Has Anyone Swapped their British Passport for a European One?

[Andy in Germany]

My British passport expired sometime last year and given that one of my parents is Irish then I’m planning on applying for an Irish passport in a nice shade of burgundy. Just wondering if there would be any downside to making this my only passport. I know that entitlement to a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is based on UK Residency (not Nationality) and Irish passport holders don’t need to apply for “indefinite leave to remain”, but would there be any downside to not also applying for a new British passport?

If you mean your only nationality, that's one thing, but if you retain dual nationality I think you need to have both: I have to keep a UK passport for when I enter the UK, because I'm a citizen. I'm also not allowed to enter Germany using my UK passport.

Oddly I don't need a German passport because I can use my ID card.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Citizenship and nationality are not the same thing. It’s a complex area.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Seems a whole lot of bother for not a lot of benefit...

 

[Cycleops]

Not too complex. Citizenship is a legal status in a political institution such as a city or a state. ... Nationality, on the other hand, denotes where an individual has been born, or holds citizenship with a state. Nationality is obtained through inheritance from his/her parents, which is called a natural phenomenon.

 

[Drago]

My Irish Passport states that I, the bearer, am a citizen of Ireland.

Yep, because you are a citizen. The passport itself does not bestow that citizenship though.

But there will be plenty out that that have them without those little words.

Its a travel document, not a citizenship one. I had a military passport for some years, and was neither a citizen of the Ministry of Defence, or a resident there.

 

[byegad]

My red EU/UK issued passport ran out in November last year, so I applied in October for renewal.
The 'blue' UK passport that eventually came in the post is not anything like my very old UK one which was truly blue, I got it in the mid 1970s. Instead it's effectively Black.
Which is going to upset some Leave voters!

 

[Landsurfer]

I was born and raised on the Island of Ireland .. ( what a phrase ) .... however i am not entitled to an Irish passport ..
As with British passports the qualification is matriarchal ... and though born in Belfast my mother was English ...
But to be honest i’m happy with and proud of my British passport.
Born in Belfast to an English mum whose parents where Welsh and Scots, my Dad born in Belfast to Ulster Scots parents.
Proper British me ......

 

[glasgowcyclist]

my Dad born in Belfast

That makes you an Irish citizen.

"If you or your parent were born on the island of Ireland before 2005, you are an Irish citizen. You can apply for an Irish passport without making an application for citizenship."
https://www.dfa.ie/citizenship/

 

[Ming the Merciless]

@Accy cyclist was born on the Holyhead / Dublin ferry and is currently applying for Pirate 🏴‍☠️ passport

 

[JtB]

I have to keep a UK passport for when I enter the UK, because I'm a citizen. I'm also not allowed to enter Germany using my UK passport.

This is kind of where I was heading with my question in that being a British citizen would I still need a British passport to get back into the UK?

To maintain a European passport I can either apply for a Spanish or an Irish passport. I’m entitled to a Spanish passport since Mrs JtB is Spanish, however Spain does not allow dual nationality and I’m sure it would be problematic for me returning to the UK on a Spanish passport. My mother however was from Ireland (the same town from which president Biden’s ancestors originated) which means I’m already an Irish citizen. What I’m not sure though is whether returning to the UK on an Irish passport would be problematic.

Of course I could also renew my British passport, but if there’s no real benefit then why bother?

 

[Arrowfoot]

This is kind of where I was heading with my question in that being a British citizen would I still need a British passport to get back into the UK?

To maintain a European passport I can either apply for a Spanish or an Irish passport. I’m entitled to a Spanish passport since Mrs JtB is Spanish, however Spain does not allow dual nationality and I’m sure it would be problematic for me returning to the UK on a Spanish passport. My mother however was from Ireland (the same town from which president Biden’s ancestors originated) which means I’m already an Irish citizen. What I’m not sure though is whether returning to the UK on an Irish passport would be problematic.

Of course I could also renew my British passport, but if there’s no real benefit then why bother?

Andy is right as there is some international convention or best practice agreed by nation states. When I collected my second passport I was told to use the relevant passport for entry. I was surprised when I heard it. There was nothing written down just a verbal advice. However there have been occasions when I did not follow because I forgot or left the wrong passport behind. Does not seem to be any sort of enforcement though.

I understand that OZ, US and Israel etc are stickers for this. Below is an example for OZ . Could not find anything for Brits.

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/who-you-are/dual-nationals

 

[Andy in Germany]

This is kind of where I was heading with my question in that being a British citizen would I still need a British passport to get back into the UK?

To maintain a European passport I can either apply for a Spanish or an Irish passport. I’m entitled to a Spanish passport since Mrs JtB is Spanish, however Spain does not allow dual nationality and I’m sure it would be problematic for me returning to the UK on a Spanish passport. My mother however was from Ireland (the same town from which president Biden’s ancestors originated) which means I’m already an Irish citizen. What I’m not sure though is whether returning to the UK on an Irish passport would be problematic.

Of course I could also renew my British passport, but if there’s no real benefit then why bother?

That's the point. As far as I understand it, if you have both, you must enter the ROI/EU as an ROI/EU citizen, and the UK as a UK citizen. This shouldn't cause any trouble, especially as I don't think the UK is particularly interested in other nationalities, so they may not ever realise. If you enter as a non-citizen you'll probably be entered on the database of foreign nationals in the country and need a visa which makes life comlicated when you subsequently stay.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Seems a whole lot of bother for not a lot of benefit...

Speaking personally it means my family can stay here, and my kids keep FOM in the EU and in the UK, which means we are in a very small group of people for whom that is still the case.

It also means Elder Son can consider working in the UK for a year with no visa problems, or apply for a course in Germany and get a grant.

Oh, and we get to stay together, which is also nice.

 

[downesy]

Both parents Irish , I was the first of our family born outside of Ireland (England).
I have an Irish passport but I did before Brexit , I go over at least 3 times a year as most of my extended family still stay there

 

[glasgowcyclist]

That quote I posted is from the Irish government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and you’ll see from the link that it doesn’t matter which parent was born in Ireland. You are an Irish citizen by virtue of your dad’s birth there.