Starting Wednesday, Canadians travelling to the United Kingdom must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before entering the country, under a new system introduced by the British government as part of updated border controls.
While the ETA is described as a simple online process for most Canadian travellers, new complications have emerged for dual citizens. Travel expert Serina Bowles explained on CTV Your Morning that Canadians who are also British or Irish citizens are no longer eligible to apply for an ETA.
According to Bowles, individuals born in the United Kingdom or those whose parents were U.K. citizens at the time of their birth are now required to travel using a valid U.K. passport. The British government quietly updated this rule on its website several weeks ago, reversing previous eligibility for dual citizens holding Canadian passports.
The same restriction applies to Canadians who also hold Irish citizenship. For now, applying for a U.K. passport is the only guaranteed way for dual citizens to enter the country without disruption. However, the process can involve additional costs and waiting periods.
The U.K. government recently added limited flexibility, stating that airlines may allow dual citizens to travel using an expired British passport alongside a valid Canadian passport, but this remains at the discretion of each airline.
Dual citizens without a British or Irish passport may instead apply for a “certificate of entitlement” to prove their right of abode in the U.K., though this process can take several weeks and costs more than 1,000 Canadian dollars.
Another option is to renounce U.K. citizenship and apply for an ETA as a Canadian citizen, but Bowles warned that this route is also time-consuming and impractical for most travellers.
She advised that obtaining a U.K. passport is currently the easiest and most reliable solution for eligible travellers. Bowles noted that her husband, who lives in Canada but was born in the U.K., completed the passport application entirely online in about three weeks.
Bowles also cautioned that the new ETA rules affect more than just travellers whose final destination is the U.K. Canadians transiting through London should be aware that changing terminals at Heathrow Airport requires passing through passport control, which triggers the ETA requirement. Travellers staying within the same terminal for connecting flights do not need an ETA.
The new policy highlights the importance for Canadian travellers and dual citizens to review documentation requirements carefully before booking flights to or through the United Kingdom.
