Hi All, Hoping someone has knowledge of the situation I am considering.
I have an upcoming RTW trip. I will be landing in London and staying in the UK before flying onto LAX for a few days and then back to Aus.
As I have both UK and Aus passports. I am intending to commence the trip on my Aus passport. To expedite getting through UK customs at LHR, I was hoping to use my UK passport to enter and exit the UK. I will then change back to my Aus passport for entry to America as this has my ESTA against it.
My question is around potential issues of changing back to my Aus passport for entering the states. Do the US authorities have access to UK customs records that would not have my entering or exiting the UK on the passport as I am attempting to enter the US on?, and does this matter if I have a valid Aus passport with an ESTA?
If you're an Australian citizen you must enter/leave Australia using your Australian passport. I would suspect the same for your U.K. passport as you're a U.K. citizen for entering/leaving the U.K.
Dun have UK passport but I have a Taiwanese passport. I use my Aussie one to enter/exit Australia and my Taiwanese one to enter/exit Taiwan on the same trip without ever being questioned. I guess you can always show them both if they asked.
As far as I am aware, the USA do not have access to UK immigration records but they do have access to airline passenger records. You will no doubt have to provide your airline with passport details a minimum 3 days prior to travel so they can pass these onto appropriate security authorities. If you are only able to provide one set of passport details online for the entire trip then it would be highly worthwhile giving the airline a call prior to departure from Australia.
Having said that, I have travelled Australia - USA - UK - Australia and Australia - UK - USA - Australia using Australian passport to enter/leave Australia and to enter/leave USA and my British passport to enter/leave UK and have never encountered a problem. The last time I travelled this way was 2002/2003.
Shouldn't be a problem. If they do ask at the US border, just be honest and say you have been using 2 passports for the reasons you described. I use an Iranian passport to get in and out of Iran, and the Australian passport everywhere else. Never had any issues.
I have three passports Aus/UK/Can and do this all the time, enter exit on passport of country - never had a problem.
I have even used my Aus passport to check-in for flights back to Qatar, due to visa, and then cleared emmigration with another passport.
I currently use my UK/Can passport to enter/leave the UAE also as my Aus passport has Qatar stamps in it and although I have not been refused entry because of them two of my work colleagues (UK and NZ passports) have, it's variable.
If you're an Australian citizen you must enter/leave Australia using your Australian passport. I would suspect the same for your U.K. passport as you're a U.K. citizen for entering/leaving the U.K.
As for your onward trip to the U.S. I don't know.
Not all countries are like Australia, NZ for example is fine for its citizens to use foreign passports if they have them.
I have an Australian and a NZ passport, once when I flew to NZ I used my Australian one to leave Australia and my NZ one to enter NZ. The automatic gates didn’t like that, I had to see an agent. Ever since I use my Australian passport on both sides of the trip.
In my experience you need to think of two things sepeartly.
- What details the Airline has; and
- What details immigration have.
The airline reports WHO is coming to the final country, therefore you need to have your ARRIVAL country passport registered a booking/checkin. So I am Australian, with a Polish passport, leaving Australia to Poland, I check in with my Polish passport. Note: it's very common for checkin staff wanting to see both passports. So be transparent. The sad thing is multiple times I have check in staff say this "won't work". But it does!
You can then use your passport that lets yo LEAVE the country based on visa etc at boarder control to exit the country. I have no visa to live in Australia on my polish passport, so I exit using my Australian passport.
Then once you are on the Plan you switch back to your ARRIVAL country passport. So as I land in Poland, I use my polish passport.
Hi, as others have pointed out this isn't unusual or illegal in any way. Couple of things to note when leaving the UK. You don't go through any passport control, you just check in and go through security. This makes it important that you show the check-in agent the passport you will use to enter the US, as the airline will send them that detail. It doesn't matter to the UK authorities that you entered on a British passport and left on an Australian one.
As others have said, in case of questions, just be transparent. I have three passports and used them all on a trip to that included the US, and it took an extra minute or two at immigration, but it all worked fine.
1. Leaving and entering Australia on the same Austrlian passport
2. Entering and leaving other countries (except NZ for convenience) on my Irish passport.
I HAVE to use my Australian passport for us because it contains my US B1/B2 visa since I was denied a US ETSA visa last year because my wife and I had the temerity to take a wonderful holiday in Iran. B1/B2 only valid for the life of the passport so I try to avoid filling up my Aussie one with stamps as it cost me about A$1,000 to get it since I had to travel to Sydney (no US consular office in Brisbane) stay overnight, and pay through the nose for the stamp.
This is entirely fine; I have done it myself. The important thing is to remember which country you entered on which passport - and to leave on the same passport.
I made a mistake in - of all countries - the most (understandably) fussy about these things: Israel. I entered on one passport and then, at the point of departure, unthinkingly handed over the other passport. They scanned the passport and, when it came up that I had never entered the country on the passport, I got a very concerned look.
Fortunately, I suddenly realised what I had done, explained myself, apologised profusely, handed over the passport on which I had entered and was waved through without being taken to the small room.
I use an Aussie passport into/outoff AUS and into/outoff US However as soon as I get to Europe/Switzerland/Israel its my Greek passport and you can use the E passport feature at TLV/ZRH/MUC As for the UK I wouldn't know because its not EU Israel, Swizertland and most EU countires don't have a problem using multiple passports - I just go wherever the line is shortest!
The rules are clear, you should enter any country with the same passport details including in your PNR with the airline you arw flying with, particularly the US as they mandate airlines to give advance passenger information and now the US has mandatory passenger screening at all international airports, prior to checking in and where, no doubt, you will find out if there are any issues with the passport you are using. If name is the same but country and passport number is different to that originally regustered with/by the airline, you will be flagged for additional screening, including secondary screening at the airport prior to checking in.
mcglynp
mcglynp
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 20 Jan 2016
Total posts 48
Hi All, Hoping someone has knowledge of the situation I am considering.
mviy
mviy
Member since 05 May 2016
Total posts 322
If you're an Australian citizen you must enter/leave Australia using your Australian passport. I would suspect the same for your U.K. passport as you're a U.K. citizen for entering/leaving the U.K.
rckjiang
rckjiang
Member since 16 Jun 2017
Total posts 40
Dun have UK passport but I have a Taiwanese passport. I use my Aussie one to enter/exit Australia and my Taiwanese one to enter/exit Taiwan on the same trip without ever being questioned. I guess you can always show them both if they asked.
Becky1
Becky1
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 04 May 2018
Total posts 24
As far as I am aware, the USA do not have access to UK immigration records but they do have access to airline passenger records. You will no doubt have to provide your airline with passport details a minimum 3 days prior to travel so they can pass these onto appropriate security authorities. If you are only able to provide one set of passport details online for the entire trip then it would be highly worthwhile giving the airline a call prior to departure from Australia.
boghraty
boghraty
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 30 Jul 2017
Total posts 14
Shouldn't be a problem. If they do ask at the US border, just be honest and say you have been using 2 passports for the reasons you described. I use an Iranian passport to get in and out of Iran, and the Australian passport everywhere else. Never had any issues.
Ross
Ross
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 May 2014
Total posts 83
I have three passports Aus/UK/Can and do this all the time, enter exit on passport of country - never had a problem.
I have even used my Aus passport to check-in for flights back to Qatar, due to visa, and then cleared emmigration with another passport.
I currently use my UK/Can passport to enter/leave the UAE also as my Aus passport has Qatar stamps in it and although I have not been refused entry because of them two of my work colleagues (UK and NZ passports) have, it's variable.
aggie57
aggie57
QF
Member since 04 Apr 2014
Total posts 136
I have an Australian and a NZ passport, once when I flew to NZ I used my Australian one to leave Australia and my NZ one to enter NZ. The automatic gates didn’t like that, I had to see an agent. Ever since I use my Australian passport on both sides of the trip.
dimi
dimi
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 13 Jul 2012
Total posts 154
You should not have a problem.
Dual citizenship is very common, and travelling by dual citizens often requires swapping passports between countries.
Immigration authorities around the world are quite used to it, especially in countries like US, UK and Australia.
Provided that you exit each country on the same passport you used to enter it, it will not matter what passport you use to enter the next one.
Journey_Agent
Journey_Agent
Member since 20 Mar 2014
Total posts 2
In my experience you need to think of two things sepeartly.
Lonnieflyer
Lonnieflyer
Member since 21 Jun 2018
Total posts 3
Hi, as others have pointed out this isn't unusual or illegal in any way. Couple of things to note when leaving the UK. You don't go through any passport control, you just check in and go through security. This makes it important that you show the check-in agent the passport you will use to enter the US, as the airline will send them that detail. It doesn't matter to the UK authorities that you entered on a British passport and left on an Australian one.
Journeyman
Journeyman
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
Member since 11 Sep 2015
Total posts 30
I have never had a problem by
tuzza1
tuzza1
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Aug 2012
Total posts 93
N\Its not a problem at all. I have done just as you suggest many times.
ashmidalia
ashmidalia
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Jan 2016
Total posts 5
This is entirely fine; I have done it myself. The important thing is to remember which country you entered on which passport - and to leave on the same passport.
cbourl
cbourl
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
Member since 12 Sep 2011
Total posts 9
I use an Aussie passport into/outoff AUS and into/outoff US However as soon as I get to Europe/Switzerland/Israel its my Greek passport and you can use the E passport feature at TLV/ZRH/MUC As for the UK I wouldn't know because its not EU Israel, Swizertland and most EU countires don't have a problem using multiple passports - I just go wherever the line is shortest!
1Worldfreqflyer
1Worldfreqflyer
Member since 29 Jun 2016
Total posts 15
The rules are clear, you should enter any country with the same passport details including in your PNR with the airline you arw flying with, particularly the US as they mandate airlines to give advance passenger information and now the US has mandatory passenger screening at all international airports, prior to checking in and where, no doubt, you will find out if there are any issues with the passport you are using. If name is the same but country and passport number is different to that originally regustered with/by the airline, you will be flagged for additional screening, including secondary screening at the airport prior to checking in.