UK and USA passport holders must carry BOTH into America?

Why is it a rule that American expats/immigrants to the UK, who become UK and USA passport holders, must carry BOTH when they travel into America?

What if someone does not want to renew their USA passport after they get the UK one (it is expensive, or they are lazy, whatever), and they then travel to the USA? They can't just use the UK passport? It is a valid passport, right?! So, what's the problem?

And, how would they even know? Maybe they would know... I don't know. But why would they care?

Who wants to carry TWO passports?

Is there an actual REASON for this requirement, other than 'it is required'?

What is the logic behind it? Why is that a rule? Does it serve a purpose?

I'm just curious. I read that rule, and I wondered why it exists. Seems strange.

Many thanks!

You must carry both because it is illegal for a US citizen to enter the US on a foreign passport.

The US government does not 'recognise' dual-citizenship - which means that in their eyes you are a US citizen and a US citizen only... and therefore even if you have dual citizenship, they will only allow you to enter or leave the US using a US passport. If you try to enter using your UK passport, you will be breaking the law.

The UK does not have this same law in regards to entering and leaving on a UK passport, but if you don't enter on your UK passport, then you will have no proof that you are a UK citizen and have the right to live in the UK... so you will either be stamped into the UK as a visitor on your US passport or you will need to have a UK visa in your US passport to enter the UK to live.

The US requires that American citizens use American passports to enter and leave the US.  It's illegal not to.  If you tried to use your UK passport, they would know from the birthplace that you were American.  

The UK, however, doesn't require that its citizens enter/leave with UK passports, so you could always use your US passport only, provided it contains a valid permission to enter or remain in the UK.

Wow, thank you! Awesome explanations Ksand24 and historyenne!

The curiosity was KILLING ME! Now it makes sense!

Anyway, good thing to know, and keep in mind - If I do decide to get UK citizenship,
I must not forget to also always have a *valid* USA passport, for when I go back for visits!

 

@ LaraMascara... i kind of love having two passports (just got my US back in July).

Just imagine, you have the right to live and work in these of 2 great continents. 

I sorta wanna shut out... "I'M THE KING..er, QUEEN OF THE WORLD!" 

The US requires that American citizens use American passports to enter and leave the US.  It's illegal not to.  If you tried to use your UK passport, they would know from the birthplace that you were American.  

The UK, however, doesn't require that its citizens enter/leave with UK passports, so you could always use your US passport only, provided it contains a valid permission to enter or remain in the UK.

What if you were born in the UK and have a UK passport but not an American passport - would you still need a US passport if you had the right to US citizenship?  If so, how would they find out?

Yes, as a US citizen, you would need to apply for a passport and carry it. A few posters on here did not do this for their children who were born in the UK (but were born to US parents so were citizens). They were usually let in on their UK passports but the officials have been known to ask if the children are born to a US parent and then why they didn't have a US passport. So yes, you can get away without doing it, but it's not a great idea.

Wait... If I had a child here, and wanted to take them on holiday to the USA... I would be expected to get that British born child a second passport, from the USA, before going there?!

It's beginning to sound like a pyramid money making scheme!

Yes, you definitely would.  You would need to get the child a US passport before you tried to enter the US.

I would be expected to get that British born child a second passport, from the USA, before going there?!

Yes, you must get the US passport before taking the child to the US, but you don't get it from the US, you get it from the US Embassy in London (I believe you need to register the child's birth with the Embassy anyway, so it's not difficult to get the passport too).

Not really sure what the big deal is, to be honest - I would feel privileged to be able to apply for a second passport .

The US requires that American citizens use American passports to enter and leave the US.  It's illegal not to.  If you tried to use your UK passport, they would know from the birthplace that you were American. 

The UK, however, doesn't require that its citizens enter/leave with UK passports, so you could always use your US passport only, provided it contains a valid permission to enter or remain in the UK.

But most likely if you have both passports, you no longer have a UK visa, right? That's how you would be able to apply for citizenship. At least I assume that your UK visa/ILR is null and void once you upgrade to citizenship, right?

And I agree with ksand- not sure why it's a big deal. I can't WAIT to be able to get my UK passport and be done with visas forever. Only 5 more years!

No, I think your ILR is actually still valid.  We have seen this question come up before when someone who was a dual citizen wasn't able to find their UK passport, and so they wanted to enter the UK on their ILR.

The thing is that visas/ILR and citizenship are separate things.  Indefinite leave to remain is indefinite, and getting citizenship doesn't affect it.  Immigration rules and naturalisation rules have nothing to do with each other, except that ILR is a requirement for citizenship. 

This is why the residency requirement for citizenship for the spouse of a BC is still 3 years, even though it now takes five years to get ILR. 

I've had British citizenship for more than a year, but with one thing and another still haven't managed to get my passport.  I'm going to the US tomorrow with my American passport, and when I come back I'll enter on my ILR.  It'll be the third time I've done that since getting citizenship.  There were no problems the first two times and touch wood there won't be this time either. 

Huh! Interesting. And strange... (I mean, that you can keep your ILR when you get citizenship, not that you're coming back on yours for the third time. )

Look on the bright side, some of us have the burden of carrying THREE passports