Dual citizen entered the EU with an American passport. What to do?
I am a dual EU (Italy) and US citizen, living in the US. I entered the EU through Rome and stayed in Germany for eight months. I registered as a resident in my German city. The problem is that I entered Italy with my American passport. I will fly out through Rome. What should I do? Should I explain to Italian immigration what happened? Should I leave with the US passport? Leave with the Italian one? Present both?
Best Answer
Only ever present your Italian passport or ID card at border control when entering/exiting an EU/Schengen country, provided you have it.
The same goes for your upcoming exit; only present your Italian document.
Firstly because you have a unconditional right to be there, and secondly entries and exits aren't electronically recorded, so they won't notice anything out of the ordinary if you just present your Italian document.
For flight check-in to the US, however, it's the US passport you need to present.
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Can a dual citizen leave the US on a foreign passport?
Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Can dual citizens enter the EU?
EU countries that allow dual citizenship: Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Sweden. Key Non-EU countries that allow dual citizenship: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Turkey.Can you leave a country on one passport and arrive on another?
While you have to register a passport with the airline, all the airline is concerned with is that you have a right to enter the country you are flying to - otherwise, they will be stuck with the cost of flying you back. There is no connection between what you tell the airline and what passport you use for immigration.How do you travel with two passports?
Travelling with two passports: which passport to use when dual citizen is at an airline counter. You need to show your second passport, for example a Maltese one. Usually, along with the ticket, the passenger must present a visa allowing entry to the European Union.HOW TO TRAVEL WITH 2 PASSPORTS | Tips From a Dual Citizen
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Answer 2
The only possible problem is that the "paper trail" on your US passport looks incomplete. Somebody who looks at your US passport might conclude that you did overstay (which would be wrong -- your freedom of movement as an EU citizen is independent of how you entered or left).
- When you apply for a third country visa, you would presumably mention your Italian citizenship, so overstay in the EU cannot be an issue.
- When you enter the EU, as Coke said the easiest way is to show your Italian passport.
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