It is quite clear. You leave the US on your US passport (though in practice this doesn’t mean anything, because only foreign passports get electronically registered/stamped on departure - there’s a kiosk or app foreigners use to do this if it doesn’t happen at check-in). Then when you get to London you enter (through the e-gates) with your U.K. passport.
The only complicating factor is that the U.K. has just introduced ETA (their equivalent of the US’s ESTA) for electronic travel authorizations. That means you need to show the airline your U.K. passport at check-in so they know that the ETA isn’t required.
It will be the same for EU passport holders going to Europe when they introduce their own ETIAS system later this year.
Coming back, you should have the US passport in your booking because that’s what Global Entry is linked to. So it’s usually simpler to just have your US passport in the booking for the whole trip.
I don’t understand who has the power to check people’s cellphones? Is it TSA, customs, in the US or other countries?
On another note, we were thinking of going on a quick trip to Vancouver BC, and I’m curious if people are having issues at the border (either direction). Hotels are really cheap there right now, even very nice ones.
Just got back from Mexico yesterday. I’m a worrier, hesitated to book the trip with concerns about recent tariffs. (This is not a political statement. It was worry over whether Americans would be treated with less friendliness by the locals. Or the many Canadians that stay at same resort.) It turned out fine. There was a funny moment on our daytrip bus tour (booked at the resort - I’m more leery of viator in Mexico than Europe). The tourguide mentioned the Gulf of Mexico. I thought nothing of it. Then he repeated Gulf of MEXICO (not America)… and then we all laughed.
We recently took a trip to the far east, traveling on a small cruise boat where the passengers were all Americans, Canadians, Brits and Aussies. Everyone was so kind, it was like they felt sorry for us, instead of resenting us. I hope that holds!
That’s my impression too - the idea is that many Americans are suffering or feel upset too, so people here (Europe, expat circles, scientists, students) feel sorry for us and keep their anger for those making decisions. (An assumption is that Americans travelling abroad don’t support those.)
Upthread there was a comment that mentioned a history of social activism on social media being a possible flag. I assume that doesn’t mean simple liking/commenting etc.
it does make me wonder about social media companies monitoring our accounts.
Otherwise I’m just a middle aged ( almost 68) woman. For the most part no one even looks at me anymore!
Usually, the concern is that immigration or customs in various countries may have the power and desire to inspect mobile phones and other electronic devices. Hence the requirements by some companies that employees doing international business travel bring and use only factory clean devices and not store any business information on them (only into the company cloud).
I’m not sure how social media could be a flag for the US, specifically for legal US citizens traveling (besides to a few specific countries). What can they do, open up your Facebook page and scroll through it? Look at your CC posts ? And what can they do if they don’t like them for whatever reason? I’m just trying to figure out this new universe we are living in.
I’ve been thinking bout this very thing. I have a relative by marriage who is a naturalized USCitizen. She also holds dual citizenship with her country of birth. She is supposed to go visit her mother soon in a Middle East country. I am concerned for her getting back here. She has liberal views that I know in the past has expressed. She is also a professor though in a neutral field.
This is how we have done this in the past–we can’t even check in for departure online with our UK passports and must use the US ones for online check in to work, but then enter the UK with our British passports when we arrive. This summer’s trip will be the first one since ETA has been introduced and I am wondering if we will even be able to check in online without that now.
I don’t think the online check-in system will necessarily have been updated to allow you to enter both passports. But the airline will presumably want to see your UK passport before letting you get on the plane (just like there’s a passport check in the lounge or at the gate if you checked in online and are traveling with only hand baggage so don’t go to the check-in desk).
As for Facebook, couldn’t one just delete the app before returning? If border people were to look at your phone, no Facebook and then put the app back on when you are home?
I just came back from a long trip in Asia. I was in line at immigration with hundreds of mostly non-white tourists and US citizens because even though I had Global Entry, I waited with my Asian friends. No questions asked from the immigration officer. Not one person was detained. Everyone sailed right through. All the customs officers were just waving all of us through with no lines open to inspect luggage.
This is my reality.
Edit to add that when all the customs officers were waving everyone through, I was thinking why they weren’t doing their job since they were being paid!
? And what can they do if they don’t like them for whatever reason? I’m just trying to figure out this new universe we are living in.