Cloud9 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 20, 2026 2:15 pm
I happened to read this thread on Friday 9th Jan
Well that's brilliant. Good to hear it was all so easy, and quick!
Having been faffing about with all of this with kid#3, we 've checked everyone's passports and kid#2 is now out of date as well, so we'll sort that before it gets messy.
A couple of questions if you don't mind - how did you do your photo? Via a photographer, or machine, or yourself, or...?
And also the colour copies - literally copies from a copy place, or can you just take photos/scans and enter them electronically?
Cloud9 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 20, 2026 2:15 pm
I happened to read this thread on Friday 9th Jan
Well that's brilliant. Good to hear it was all so easy, and quick!
Having been faffing about with all of this with kid#3, we 've checked everyone's passports and kid#2 is now out of date as well, so we'll sort that before it gets messy.
A couple of questions if you don't mind - how did you do your photo? Via a photographer, or machine, or yourself, or...?
And also the colour copies - literally copies from a copy place, or can you just take photos/scans and enter them electronically?
A friend took my photo with her phone, following the instructions on the application website. The photo is evaluated when you upload it during the application and they'll immediately inform you if the photo is considered "good" or "poor".
There was no option to upload a digital copy of the passport during the application. I scanned each page of the passport with Adobe Scan which creates a PDF, then colour printed the PDF double sided 4 pages per sheet of paper and included the printed pages in the envelope with the passport.
alma.freya wrote: ↑Wed Jan 21, 2026 5:07 pm
A friend took my photo with her phone, following the instructions on the application website. The photo is evaluated when you upload it during the application and they'll immediately inform you if the photo is considered "good" or "poor".
There was no option to upload a digital copy of the passport during the application. I scanned each page of the passport with Adobe Scan which creates a PDF, then colour printed the PDF double sided 4 pages per sheet of paper and included the printed pages in the envelope with the passport.
It was similar for me. My wife took my photo on my smsrtphone, which was accepted by the software, though I'm aware from previous experience that it can be quite "fussy" about acceptance.
I used the copy function on my printer, and putting the printed side back in the printer in the right position to copy the next page, to create 2 pages per sheet, and then I posted the whole lot off.
Thanks for the update. Seems as though getting a passport from Germany is less hassle than I imagined.
Did you include copies of all pages of the passport i.e. even those which were blank (for my kids that would be all of them)?
dstanners wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 10:42 am
Thanks for the update. Seems as though getting a passport from Germany is less hassle than I imagined.
Did you include copies of all pages of the passport i.e. even those which were blank (for my kids that would be all of them)?
Yes, that's the requirement, and my German passport is all blank ... for me it was a boring time at the printer, as well as having to concentrate that the paper was in the right position to print two pages on a side.
I got my husband to take my photo as I was trying to get it done quickly. The website tells you if the photo is good enough - our first attempt wasn't! Take it in good natural light (which was hard at gone 3pm!). You have to avoid shadows!
You have to post your old passport and the photocopy/printout of the German one - can't upload. I used a copyshop. Every single Page (ie 2 at a time as the passport is open flat on the copier), plus the front & back just in case. DHL express was €63 (gulp it did hurt). I would not brother with express if you have time. Passport office used DHL express to send it back. Supposed to be signed for ... it was just posted in my letterbox, didn't even ring our doorbell! The cancelled passport and colour photocopy arrived the next day
It doesn't really add much, the uk government quote was:-
From 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border
"Avoid delays at the border" is very much not the same as "denied entry to UK".
Until it is actually implemented we won't really know how bad it is, but as far as the law is concerned you are either British or you are not, and that is
regardless of the status of your passport.
So next time I go I will just apply for an ESTA to get myself on the plane and if they kick up a fuss at the other end I will prove I am a citizen when I get to the other side using whatever documentation they need.
I'm fully aware that this might cause problems but I'm not gonna pay the UK to renounce my citizenship or renew a passport I don't need. If I don't get let in then I'll just never go there again.
Just one very small point British or Irish can enter the UK with passports, without problems under the new rules.
In practice because of the Irish - UK, freedom of movement, I would be surprised if anyone was stopped going to the ROI, crossing to NI and getting the ferry to the UK.
The checking rules were made very simple, to keep the tensions lower in that part of the world
That should be enough for me to get in, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who never had a UK passport but are dual-nationality citizens and they still have a challenge ahead of them.
EDIT to Add this from the article:
A House of Commons briefing paper in January on the change in rules states that a British citizen cannot be refused entry to the UK but also says they have to prove their right to enter. It says: “All British citizens have the right of abode in the UK (meaning, the entitlement to live or work in the UK without any immigration restrictions). This makes them exempt from immigration control. They don’t need an immigration officer’s permission to enter the UK, but they must be able to demonstrate that they have the right of abode.
I however find it difficult to believe that Ryanair would do this, because if Ryanair did this and UK immigration refused to let a passenger in then Ryan air would have to take that passenger back to their source country free of charge. This could add up to a lot of money wasted for Ryan air, and Ryan air does not normally throw money out of the window like that.
The UK government has said dual nationals must have a a valid UK passport or certificate of entitlement, to get in to the UK after a certain date, its very easy for the UK to enforce this if they want.
Having re read the Guardian stuff, it looks like at the check in, you will be asked for a valid UK passport or certificate of entitlement, if you cannot provide that, Ryan air can ask the UK, is it ok for this person to come or not. If the UK comes back in time ( ie before boarding ), with a yes or no answer, if yes you get on the plane if not you do not. At busy times, maybe the UK does not get back in time and you cannot fly.
It should be said each time I enter the UK, I am asked for my passport, the immigration officer then lets me in, I guess there must be a process to let me in if I lose my passport, and maybe that what will be done in the future.
However I still cannot think of a good reason, for the UK government to want to do this, it makes no sense in my head, when they could say bring a valid birth certificate or something like that or even just accept an EU passport!, although the Brexit side of the UK would be up in arms about that.
But if I were in the same position, of needing to travel soon, I would try a get a UK passport for the sake for 100 and sum pounds for 10 years. Its nothing on my 10 year budget. It works out at about 12 pounds a year, there are many more expenses I have that cost a lot more than that, that I cannot get out of. Spending a small amount of money, to avoid hazel, is worth it in my head, even if I think its wrong, what the UK has done.
The single easiest solution from the UK side would be to let us have an ESTA and travel on our EU passports. I mean if my German sister-in-law can visit the UK for a two week holiday on a German passport + ESTA, how on earth could it be problematic for me to do the same?
Because you can't - simple as that. You could of course renounce your British citizenship but that would be a bit of overkill.
And don't forget that if you have kids who are British by birth, whether born in the UK or to a British parent abroad, then they too have dual nationality if they have German nationality and they too will need British passports.
It is, what it is. Moaning or fighting against it won't change anything.
Fraufruit wrote: ↑Wed Feb 18, 2026 10:58 pm
Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving.
Yeah, you're not wrong!
Kid#3's story came to a successful conclusion yesterday when her package of old UK passport, multiple copies from her DE passport and new UK arrived, having been forwarded by our son-in-law from the UK. Grand when a plan comes together.
People are funny when they are being made to do something counter-intuitive - and this feels very counter-intuitive.
Luckily getting a replacement passport is not super tricky.
Although those who find themselves starting from scratch needing parents' birth and marriage certificates etc are in a more difficult situation, esp when the parents are now on their death beds and travel may need to be done in a hurry and all this documentation is needing found/procured. I feel as though people must have been living under a rock to have honestly missed it coming, but clearly there are plenty of people in that situation. Bummer.
