A London-born dual national says she has been left stranded in Europe and fears for her job after being caught out by new UK border requirements that came into force earlier this year.
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Natasha Cochrane De La Rosa, 26, who holds both British and Spanish nationality, was refused boarding on a flight back to the UK on 2 April after attempting to travel using only her Spanish passport.
The rule change, introduced on 25 February, means dual British citizens must now present either a British or Irish passport when entering the UK, or hold a digital certificate of entitlement confirming their right of abode.
The UK Home Office says the policy aligns the country with practices already used by several other nations.
Denied boarding in Amsterdam
Cochrane De La Rosa, who was born and raised in Islington and says she has lived in the UK her entire life, had travelled to Amsterdam with friends when the issue arose.
When she attempted to return on a flight from Amsterdam to Luton Airport, airline staff refused to allow her to board because she was travelling on her Spanish passport alone.
She had previously entered and left the UK multiple times using the same passport without any difficulty.
After being denied boarding, she spent a night in Amsterdam before travelling to Spain, where she is now staying with relatives.
“My whole life is in the UK,” she told BBC London, adding that her career, family and friends are all based there.
Complex citizenship history
Her case is complicated by the circumstances of her birth.
She explained that her parents were not married when she was born in 1999, meaning her British father could not automatically pass his citizenship to her under nationality laws in force at the time.
Although she has lived, worked and paid taxes in the UK and has taken part in elections, she says immigration lawyers have warned that the situation places her in what they describe as a legal “grey area”.
Because of this, she faces uncertainty over whether a British passport application would succeed.
Difficult choices
Cochrane De La Rosa says she must now choose between applying for a British passport — a process that could take about six weeks and may be rejected — or paying £589 for a digital certificate of entitlement confirming her right to enter the UK.
She says the delay could put her employment at risk if she remains unable to return.
“It’s terrifying and I’m petrified,” she said.
She also criticised how the government communicated the changes, saying she was unaware of the new requirements when she booked her trip.
“If I had known about the rule change, I would not have travelled,” she said, adding that she would have organised the necessary paperwork before leaving the UK.
She said the situation had caused significant stress for her family, who have been closely following developments since she was unable to board her flight.
Government response
The Home Office says the updated requirement is designed to bring the UK into line with countries such as the United States and Australia, where citizens must use national documentation to enter.
In a statement, a spokesperson said that since 25 February 2026, dual British nationals must present a valid British passport or a certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK.
Officials also defended how the changes were publicised, saying a government information campaign had been running since 2023, with specific guidance for dual nationals published in October 2024.
The department added that passport applications from overseas can sometimes be processed within four weeks, and that the digital certificate of entitlement — which confirms a person’s right to live in the UK — now only needs to be obtained once.
Concerns about wider impact
Cochrane De La Rosa said she feared other dual nationals might face similar problems.
She warned that not everyone would have the financial means, legal advice or support networks needed to deal with sudden changes to travel requirements.
“This isn’t just about my story,” she said. “There will be others who may struggle even more to cope with these changes.”
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 13 April 2026
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