New Passport Rules for Dual Citizens, NHS Response to Earned Settlement Consultation and More – UK February 2026 Updates

Dual Citizens Required to Carry British Passport Under New Rules or Be Denied Entry into UK

Dual citizens will be required to present a valid British passport before travelling to the UK or else be denied entry into the country altogether, under new rules coming into force this month.

The new requirement, due to come into force on 25 February 2026, has sparked widespread concern and panic for dual citizens abroad, many of whom are facing the possibility of not being able to travel to the UK.

Under the new rules, everyone travelling to the UK must have valid permission to travel, unless they are a UK or Irish citizen or are otherwise exempt. Dual citizens will be required to present a valid British passport or alternatively pay £589 to have a certificate of entitlement attached to their other passport.

However, there have been reports of numerous UK citizens living abroad who are now grappling with possible disruptions to their travel plans due to not owning a UK passport or otherwise being unable to obtain an ETA (electronic travel authorisation) in time before they travel. There have also been reports of a weeks-long backlog for certificate of entitlement applications, causing further difficulties for those who were planning to travel to the UK.

According to a Home Office spokesperson, the changes are part of wider efforts to digitise the immigration system and to ensure a “seamless travel experience” while allowing the government greater powers to prevent those who pose a threat to the UK from entering the coutnry.

NHS Employers Release Official Response to Earned Settlement Consultation

NHS Employers, the official organisation representing workforce leaders and employers in the NHS have released their official response to the UK government’s earned settlement consultation.

The public consultation, which closed on 12 February 2026, encouraged individuals and organisations to share their views on the new proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain, including lengthening the baseline qualifying criteria for settlement from 5 years to 10 years and also introducing a system whereby the baseline can be extended or shortened via various factors.

In their official response, NHS Employers emphasise the important of transitional arrangements for staff already on a pathway to settlement, stating that it would be “unfair and disruptive”, particularly for those who were brought in to help address significant staff shortages in essential roles in 2021.

The response also states that all care workers should have the same 10-year baseline qualifying period for settlement, regardless of skill level. Similarly, public service service occupations should all have the same 5-year qualifying period regardless of skill level, with the report stating that “The importance of these roles is defined by the essential services they provide, not by whether the role is above or below degree level.”

The report finishes with concerns that staff retention in the NHS will decline as international staff opt for countries with shorter pathways to settlement as alternatives, potentially weakening patient-facing care services and services that cater for the health and wellbeing of local populations.

The NHS is by far the largest public sector employer in the UK, with NHS England and NHS Scotland both having well over 2 million employees combined. Around 21% of NHS England are of non-British nationality, according to a report from November 2025.

The full response from NHS Employers can be read here.

Jim Ratcliffe Issues Apology Over Comments Saying Immigrants are “Colonising” UK

Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner of football club Manchester United, has issued an apology over his controversial statements regarding immigrants in the UK.

In his statement, Ratcliffe stated that he was “sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern”, with some commentators noting that he did not explicitly apologise for the actual sentiments he had expressed.

Ratcliffe drew widespread criticism for his comments, including the assertion that “the UK is being colonised by immigrants” while appearing to cite inaccurate immigration statistics at least 20 years out of date.

Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Manchester United, charities and the wider football community have all widely condemned Ratcliffe’s comments as being offensive, inaccurate and inflammatory.

Ratcliffe has also been accused of hypocrisy after he stated that immigrants were “costing [the UK] too much”, with many drawing attention to the fact that he had saved approximately £4 billion in tax after changing his tax domicile from the UK to Monaco in 2020. Ratcliffe, the UK’s seventh-richest man, has also previously sought government financial support worth several hundreds of millions of pounds for his Ineos business, which has suffered recent significant losses.

The Football Association’s legal team are yet to make a judgement on whether Ratcliffe’s comments have breached its rules and brought the game into disrepute.

How Can IAS Help With Your UK Visa Application?

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Regardless of where you’re coming from or what your chosen immigration pathway is, we can help you with almost all UK immigration and visa cases, using our years of experience and compassionate customer service to help get you to where you need to go.

We also offer fast-track and urgent application packages if you need to submit your application to a deadline.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for help on your situation today. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 or reach out to us online.