US Announces Fresh Travel Updates for Dual Nationals Entering and Leaving the Country
- The US government has reminded dual nationals that they are legally required to enter and leave the country using a valid American passport
- The directive covers all US citizens, including children, and bars them from using a foreign passport to apply for ESTA travel authorisation
- Officials have urged US citizens living abroad to check their passport validity and renew documents well before any planned travel to the country
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The United States government has issued a public advisory reminding dual national citizens that federal law requires them to use a valid American passport when entering or departing the country, with no exceptions based on age or place of residence.
The reminder was posted on July 16 by the official US government travel account, @TravelGov, on X.
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Who the US passport caution applies to
The requirement applies to all individuals who hold US citizenship or nationality, including children who hold passports from two or more countries.
The rule applies uniformly regardless of where the individual lives or how frequently they travel on their other passport.
A central point in the advisory concerns the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, commonly known as ESTA.
This system allows nationals from visa-waiver countries to seek pre-clearance before travelling to the United States.
Dual nationals who hold US citizenship are not permitted to use a foreign passport when applying for ESTA, and the Department of Homeland Security routinely denies or cancels applications submitted by individuals it identifies as US citizens or nationals.
Attempting to board a flight to the United States on a foreign travel document, even from a participating visa-waiver country, risks having your application denied or being turned back at the border.
Below is the X post of the US announcement on new guidance for dual citizens.
Renewing US passport before you travel
The advisory carries particular weight for US citizens who are based outside the country.
Anyone planning a trip to the United States is urged to confirm their American passport is current well in advance of travel, as an expired document will not be accepted at the border. Last-minute renewal attempts may delay or entirely disrupt travel plans.
Officials also note that passports should generally carry at least six months of validity beyond the intended date of arrival in any foreign country, a standard observed by immigration authorities across the world.
The guidance is especially relevant to Africans and other nationals who hold dual US citizenship and may habitually travel on their home-country passport for regional journeys.
When the final destination is the United States, however, the American passport is the only document that satisfies entry and exit requirements under US law.
US to end visa services in over 20 African countries
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had announced a significant restructuring of its visa service delivery across Africa.
This comes as the world power shifts its consular operations for several countries to designated regional processing hubs.
The US Department of State confirmed that the realignment of visa services would take immediate effect on August 1, 2026.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
