New Passport Rule Causes Six-Week Ordeal for UK Teen
A 15-year-old British girl was left stranded in Rome, Italy, for six weeks after new HM Passport Office rules prevented her from returning to the UK. The dual national traveled to visit her grandmother but was blocked from boarding her return flight because she did not have a valid British passport.
Details of the Rule Change
Since February, HM Passport Office has enforced new regulations requiring dual citizens to present a British or Irish passport, or a certificate of entitlement, when traveling to the UK. The digital certificate of entitlement costs £589 and replaces the vignette stickers previously used in non-British passports. This change left the teenager unable to prove her right to enter the UK.
Impact on Education and Family
The girl missed six weeks of school, prompting her school to write to government departments expressing “increasingly concerned about her prolonged absence from education.” Her father, author Rowan Somerville, described the ordeal as “loathsome,” stating that “the embassy, the Home Office and the Foreign Office bounced us from one to another.” He added, “They are playing with people’s lives, a child’s education.”
Political and Official Response
Local MP Joe Powell intervened, saying, “Despite having a British parent, two valid passports, and having been at school in the UK since nursery, changes to Home Office rules resulted in her being stuck in Rome and missing six weeks of school.” He noted that the case was not isolated and raised concerns about how policy changes are communicated.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that the girl “was granted an emergency travel document in May, enabling them to return to the UK,” and that after receiving required information, a passport was issued within eight days.
Broader Implications for UK Travellers
The new rule has left other UK passport holders stranded abroad as well. The £589 certificate of entitlement requirement has been criticized for its high cost and lack of clear communication. Somerville expressed frustration with the bureaucracy, saying, “I told them I had spoken to 14 different people in their office and, instead of resolving the complaint, they were phoning me to tell me they couldn’t speak to me. It beggars belief.”
