A British expatriate residing in Switzerland has described a "nightmare" with HM Passport Office after her eight-year-old son was refused a UK passport, even though the same documents were accepted for his two siblings. The family, who hold dual British and Swiss nationality, applied for passports after learning that dual nationals living overseas now require a British passport to enter the UK under post-Brexit rules.
Application ordeal
The mother, identified only as KCG from Unterseen, Switzerland, said she provided identical documentation for all three children, including British and Swiss birth certificates and a certified translation. Despite this, the youngest child's application was rejected after more than three months of effort. The family spent close to £800 on fees, translations, and postage, and countless hours on helplines.
HMPO now demands antenatal records from the son's birth eight years ago, as well as the parents' passports valid at the time of his conception—documents that have long since expired and been replaced. "We are taking the children to visit their grandmother in England in July, but it looks as though my son will be barred entry into his homeland," she said.
New rules cause chaos
The new entry requirements, effective from 25 February, have led to UK nationals being stranded abroad, families split at airports, and expats unable to attend weddings or visit sick relatives. Those without a British passport must pay £589 for a "certificate of entitlement."
In a twist, the mother noted that her Swiss wife—who is not a dual national—can travel to the UK on a Swiss passport with a £16 electronic travel authorisation, while her son cannot. HMPO initially requested a sequence of original photos of the son with both parents from birth to present, but after the Guardian intervened, the passport was suddenly printed. HMPO did not respond to a request for comment.
