Will new EU border security rules affect double passport holders?
We look at rules if you have two countries’ passports or two from the same country
Dual passport holders need to be careful when entering and exiting countries
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Reader Question: Me and my wife are both dual-passport holders (me UK and Irish, her UK and French). Will we need to sign up for EES if we live in the UK and plan to travel to France via ferry?
Dual-citizens of an EU country will be exempt from both the incoming Entry/Exit System (EES) and Etias, depending on the passport they use to enter the bloc.
To avoid being subject to these rules, they will need to enter/exit all Schengen Area countries using their EU passport.
If they use their non-EU passport to enter the bloc, they will be subject to the incoming border security regulations and may need to sign up for authorisation even if they are not required to do so as an EU citizen.
This could lead to complications if they are put on the EES database despite being a citizen, as this is meant to track arrivals and departures and ensure travellers comply with the 90/180 day rule.
Read more: Will EES affect travel rules for spouses of French citizens?
It may also cause complications when Etias – the upcoming EU visa-waiver scheme – comes into force, as if you travel into the bloc on a passport from an eligible country (UK, US, Australia, etc) you will have been expected to have obtained Etias authorisation before travel.
EES regulations are now expected to be phased in from October 2025, meaning dual passport holders should take extra care from this date on when entering the Schengen Area.
Read more: Etias travel permit for EU: April 2027 earliest date for enforcement
It is also important for dual citizens with UK passports to remember to use their British version of the document when entering/exiting the UK.
Failure to do so could also now result in an administrative headache due to the new Electronic Travel Authorisation, the UK’s own border security measures.
Read more: Is it possible to use different passports to enter and leave France and the UK?
What about visitors with two passports from the same non-EU country?
The Connexion also recently received a question about how an individual with two valid UK passports – used by some people who travel frequently for work – would be affected by the incoming rules.
Some people can ask for a second passport if they must travel often for work, and their main passport is held up by visa processing for one country but they must travel internationally for another.
The EES is designed to track your time in the bloc via several methods, only one of which is a visitor’s passport.
It also collects other information including biometric details such as a facial photo and fingerprints.
This additional information will be sufficient to track how many days a person spends within the bloc, said Arts Infopoint UK in 2024 (an advisory organisation run by UK arts councils).
This includes cases where people arrive and leave on different passports for the same nationality.
Those who overstay will still be liable to face penalties.
Read more: I have overstayed the 90 day rule in France. What is going to happen?
However, when applying for specific travel documentation (such as an Etias visa-waiver or a visa to stay longer than 90 days), you must enter on the same passport that you applied with.
