"New Passport Rules Leave Brits Stranded Abroad, Facing £589 Fees to Dodge Flight Bans"

NEW passport rules are catching Brits out – and leaving them stranded abroad and left hundreds out of pocket.

Since February 25, with a non-UK passport.

Dual-national Brits are being left stuck abroad due to new rules not allowing them to return to the country on a non-UK passportCredit: Getty They must only enter the UK with a British passport – any others will require an expensive certificate of entitlement, and cannot use an ETACredit: Alamy

Anyone without a British passport has to pay a steep £589 for a certificate of entitlement, or apply for one while abroad.

The rule change was initially slammed for providing very little notice, especially for people already abroad without a British passport.

And a number of people have since been left stuck abroad due to the confusing new rules.

Earlier this week, UK resident after a trip there.

With a British father and a Spanish mother, she only has a Spanish passport, which can no longer be used to enter the UK by itself.

Foreign nationals can apply for an – a form of visa-waiver similar to the American ESTA – but this is not available to people living in the UK.

She said she was left fearing for her job as she was unable to make it back home, and instead had to wait for a which can take up to six weeks.

She added: “It’s terrifying and I’m petrified.”

A number of British have faced similar problems as well, being left stuck abroad on school trips.

Last month, a sixteen year old teen was stopped from boarding her flight back to the UK while in , because she didn’t have a UK passport.

A 19-year-old student – who is half French – was stuck in Madrid for the same reason, after visiting the Spanish city for a trip with her university.

And an 18-year-old who is British-Danish was even left stranded in Mumbai Airport while transiting because she had a British passport, but didn’t travel with it.

Despite trying to send a picture of the British passport to airport staff, she was unable to board her flight, with her mother telling the Guardian she was “scared and alone”.

A spokesperson previously explained: “From February 25, 2026, all dual British citizens will need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement to avoid delays at the border.”

It is thought more than – meaning more chaos for Brits unaware of the new rules.

It’s not the only way Brits are still facing problems because of their .

The – which has been in place since the UK left the EU – is continuing to confuse travellers who are then banned from their flights.

New rules no longer allow any ‘additional’ carried months, meaning that passports are only valid 10 years from the start date – not their expiry date.

Hundreds of Brits have been forced to miss holidays or pay for expensive, last minute .

The latest to be caught out was author Michael Rosen, who said he was turned away from his flight at London Stansted to Bologna due to the new rules.

The confusing rules will be in place until all burgundy passports have been replaced by – which is early 2031.

The new rules were introduced in February 2026Credit: Alamy