British Passport Travel Rules 2026

The Home Office Nationality Team has issued an important reminder for British citizens travelling to the UK, particularly in light of the UK’s continued transition towards a fully digital immigration system.

This update is highly relevant for individuals who have recently naturalised or registered as British citizens, as well as for parents travelling with children or dependants.

What documents are required to enter the UK as a British citizen?

To enter the UK as a British citizen, you must hold and travel with one of the following valid documents:

• A valid British citizen passport, or
• A Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) to the Right of Abode, endorsed in a valid foreign passport.

The Home Office has emphasised that no other documents will be accepted for entry as a British citizen.

Naturalisation or registration certificates are not travel documents

A key point clarified in the Home Office update is that a certificate of naturalisation or registration is not a travel document.

If you have recently become a British citizen and attempt to travel using only your naturalisation or registration certificate, you may:

• Be denied boarding by your airline, or
• Encounter serious difficulties at the UK border, including refusal of entry.

These certificates confirm British citizenship status, but they do not confer a right of entry on their own.

Apply before you travel

If you do not currently hold a British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement, you must apply for one before travelling.

Once issued, a valid British passport or CoE allows you to:

• Enter the UK as a British citizen
• Travel in and out of the UK multiple times
• Avoid unnecessary delays, refusals, or border issues

This remains the case as long as the document itself remains valid.

Children and dependants

The Home Office has also highlighted the importance of ensuring that children and dependants who are British citizens have the correct documentation before travelling.

Parents and guardians should double-check that each child has either:

• Their own British passport, or
• A Certificate of Entitlement in a foreign passport

Children cannot rely on a parent’s status or documentation for entry.

If you already hold the correct documents

If you already have a valid British passport or a Certificate of Entitlement, the Home Office advises that you:

• Carry the document with you whenever travelling to the UK, and
• Remind friends and family members who are British citizens to do the same

This is particularly important for individuals who have lived outside the UK for long periods and may not travel frequently.

How to apply

The Home Office has provided the following official routes for applications:

• British passport applications and renewals (including from outside the UK):
  https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports
• Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode:
  https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/apply-for-a-certificate-of-entitlement

Why this matters

As the UK continues to modernise and digitise its immigration system, airlines and border officials are applying documentation requirements more strictly. Travelling without the correct document can result in significant disruption, cost, and stress.

British citizens are therefore strongly advised to check their travel documents well in advance of any planned travel to the UK.