On her return from Amsterdam on Monday, she was not allowed to board her flight because she lacked the right paperwork to prove British citizenship, despite having a British birth certificate. She was forced to spend a night alone in Amsterdam airport after being confronted by immigration, who then organized a flight to Seville so she could stay with family in Spain. From February 25, a new immigration rule requires all dual nationals to use a valid British or Irish passport when entering the UK.
If traveling on a non-UK passport, dual-citizen travelers need a Certificate of Entitlement and are not eligible for an Electronic Travel Authorisation or visa. She was unaware of the changes and is now living in Spain, battling the Home Office for re-entry. She is at high risk of losing her job because she cannot return to the UK.
She faces a huge financial cost, living out of a small bag from her trip, with legal battles potentially lasting up to six months. She was meant to start medication upon return but is now trying to get it sent to Spain, which is expensive and slow due to border delays. It remains unclear what specific documentation immigration authorities required beyond her birth certificate, and the current status of her legal battle with the Home Office has not been confirmed.
The number of other dual nationals affected by this rule since February 25 is also unknown.