Interest in renouncing British citizenship is increasing among dual nationals living overseas as the UK brings in tougher travel checks for passengers.
From 25 February 2026, stricter UK pre-departure carrier checks require dual British nationals travelling to the UK to present either a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement confirming their right of abode. British citizens cannot apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation. Airlines, ferry operators and rail carriers are legally required to verify status before boarding. If British nationality cannot be confirmed, boarding may be refused.
For many dual nationals, this marks a practical break with past practice. In previous years, individuals often travelled on a non-British passport and resolved nationality status at the UK border if necessary. From February 2026, status must be evidenced in advance. The commercial carrier, not the border officer, is expected to confirm compliance before departure.
That operational change has prompted a reassessment of whether retaining British citizenship remains proportionate for those permanently settled abroad.
Why renunciation is being considered
The catalyst is documentation and cost.
A standard adult British passport currently costs around £94.50 for a UK online application, with higher fees overseas. For families, renewals every ten years represent a recurring expense. The alternative is a certificate of entitlement, which confirms the holder’s right of abode but is affixed to a foreign passport. The current fee is £589.
For dual nationals who travel infrequently to the UK and do not intend to return to live or work, maintaining British documentation may feel disproportionate. In some countries, holding or renewing a second nationality can also raise domestic compliance issues where local law restricts dual citizenship or requires formal declarations.
Renunciation is therefore being discussed not as a political statement, but as an administrative response. Under the British Nationality Act 1981, a British citizen may renounce by formal declaration provided they already hold another nationality. Once the Home Office registers the declaration, British citizenship ends. The right of abode falls away and any future residence in the UK would require immigration permission under the Immigration Rules.
Renunciation removes the need to evidence British status for travel because the individual ceases to be British in law and travels solely on their remaining nationality.
The alternatives to renunciation
Renunciation is one option. It is not the only one.
Maintain or renew a British passport
For those with ongoing family, property or professional ties to the UK, passport renewal preserves unrestricted entry and residence rights at comparatively modest cost. It also safeguards the ability to transmit British citizenship to children born abroad in certain circumstances.
Apply for a certificate of entitlement
A certificate confirms the right of abode without requiring the individual to travel on a British passport. It carries a significantly higher fee, but it may suit dual nationals who cannot or do not wish to use a British passport while retaining citizenship.
Retain status pending future plans
If there is any realistic prospect of returning to the UK for work, retirement or family reasons, renunciation carries long-term consequences. Once registered, automatic residence and work rights are lost. Reacquisition of citizenship is possible under section 13 of the British Nationality Act 1981, but it is discretionary and subject to statutory conditions.
A documentation requirement or a status decision?
The February 2026 changes do not alter who is British in law. British citizens continue to hold the right of abode and cannot be refused entry at the border. What has changed is how that status must be evidenced before travel.
For dual nationals, the immediate issue is compliance with carrier verification rules. The longer-term issue is whether British citizenship aligns with future residence and family plans.
Renewing a passport or applying for a certificate addresses the documentation requirement. Renunciation alters nationality status itself.
Any decision to give up British citizenship should follow a considered assessment of long-term mobility, family transmission of nationality and the practical cost of maintaining documentation. Once registered, renunciation takes legal effect and cannot be treated as a short-term travel solution.
