What is the ‘Dublin dodge’ and why will it help dual nationals? | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleSimon CalderWednesday 25 March 2026 21:25 GMTRelated: I flew through Abu Dhabi’s no-go zone – here’s what happenedThe UK's new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, mandatory from 25 February 2026, has caused stress for tens of thousands of British dual nationals trying to enter the country.Dual nationals are advised they cannot use an ETA on their non-British passport and must obtain a UK passport or a £589 certificate of entitlement, leading to travel difficulties.The Independent has revealed a workaround, dubbed the 'Dublin Dodge', which involves flying to Dublin and then travelling overland to Northern Ireland via the Common Travel Area (CTA).This method allows British citizens to enter the UK without needing an ETA or a British passport, as there are no routine frontier checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland.While legally permissible, immigration experts caution that ad hoc checks can still occur, and they would generally advise obtaining official British travel documents where possible.In full‘Dublin dodge’ offers risk-free route to UK for dual nationalsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in