Which passports to use travelling between two countries of citizenship? [duplicate]

My kids are dual Danish and US citizens. My husband and I are permanent US residents, our kids being born here.

When we travel back and forth between Denmark and the US, we have been solely using the kids US passports.

Obviously, for entry into the US (and check in at the airport) they need to use their US passport, as they have no visa.

On arriving in Denmark, they have a automatic 90 day travel visa, so just showing the US passport have been enough.

There are a couple of other questions around this I explored on the site: Travelling with two different passports, Traveling with two passports which one to use and more, and all of them state that you have to use the passport of the country you enter if you hold that passport, and that in some cases you are required to.

However, we have not been doing this for kids, as I heard anecdotally that it can cause trouble when entering the US. A friend of mine with dual US/other citizen ship used his other passport when entering that country, and at some point he was asked on US re-entry where he had been, and why he had no stamps in his passport. He was told by the US immigration officer that you have to use the same passport for your entire travel.

Is this correct? Or should I use my kids Danish passports for entering Denmark?

Best Answer

Each country is basically free to set their own rules. Generally speaking, presenting the local passport when you are a citizen is the most practical course of action but it's not like it would be some sort of overarching principle that applies to all countries in the world.

In all likelihood, Denmark does not care either way. The US, on the other hand, does make it mandatory to enter with your US passport if you are a citizen. In practice, doing what you have been doing therefore seems like a good solution. The only thing that could create problems is staying in Denmark for more than 90 days. US citizens who are not also Danish citizens would be liable for a fine if the border guards notice it when leaving Denmark (by checking the entry stamp). Producing the Danish passport at this stage should avoid any serious consequences but you can expect some confusion or complaints from the border guards.

I also seem to recall it's mandatory to present the same passport to the airline (airlines share data with the US government for all legs of your trip to or from the US) but I can't find a reference for that at the moment. To satisfy this requirement and still use your Danish passport in Denmark, you would need to show your kids' US passports at the check-in desk (and make sure that's the one the airline is recording in their system) and then the Danish passports at the police passport check.

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Which passport should dual citizens use?

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.

Can I travel if I have dual citizenship?

Yes, many countries allow their citizens to hold more than one nationality. This means travelers can potentially hold a passport for each country they are a citizen of. Some people are automatically considered dual citizens from birth.

Can dual nationals use both passports?

As a dual citizen, you are allowed to carry passports from both countries. For example, if you are a U.S. citizen and also a citizen of New Zealand, you can travel more easily between these two countries.

Which passport should dual citizens use UK?

We recommend all dual nationals, including EU citizens, travel on their British passport or with evidence or their British citizenship to minimise any potential delay at the border or when commencing their journey.

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