Dual citizenship causes confusion at passport control
I have two EU citizenships (and passports). A few years ago I travelled to Spain on my old EU passport (citizenship). I shall call it other passport from now on.
But now every single time I visit Spain with my new EU passport (citizenship), they are always confused that somehow they can see in their system that there is another person with the same name, and same date of birth (and other similarities). I get questioned about it, but luckily I had my other passport with me every time and that solved things pretty quickly. On at least two occasions I was asked if I ever lived in Spain, which I found a bit odd at a time.
I know it's not a huge deal, but it's causing unnecessary delays and I'm worried that if I don't carry my other passport with me, it may cause even more delays. I don't want to carry both passports with me.
Is there anything I can do to avoid this in the future? Is this normal procedure for dual citizens that in the past used the other passport to travel to a particular (EU) country? Should I expect the same thing when I visit other EU countries that I visited in the past in my other passport.
Best Answer
As an EU citizen you have a nearly absolute right to enter any EU country. If the immigration officer sees another document in their system they may ask you questions about it, but they can never deny you entry over not being able to show the second passport. Even failure to properly answer a question about the other passport is not grounds for removal. So you can relax and travel with just one passport at all times.
As for why they ask about the second passport - most likely they want to make sure you are who you say you are, so they ask an extra question for verification. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Pictures about "Dual citizenship causes confusion at passport control"
Does dual citizenship cause problems?
Drawbacks of being a dual citizen include the potential for double taxation, the long and expensive process for obtaining dual citizenship, and the fact that you become bound by the laws of two nations.Should dual citizens travel with both passports?
U.S. nationals, 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.Why does the US not like dual citizenship?
However, as a dual citizen, you could be ineligible for certain federal jobs that require specific security clearances. The U.S. Department of State may consider your case a conflict of interest because you are also loyal to another nation. You can travel without restrictions for as long as you would like.Can a dual citizen be denied entry?
\u201cThose nationals or dual nationals holding valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visas will not be permitted to enter the United States during this period.\u201d The ban will not, however, apply to most US citizens\u2014even those who also hold citizenship in one of the singled-out nations.Traveling with two passports - I almost got arrested | Jure Sanguinis Italian Dual Citizenship
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ethan Wilkinson, Nataliya Vaitkevich, Gustavo Fring, Tima Miroshnichenko