Dual citizenship and passports

Hi all, I'm getting super stressed about this so am hoping someone can give me a definitive answer please!
My daughter has dual citizenship (I'm British, her Dad is from US living here on ILR). We knew that the US are strict about folk entering/leaving the States on a US passport if they are entitled to one so we only sorted my daughters US passport out before our visit there next month. Now it's dawned on me that when we land in London they won't know she is entitled to live/stay in the U.K. if we only travel with her US passport.
So, my question is - do we need to get her a UK passport sorted fast!? And if we do need it, when exactly do we use the two different passports? I originally thought it would be simplest to travel on one so they don't lose track of you but maybe not...
Thanks in advance!

Yes, you do need to get her UK passport. If she only has a US passport, she will only be let back in to the UK as a visitor, not a UK citizen. In order to show she has the right to live in the UK, she would either need a visa in her US passport or she needs a UK passport.

You must use her US passport to enter the US, as it's illegal for her to enter on a UK passport. Then you use her UK passport to enter the UK to show she is a citizen and has the right to live here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for confirming! To be clear-do we use her US passport details for all the airline forms and just show her UK passport right at the last check?

I think so, but as I only hold a UK passport I don't have experience with doing it - I'm sure someone else will be able to confirm .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When we check in for our flight to the US, we use US passports.

When we check in for our flight to the UK, we use UK passports.

In the booking where it only asks for one, I usually use the US passport, as it's a return flight to the UK.  If you use the UK passport on the booking, it'll want an ESTA (which is only needed for non-US citizens).

I hope that helps!

Thank you for confirming! To be clear-do we use her US passport details for all the airline forms and just show her UK passport right at the last check?

I usually use my US passport on the way to the USA and U.K. Passport on the way back.

On one visit to the states we forgot to bring the kid's French passport and only brought the US passports.  At the border it was indeed a problem for the reasons stated above.   The border agent let them in , I'm not sure what the alternative would have been. 

Thank you for confirming! To be clear-do we use her US passport details for all the airline forms and just show her UK passport right at the last check?

Correct. You must use the US passport to leave the UK and to enter and leave the US.
Then use the UK passport to enter the UK.

Most U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal-considerations/us-citizenship-laws-policies/citizenship-and-dual-nationality/dual-nationality.html

Thanks everyone!

This interests me as we'll be in the position soon with our soon-to-be daughter. She will obviously hold a US and UK passport (Dad-UKC, Mum-USC).

When entering details into the flight passport section when checking in, do people put their US info and just use their UK passport at Border Control?

So:
- Check-in online/at the desk (UK) - US Passport
- USA Border Control - US Passport
- Check-in online/at the desk (US) - US Passport
- UK Border Control - UK Passport

Is this correct?

This interests me as we'll be in the position soon with our soon-to-be daughter. She will obviously hold a US and UK passport (Dad-UKC, Mum-USC).

When entering details into the flight passport section when checking in, do people put their US info and just use their UK passport at Border Control?

So:
- Check-in online/at the desk (UK) - US Passport
- USA Border Control - US Passport
- Check-in online/at the desk (US) - US Passport
- UK Border Control - UK Passport

Is this correct?

Close.

So:
- Check-in online/at the desk (UK) - US Passport
- USA Border Control - US Passport
- Check-in online/at the desk (US) - UK Passport
- UK Border Control - UK Passport

Close.

So:
- Check-in online/at the desk (UK) - US Passport
- USA Border Control - US Passport
- Check-in online/at the desk (US) - UK Passport
- UK Border Control - UK Passport

But sometimes, when checking in online, you only have the option of entering one set of details for both legs 

But sometimes, when checking in online, you only have the option of entering one set of details for both legs 

Correct.  Oh, but Ben, you are so not thinking ahead of what your future holidays are going to look like.   

Your next holiday will involve hauling a buggy and a car seat plus more luggage than you ever thought possible.  Chances are, for yourself, you will have only packed a change of pants.  And you'll wonder what in the world you used to pack for yourself.  So for the foreseeable future, you'll be checking in at the checkin counter.   

But as I said before, when you book and can only enter one passport, use the US passport.  Otherwise the system will prompt you for an ESTA if traveling to the US, which is not for US citizens.

Correct.  Oh, but Ben, you are so not thinking ahead of what your future holidays are going to look like.   

Your next holiday will involve hauling a buggy and a car seat plus more luggage than you ever thought possible.  Chances are, for yourself, you will have only packed a change of pants.  And you'll wonder what in the world you used to pack for yourself.  So for the foreseeable future, you'll be checking in at the checkin counter.   

But as I said before, when you book and can only enter one passport, use the US passport.  Otherwise the system will prompt you for an ESTA if traveling to the US, which is not for US citizens.

Noooo. Gone are the days where the missus and I can pack and share luggage, grab the train to the airport while casually sipping cups of coffee, cruise through security with our flight apps and relax at the bar with a pint and a glass of wine

I miss it already 

Noooo. Gone are the days where the missus and I can pack and share luggage, grab the train to the airport while casually sipping cups of coffee, cruise through security with our flight apps and relax at the bar with a pint and a glass of wine

I miss it already 

You forgot to add that you'll now receive super dirty looks from people that you even DARED to bring a child onto an airplane.     When often times, kids aren't the worst behaved ones, you know?   

You'll be fine.  You'll love being a dad.