valid foreign passport (current cost £589 and can only be issued to persons who do not have a British passport). It may be possible to demonstrate the right of abode in another way, for example by showing a certificate of naturalisation, however it is possible that enquiries will need to be made by border officials which may lead to delay or inconvenience when entering the UK.

    And what is the situation for Irish citizens?

    The situation is more complex for Irish nationals, as the provisions of the Common Travel Area also touch on entry at the UK border. This FAQ does not attempt to cover this.

    Information sources:

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