Leaving/Entering U.K as a dual citizen.

[blue virgin]

I hold both U.K and Australian passports and currently live in Oz. When travelling to the U.K, I would depart Oz on my U.K passport and enter the U.K on the same obviously. When leaving the U.K, I must show my Oz passport to check in ,as without one you must hold a valid visa to enter Oz, and an australian citizen is not allowed to hold a visa. I then obviously enter Oz on my Australian passport.
My question is how do the U.K government know that I have left the country again if my U.K passport is not scanned on leaving? Everyone at work keeps telling me that "they" (whoever they are) must know, but nobody can tell me how. It can't be a simple as related to my name, as there must be loads of people with the same name in both countries. And I can't believe that there is some link up between the U.K and every other country in the world so they can all compare passenger details. So, do they know or not?
Thanks in advance.

[VillageVicar]

I carry multiple passports as well. When I arrive into the UK I use my British passport. Whenever I check in for a flight I present the passport for my destination point, for example: if I�m going to Australia I present my Australian passport, if going to Canada I present my Canadian passport. When I leave Australia I present my British passport at check-in, but I use my Australian passport when I go through passport control. (remember, the boarding pass doesn�t show your passport details)
Once back in the UK I simply clear through the UK/EU channels.

To help you understand better: the carriers have an obligation to ensure that you are legally documented for your arrival. Flights to destinations such as the US are �pre-cleared� using the data that has been scanned in by the airline. The most simple thing to remember is that when you arrive in your �host country� (the country of which you are a citizen), you are obliged to present only that passport and none other.

With the Americans, it wasn�t too many years ago that if you had presented a passport that was not American, knowing full well that you were an American citizen and were in possession of that passport, it was considered an unwritten act of treason. Thankfully, most �reasonable� countries now accept the duality of human lives and the probability that many may have two or more passports.

After all of this, however, I will say that with any country that requires an entry and exit visa, you must, in every instance, only use that one passport. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a bit of hot water.

I hope this helps.

Fr Bill

[blue virgin]

So then how do the U.K authorities know that you have left the U.K? If they do at all.....

[Buenchico]

The UK authorities don't record who is leaving the country. Except at times of heightened security, there are no passport checks by 'the authorities' at any UK point of departure. The only checks are carried out by carriers who have to meet the obligations referred to in the Vicar's post.

Even at times of maximum security, when you might have your passport checked by UK staff at an airport or ferry terminal, no records of departing travellers are made. (They're simply looking for terrorist suspects. Nothing is written down, or electronically recorded, about bona fide travellers, irrespective of the passport which they present).

Chris

[blue virgin]

OK. Thanks very much to you both for the info. So, as far as the U.K authorities are concerned, I am still in the U.K. Don't really know what difference this makes to me, but makes me feel a little better about all the surveilance we are supposed to be under these days!

[VillageVicar]

Actually, there are now checks, just past security. However, at this point, they are not processing the passports. At LHR, T3, for obvious reasons is more heavily vetted than say T2, but here. we're not being policed on our 'ins' and 'outs.' The same actually applies to the US, where the only recording of departure is in the scanning of the passport by the airline counter staff...if the passport you present is say British...and they can't find the 'green' form to confirm you've departed, you may need to show what you arrived on, or alternatively, they counter agent will make a duplicate form to attach to your boarding pass...

Nevertheless, it's all still easy peasey!

Bon Voyage

Fr Bill

[blue virgin]

Thanks again guys..........

[netibiza]

Yes, my passport has been scanned this summer on several trips,as I leave the country, so I think passports are now checked. The details and photo pop up on a screen for the officer(!) to see.