UK Passport - should I bother?

DublinWriter

Again, apologies if I'm posing this in the wrong forum.

My Mum was born in Belfast so I'm technically elligable to take out a British Passport.

All politics aside (please!), is there any benefit to holding a UK passport? I know in certain places that it would be a disadvantage, but it can make it easier to get into some African states (e.g. The Gambia).

county

not too sure tbh,but i carry both my british and irish passports abroad,never know what situation you may find yourself in

purplegeko

I'm eligable for both as well but i've never really bothered with the british passport and i've done a far bit of travelling i don't really see the advantage.

Kold

Are you allowed to have both?

mikemac

I'm sure there are plently of small obscure countries where there might be a UK embassy but no Irish embassy. So that might be an advantage.

However if you plan to go backpacking around Iraq/Iran, then maybe an Irish passport will mean you get less hostility than a British passport. But then again, it may make no difference.

Possibly if you plan to join the British army/RAF/Royal Navy as an officer, you may need a British passport.

SoBe

Kold wrote:

Are you allowed to have both?

yes you are

i could get a british one too but never bothered.its advisable only to bring one with you when traveling as a lot of countries frown upon people having 2 passports

Victor

DublinWriter wrote:

I know in certain places that it would be a disadvantage, but it can make it easier to get into some African states (e.g. The Gambia).

Do you visit The Gambia much?

micmclo wrote:

I'm sure there are plently of small obscure countries where there might be a UK embassy but no Irish embassy. So that might be an advantage.

EU embassys will tend to look out for the citizens of other EU countries if the traveller's home country doesn't have diplomatic representation.

However if you plan to go backpacking around Iraq/Iran, then maybe an Irish passport will mean you get less hostility than a British passport. But then again, it may make no difference.

Irish would definitely be better.

SoBe wrote:

its advisable only to bring one with you when traveling as a lot of countries frown upon people having 2 passports

They tend not to be too bad once you only use the one in their particular country and they are all in the same name.

DublinWriter

Victor wrote:

Do you visit The Gambia much?

I did try once on short notice, but I couldn't have gotten in with an Irish passport and no pre-arranged visa. I could have walked in with a British Passport.

I guess I'm coming at this with the perspective of working and living in the UK again in the not too distant future, with the possibility of going to Oz and Canada.

I certainly wouldn't be using a British Passport in the middle-east/North Africa.

Victor

Moved from Personal Issues.

pow wow

It can make life a bit easier if you're living in the UK (my bank account for example is open to british passport holders only - bizarre I know) but other than that I really can't see any huge advantage. I always think if I were abducted in some far flung country they'd be nicer to me if I was carrying my Irish passport lol.

lady_j

Im also elligible for both but am not applying for a british passport simply because they are at war. Ireland is a "neutral" and with the exception of columbia I believe you'll have far less hassle with an Irish passport