A London-born woman has been left stranded in Spain and “petrified” for her career after being caught out by a recent overhaul of UK border rules.
Natasha Cochrane De La Rosa, a 26-year-old British-Spanish dual national, was born and raised in Islington and has lived in the UK her entire life. However, she was denied boarding on a return flight from Amsterdam on 2 April using her Spanish passport.
Under rules introduced on 25 February, dual nationals can no longer enter the UK using a foreign passport alone. They must now present either a British or Irish passport, or possess a digital certificate of entitlement.
The Home Office said the move brings the UK in line with international standards.
Cochrane De La Rosa said it was an “utter surprise” and she had no idea the rules had changed for dual nationals, when she booked the trip to Amsterdam with friends.
She had previously travelled back and forth from the UK on her Spanish passport without issue before the rule change.
After being denied boarding on the Amsterdam to Luton Airport flight, she spent a night in the Dutch capital before travelling to Spain to stay with family.
“I have a career, family and friends in the UK. My whole life is in the UK,” she said.
She told BBC London her case was “nuanced” due to historical nationality laws because her parents were unmarried when she was born in 1999, which meant her British father could not automatically pass on his citizenship.
Despite paying taxes and voting in the UK, she said immigration lawyers had told her the situation put her in a legal “grey area”.
Cochrane De La Rosanow faces the difficult choice of applying for a British passport, which could take about six weeks and risks rejection due to her birth circumstances, or paying £589 for a digital certificate of entitlement.
“It’s terrifying and I’m petrified,” she said, pointing to the risks to her employment if she is forced to remain outside country for a long period.
“The country has a duty of care. I am 100% a dual national,” she said.
“[The government] has all the relevant information, how has this been missed.”
The new electronic travel authorisation (ETA) came into force in February [Getty Images]
Cochrane De La Rosa criticised the Home Office’s communication of the new rules and how they would impact dual nationals.
She said the changes were “not amplified” and if she had known she would not have travelled and “sorted out my paperwork from the comfort of my home”.
“No one has slept. My family have been up all night. My sisters and parents are distraught,” the Londoner added.
“This isn’t just about my story but the effect these changes will have on others. Others who don’t have the same resources, connections, maybe even literacy, [and] financial security to be able to cope with these changes.”
The Home Office said the move brings the UK in line with countries like the US and Australia, which require citizens to travel on national documents.
A spokesperson said: “Since 25 February 2026, all dual British citizens need to present either a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK.”
They defended the government’s communication of the changes, stating that a “substantive” campaign had been running since 2023, with specific guidance for dual nationals available since October 2024.
While overseas passport applications can be processed in as little as four weeks, those without one can apply for a digital certificate of entitlement, which the Home Office says now only needs to be applied for once, the spokesperson added.
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