Dual Nationality -- Which Passport to Use?

there are actually armed members of the Gendarmerie Nationale de France at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Kent.

And conversely, there are British officials on the French side, so all the checks are done as you board, then when you arrive at the other end you can just drive straight off the train and out onto the road.

So I always wondered how they can enforce the law if its not in their country?

So I always wondered how they can enforce the law if its not in their country?

Because of a reciprocal agreement. There are plenty of cross border arrangements in Europe. For example France/Germany, France/Italy, France/Spain. In England, the French police officers are deemed to be assisting the Kent police, and in France the opposite. There was a problem at first when this arrangement was set up, to do with the French police carrying their guns. The British police at first wanted the Gendarmes to remove them while on British soil, but the French officers protested that regulations required them to carry their guns at all times while on duty, and to leave them off would make them "out of uniform". A compromise was reached that the guns would be carried but could not be removed from their holsters without permission from the Chief Constable of Kent.

Because of a reciprocal agreement. There are plenty of cross border arrangements in Europe.

Same thing between Canada and the USA.  When you fly out of Vancouver to the US, for example, you go through US Customs & Immigration in the Vancouver airport, and then when you land you just leave whatever airport you flew into without any further dealing with them.

You must use a US passport to enter and leave the US but the same is not true of the UK if you are not planning on staying.

I would disagree with this and in fact, I have not followed this many times on trips to and from the US.

When I depart for the US I show my US passport and also show it at US immigration.
When I depart for the UK I show my UK passport and also show it at UK immigration.

Therefore, I use US passport to enter but NOT when I leave the US and I have never been detained, locked up or strip-searched because of this.

It's simple logic, you are departing the US to enter the UK and therefore go through UK immigration so you show your UK passport at the US airport check-in.

Having just got my US Citizenship in Sept 08, I specifically talked to the CIS officer about this subject.  She made it very very very clear to me regarding this.  She told me that the USA takes a very dim view of anyone leaving and entering on anything but their US Passport and if you get caught (which would mean that Immigration would have to know you have two passports) you could be detained.

As I understand it this is how it goes.

Return Tickets from the USA to UK and back to the USA, you would have to use your US Passport on leaving and your British or US Passport on entering.

One way ticket out of USA, use you UK Passport as the USA would require you to buy a return to prove you are not staying illegally in the country you are flying to.

If you are flying out of the UK on a return ticket you use your UK or US Passport to leave and your US to enter the USA.

If you have a one way ticket, you have to use your US Passport otherwise you will be required to buy a return ticket to get you back from the USA.

I'll give an example.

I was staying with my DH before we got married and I had to leave the county every 90 days.  We bought return tickets Washington-Dulles to Paris and then to come back to the USA (Washington also).  Paris would not let me check-in or let me board my flight to the USA until I bought a return ticket out of the USA.  I wasn't even using an American Airline, I used Air France.  I bought a full price refundable ticket and had it refunded at the US Airport when we landed.  Just as well we had a credit card with us.

I guess once you have Dual Citizenship you can use them how you wish because you can prove Citizenship to both countries.  I would never fly without both my passports.  You have to use the passport from the country you are entering most definitely.  I was just told that the USA would prefer Dual Citizens use their US Passports while on American soil which would mean leaving also.

Problems only come when you fly one way, you would need to prove your are a Citizen of the other country or you at least have a visa for the country you are visiting.

Why would anyone fly one way when it costs way more.

I say do what you want........just never fly without both of your passports, always take both passports.....ALWAYS.

Actually (this happened when I visited the US last year with DD who is dual US/UK). When checking in on the US side I had to show both her passports. If you only show the UK passport the airline will want your green I-94 and want to know why you don't have one if you don't show your US passport at the same time. I guess the best advice would be just carry both passports at all times when travelling internationally.

Actually (this happened when I visited the US last year with DD who is dual US/UK). When checking in on the US side I had to show both her passports. If you only show the UJK passport the airline will want your green I-94 and want to know why you don't have one if you don't show your US passport at the same time. I guess the best advice would be just carry both passports at all times when travelling internationally.

Does this mean that when your UKP and USP are in different names, you need to carry your marriage certificate too?

Yeah, because depending on which one you use your passport won't match the name you booked your ticket in...Might want to change the name on whichever one that doesn't have your married name in it.

One way ticket out of USA, use you UK Passport as the USA would require you to buy a return to prove you are not staying illegally in the country you are flying to.

Does US immigration really care if their citizens stay illegally in another country?  Wouldn't that be up to the other country to check on this?  I had no idea.  What happens if you're on a jaunt around the world and don't know exactly when you'll be returning?

Does US immigration really care if their citizens stay illegally in another country?  Wouldn't that be up to the other country to check on this?  I had no idea.  What happens if you're on a jaunt around the world and don't know exactly when you'll be returning?

I doubt they do. I never had a US border agent check my ILR or either exit or entrance to make sure I wasn't overstaying in the U.K.

I'm pretty sure most everyone on this board who has moved here out of the U.S. bought a one-way ticket and used their US passport to leave, and I don't even remember there being immigration control on the way out.

I remember reading somewhere that US doesn't just "frown" on people using other passports. I think it's actually not allowed: you can't enter the US on a different passport if you have a US one.

Yeah, because depending on which one you use your passport won't match the name you booked your ticket in...Might want to change the name on whichever one that doesn't have your married name in it.

Yeah, that seems pretty obvious in retrospect. If I'd given it about ten minutes of thought when I was filling out my citizenship app, I'd have gotten the certificate in my maiden name.

Gaah, I'm dumb.

But you can get the passport in your maiden name even if the naturalisation certificate is in your married name.

Vicky