Entering the UK- or going to happen now

Hope they are bs but I am still frightened for the youngsters and told them to keep their money and phones out of sight.

nanna8

Hope they are bs but I am still frightened for the youngsters and told them to keep their money and phones out of sight.

Well, I imagine that advice applies to many places.

Rome and Barcelona spring to mind.

nanna8

Hope they are bs but I am still frightened for the youngsters and told them to keep their money and phones out of sight.

I'm 72 and once had an attempted mugging, saw him off. Never been burgled, never been pickpocketed. Lived in big cities. Can't see how it is di risky. Crime happens, I'm sure it happens in Australia. As for terrorism we all know that happens in Australia and isn't there something on the BBC about police brutality at some march in Sydney?

Don't pass your anxieties on to your grandchildren, we obviously worry but shouldn't let it spoil their adventures.

Oh for goodness sake. If they need British as sports to enter the country just get them.

The world is full of places where you have to get things before you can enter. Yellow fever jabs, visas, ESTAs, be fingerprinted and photographed, get my boots checked, even pay bribes to cross the border.

The list is endless and it’s all part of travelling.

Honestly if there’s going to be all this fuss about a fairly simple thing, travelling is not going to go well.

Under current UK law, people born in the UK do not automatically acquire British citizenship unless one of the following conditions is met:

At least one parent is a British citizen or settled in the UK (i.e., they have indefinite leave to remain or permanent residency) at the time of the child's birth.

The child was born in the UK to non-British parents, but they become British citizens through a process called naturalization or under specific conditions, such as when the child is later adopted by British citizens.

nanna8
In the interests of balance - here's the advice from the government hete regarding visiting Australia:

Safety and security
Terrorism
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.

Terrorism in Australia
Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Australia.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. You should be vigilant, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.

In December 2025, 15 people were killed in an antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney.

In April 2024, several people were injured in a terrorist incident at a church in Wakeley, Sydney.

See the Australian government’s national terrorism threat level.

Crime
Protecting your belongings
Take precautions to protect yourself from petty crime, including:

not leaving your bag or luggage unattended
keeping luggage out of sight in cars
keeping valuables and passport in a hotel safe
leaving copies of important documents with family and friends in the UK
carrying a photocopy of your passport for ID
being particularly careful at night in busy tourist areas

The anger directed at the country of birth is very noticeable in these posts, and it risks overshadowing the actual legal issues being discussed. That’s unfortunate, particularly when there hasn’t been first-hand experience of the country for many decades.

It’s that weird thing people have when they leave a place and their life moves on, but they want the place they leave to stay the same, caught in the time capsule of their memory.

I guess it’s a kind of security blanket.

And then they get discombobulated when the people or country they left behind move on as well.

Not just emigration, sometimes people go back to a holiday spot and get cross when the people who live there have made changes and ‘spoilt” it for them🤔

Lathyrus3

It’s that weird thing people have when they leave a place and their life moves on, but they want the place they leave to stay the same, caught in the time capsule of their memory.

I guess it’s a kind of security blanket.

And then they get discombobulated when the people or country they left behind move on as well.

Not just emigration, sometimes people go back to a holiday spot and get cross when the people who live there have made changes and ‘spoilt” it for them🤔

That's very true.

NotSpaghetti

nanna8
In the interests of balance - here's the advice from the government hete regarding visiting Australia:

Safety and security
Terrorism
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.

Terrorism in Australia
Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Australia.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. You should be vigilant, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.

In December 2025, 15 people were killed in an antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney.

In April 2024, several people were injured in a terrorist incident at a church in Wakeley, Sydney.

See the Australian government’s national terrorism threat level.

Crime
Protecting your belongings
Take precautions to protect yourself from petty crime, including:

not leaving your bag or luggage unattended
keeping luggage out of sight in cars
keeping valuables and passport in a hotel safe
leaving copies of important documents with family and friends in the UK
carrying a photocopy of your passport for ID
being particularly careful at night in busy tourist areas

Gosh what a dangerous place to visit.

This is quite a long thread and I’m sorry if I’ve missed it but isn’t the simple solution just to renounce your British citizenship if you don’t want the bother of renewing your British passport ?

Tuliptree that was suggested above...

theworriedwell

NotSpaghetti

Tuliptree that was suggested above...

theworriedwell

I thought it must have been - what was the response because it sounds eminently sensible to me

I don't recall a response but it does cost more than a passport!


However you only need to do it once!

NotSpaghetti

I don't recall a response but it does cost more than a passport!


However you only need to do it once!

Thank you for response. So overall it sounds like one of those games people play ‘Why don’t you…?’ ‘Yes but…’

Nanna reckoned a British passport would be ‘hundreds of dollars’.

When I spoke to DD in Oz this morning, she grumbled about the cost of an Australian one, one of the most expensive to get, she said.

She was perfectly aware of all these changes, but no problem, as she has always retained a British one, as well as her Aussie one.

Cocopops, I have sent you a pm if you wouldn’t mind reading, thank you.

but they want the place they leave to stay the same, caught in the time capsule of their memory.

I think that's kind of inevitable after a long sojourn out of your country of origin. A certain nostalgia I guess. You sort of expect it to have changed, but the old memories are the best and still to be clung onto!

Sorry to derail, but just picking up on a couple of recent comments and reminiscing.

Tuliptree

This is quite a long thread and I’m sorry if I’ve missed it but isn’t the simple solution just to renounce your British citizenship if you don’t want the bother of renewing your British passport ?

Possibly but it does seem rather ill-thought in some instances of which this is one.

Yes, it does cost a lot for a British passport in A$ because it involves courier fees too. However, it's the time delay which is critical, it can take months.

The same with anyone who applies for citizenship, the process is lengthy and the new Australian passport cannot be applied for until the ceremony has taken place.

It's to let the public know that successive Governments are being proactive in tackling immigration.

Well I suppose it would cost more to speed it up - just like we pay more to get an expedited passport. And it is ( or should be) part of a government’s responsibility to police its borders. Having dual nationality can be a real advantage so maybe accepting there’s a price to pay for that would be sensible. I do wonder why they can’t make renouncing easier and cheaper. Oh well.

Having dual nationality can be a real advantage so maybe accepting there’s a price to pay for that would be sensible.

I do agree. Normally it is straightforward.

I'm still mystified about how anyone knows the GC have dual nationality. OP said they emigrated 50 years ago so I suppose her DD was a child. I suppose she must have had a British passport, probably changed her name on marriage but going through passport control at a British airport they will know her children are British citizens. I marvel at the level of efficiency. A level I don't think I've ever encountered.

I bet if they apply for a British passport they will have to prove they are entitled. For my Irish one I needed a parents birth certificate, their marriage certificate, their death certificate (not sure why as it didn't change my rights) my birth certificate and my marriage certificate. Baffling isn't it. If I'd done it through a grandparent I'd probably have needed more.

OP said they emigrated 50 years ago so I suppose her DD was a child.

She could have been a young child or baby when they emigrated.
Some Gransnetters have children who are as old as some other Gransnetters (iyswim).

I'm still mystified about how anyone knows the GC have dual nationality.

Sorry, should have added that the GC could have British nationality through their mother if she was born here, as we are assuming.

Oh well, I just think it’s one of the many things you gave to attend to if you want to do some travelling. Every country’s got its own quirks, legal, administrative and social and the art of happy travelling is to deal with them without getting into a stew about it.

Stomping about going “this isn’t right” gets you nowhere and n some countries gets you thrown out. Or in jail😱

If you can’t cope with differences and demands it’s probably best to stay put😬