With less than three weeks to go until Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) becomes mandatory for all visa-free travellers to the United Kingdom, global immigration firm Fragomen has issued a fresh compliance alert for British-Irish dual nationals and certain long-term residents. From 25 February 2026, airlines, ferry operators and international rail carriers will be obliged to confirm that every passenger bound for the UK either holds an approved ETA or falls within a narrow exemption category. Dual citizens who normally rely on their non-British passport when travelling—or who have not yet renewed an expired British passport—must now be able to prove the right of abode at check-in. Acceptable evidence includes a valid British or Irish passport, a Certificate of Entitlement, or a Home Office status letter.
Fragomen warns that carriers will adopt a ‘no-documents, no-boarding’ stance because they face fines of up to £10,000 per passenger for carriage of travellers without the correct permission. Experience from the Gulf states’ phased ETA rollout last year shows that most refusals occurred when dual citizens could not produce proof of exemption. Airlines are therefore training frontline staff to reject travellers who turn up with only a foreign passport and the verbal assertion that they are British.
For businesses this development has practical consequences. Multinational companies that move staff in and out of the UK on short notice—especially those whose employees hold dual citizenship—should update travel policies, remind travellers to carry a second passport or Certificate of Entitlement, and verify that travel-booking tools flag the ETA requirement. Those who fail to prepare risk missed meetings, project delays and costly last-minute re-routing.
![UK dual citizens urged to carry proof of exemption as full ETA enforcement looms]()
Travellers seeking extra peace of mind can turn to VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) guides individuals and corporate mobility teams through the UK ETA process from document upload to real-time tracking and renewal alerts, ensuring everyone boards with the right paperwork.
The Home Office has yet to publish a dedicated exemption document, but guidance states that proof must be “sufficient for airline staff to be satisfied.” Immigration advisers recommend travelling with digital and paper copies, as some check-in desks cannot access online verification portals. Companies with frequent travellers may wish to bulk-apply for ETAs anyway (cost: £16, valid for two years) as a belt-and-braces approach.
Full enforcement is the latest phase of the UK’s wider “digital border” programme, which aims to eliminate physical visa vignettes and stamp-heavy passports in favour of real-time data-sharing between carriers and Border Force. The system will eventually integrate with Advance Passenger Information and biometric watch-lists, mirroring the EU’s forthcoming ETIAS. For global mobility managers, the message is clear: the era of turning up at the gate with a single passport and a smile is over—documentation discipline will soon be non-negotiable. (fragomen.com)
Fragomen warns that carriers will adopt a ‘no-documents, no-boarding’ stance because they face fines of up to £10,000 per passenger for carriage of travellers without the correct permission. Experience from the Gulf states’ phased ETA rollout last year shows that most refusals occurred when dual citizens could not produce proof of exemption. Airlines are therefore training frontline staff to reject travellers who turn up with only a foreign passport and the verbal assertion that they are British.
For businesses this development has practical consequences. Multinational companies that move staff in and out of the UK on short notice—especially those whose employees hold dual citizenship—should update travel policies, remind travellers to carry a second passport or Certificate of Entitlement, and verify that travel-booking tools flag the ETA requirement. Those who fail to prepare risk missed meetings, project delays and costly last-minute re-routing.
Travellers seeking extra peace of mind can turn to VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) guides individuals and corporate mobility teams through the UK ETA process from document upload to real-time tracking and renewal alerts, ensuring everyone boards with the right paperwork.
The Home Office has yet to publish a dedicated exemption document, but guidance states that proof must be “sufficient for airline staff to be satisfied.” Immigration advisers recommend travelling with digital and paper copies, as some check-in desks cannot access online verification portals. Companies with frequent travellers may wish to bulk-apply for ETAs anyway (cost: £16, valid for two years) as a belt-and-braces approach.
Full enforcement is the latest phase of the UK’s wider “digital border” programme, which aims to eliminate physical visa vignettes and stamp-heavy passports in favour of real-time data-sharing between carriers and Border Force. The system will eventually integrate with Advance Passenger Information and biometric watch-lists, mirroring the EU’s forthcoming ETIAS. For global mobility managers, the message is clear: the era of turning up at the gate with a single passport and a smile is over—documentation discipline will soon be non-negotiable. (fragomen.com)
