Is a Passport my property or the governments.

I have a 1956 UK passport (I think it expired ) The one thats been talked about on here last week. Dark Blue and hard backed. So the question is if I flashed it at Heathrow would they confiscate it because it is out of date and expired?? The US passport is cheaper to get, I think, so thats were my loyalty is. . I paid £5 for the UK passport it so I think it is my property but who knows?

If you are a UK citizen and travel to the UK, I think you have to enter on a UK passport. (one that isn't expired)

If you are a UK citizen and travel to the UK, I think you have to enter on a UK passport. (one that isn't expired)

I would use the one that was valid (US) but show the UK one to get through the line the fastest.

I think I could go to the British line by showing "me" birth certificate. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I relate this to an experience of trying to pay for things in England with British money and I caused quite a stare because they thought it was foreign money that they had not see before. It was British money with the Queen on it and all. They wouldn't except it. Bloomin cheek.

The Passport is the property of the issuing government and they have the right to take it away.

Interesting question.

They wouldn't take it off of you, there is no reason to.  But in order to grant you entry they would usually need to see a valid passport.  Now, if you showed an expired passport plus a pre-1983 birth certificate this would leave no doubt that you are British, but you could find yourself in for a lot of hassle by doing this.  I can't see that they would refuse you entry, but your life would be easier if you forked out for a new one before travelling.

Vicky

I would use the one that was valid (US) but show the UK one to get through the line the fastest.

I think I could go to the British line by showing "me" birth certificate. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You're wrong.

You're wrong.

This isn't the U.S. I don't think being born here automatically makes you a citizen.

This isn't the U.S. I don't think being born here automatically makes you a citizen.

You're right.  It doesn't.

This isn't the U.S. I don't think being born here automatically makes you a citizen.

Jim is absolutely right.  His birth certificate does prove that he is a British Citizen, as everyone who was born in the UK before 1st January 1983 was automatically British.

But whether the morons on the desk know that is a different story.  Not worth the risk, my friend.

Vicky

You can't travel on a birth certificate.  If you're travelling on a US passport you need to go through the non-EU line.  I would be highly surprised if someone let you go through the EU line just because you were waving a UK birth certificate. 

Jim is absolutely right.  His birth certificate does prove that he is a British Citizen, as everyone who was born in the UK before 1st January 1983 was automatically British.

But whether the morons on the desk know that is a different story.  Not worth the risk, my friend.

Vicky

Jim might be a citizen but the fact remains that being born in the UK does not automatically make you a citizen.  Which is what Mort was saying.

I have a 1956 UK passport (I think it expired ) The one thats been talked about on here last week. Dark Blue and hard backed. So the question is if I flashed it at Heathrow would they confiscate it because it is out of date and expired?? The US passport is cheaper to get, I think, so thats were my loyalty is. . I paid £5 for the UK passport it so I think it is my property but who knows?

Don't forget to slap a foreign immigration officer across the face with the hard backed passport! (Copyright - Jack Dee) 

You can't travel on a birth certificate.  If you're travelling on a US passport you need to go through the non-EU line.  I would be highly surprised if someone let you go through the EU line just because you were waving a UK birth certificate. 

Absolutely right. Better to get your UK passport renewed if you want to go through the EU line. It shouldn't be a big problem.

As far as the issue of the government claiming, confiscating, or otherwise wanting the return of an expired passport is concerned, they don't seem at all worried.

When I renewed my passport in 1998 it was easiest for ID purposes to send my old passport with the application, but I wanted to be sure I would get it back - Partly because it's the last "real" British passport, and partly because of the U.S. immigration stamps inside, just in case I ever needed them.   I was assured it would be returned, which it was, with "Cancelled" stamped across the appropriate pages inside and just a tiny corner of the front cover clipped.  (Had they not assured me it would be returned, it would have accidentally been "lost," of course, and I'd have gone to the trouble of getting other certified identification.)

I still have one of my mother's old passports from the 1950s, never canceled, although long since expired of course!