Kiwi's experiment shows need for new UK passport 'pointless'
New UK passport regulations requiring dual citizens to use British or Irish passports for entry have led to a surge in application volumes. Many New Zealanders with British heritage were caught off guard by the policy, resulting in record-breaking demand for citizenship and travel documents.
Why it matters
The policy change has created significant logistical challenges for dual nationals and highlights the complexities of international travel requirements for those with ancestral ties.
New figures show people applying from overseas for United Kingdom citizenship and passports has soared after a change in rules for dual citizens.
New Zealanders with British heritage or families were caught by surprise at the start of the year, when they found they could no longer travel back to the UK on their New Zealand passport.
From late February, all British and Irish citizens had to use one of those passports to enter the UK.
UK Home Office figures show overseas passport applications almost tripled to more than 300,000 in the first quarter of 2026. The British passport office had more than half-a-million applications in total in its system, the highest on record.
For some New Zealanders , it was the first time that they discovered they were classed as British citizens, as they had never previously owned a UK passport.
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