If this has been covered already, I'm really sorry! This is for research for a book I'm writing. Normally I'd ask my friend, but she's doing Peace Corps work in Africa right now
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Yes, this. I show my US passport at American customs/immigration and put it on airline reservations/online check-in info. I show my UK passport at British immigration when I return.
When I got my UK passport, it came with a stern warning from the US government. As a US citizen, I must always enter the US on my US passport. I also leave the US on my US passport because if I had entered on my UK one, there would be a little card stapled in, which I would surrender on departure. So leaving on the UK passport, I wouldn't have the card to surrender, and there would be trouble (at least a thing to solve). Entering the UK, I use my UK passport and breeze right in. When leaving the UK for the US, I show both passports. The UK passport explains my lack of visa, the US passport assures the airline that I am entitled to enter the US, and they won't have to be hauling me back unexpectedly.
I live in the UK, and when I go to Heathrow I show them my American passport. Whether this is what you are supposed to do, I don't know. I have shown them my British one at Heathrow and that worked fine as well, but this was before the US instated that new "everyone needs a visa before visiting our country" thing. When I get to LAX in the US I show my American one to get through customs.
On leaving LAX to return to the UK, I show my British one, and then they specifically ask for my greencard (US permanent resident visa) as having one I suppose. I have since become an American citizen so I show them my passport instead of a greencard and all is well.
(Though I have shown up to LAX, and when they asked for my greencard, realized I've forgotten it on my bedside table -_- They still let me fly, as I was leaving the country, but told me I would not be able to come back to the US without the visa).
Surely once you've got a US Passport you can just show that instead? No need to bother the US side with a UK passport at all.
When leaving Heathrow, it's usually simpler to show a US passport at check-in, but keep your UK passport handy for the exit check if they've got the booths manned. Once into the departure lounge you don't need the UK passport until you land back in the UK.
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On leaving LAX to return to the UK, I show my British one, and then they specifically ask for my greencard (US permanent resident visa) as having one I suppose. I have since become an American citizen so I show them my passport instead of a greencard and all is well.
(Though I have shown up to LAX, and when they asked for my greencard, realized I've forgotten it on my bedside table -_- They still let me fly, as I was leaving the country, but told me I would not be able to come back to the US without the visa).
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When leaving Heathrow, it's usually simpler to show a US passport at check-in, but keep your UK passport handy for the exit check if they've got the booths manned. Once into the departure lounge you don't need the UK passport until you land back in the UK.
D
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