Border police and airlines do not handle travelers with multiple passports.
They expect each traveler to have ONE passport. Showing two (or more) passports at border checks led to bad results for many people I met in my experience as an immigration lawyer: border officers may easily delay you and let you miss a connecting flight.
What should you know to avoid any problem at European border checks?
(This article was updated on Feb 29, 2024)
#1. European countries have immigration checks on EXIT, too!
Most countries in the world have immigration checks only on their entrance. Not in Europe.
Most European States are tied to the Schengen Agreement. They share external borders and the area within, a common space uniting more European countries, is called the Schengen area. Each traveler is expected to show the passport to the immigration police upon arrival at any point of entry of the Schengen area and also at any point of exit.
Schengen states (27): Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden.
Additionally, the non-EU States Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein also have joined the Schengen Area.
# 2. You are supposed to show only ONE passport.
If you have more than one passport, which passport is it best to use?
If you are traveling to Italy and have an Italian passport or ID card, Italian law requires you to use that to identify yourself. Most states in the world have a similar policy.
– If you have an Italian passport
1. Always show your Italian passport (and only that) upon entering or leaving Italy, at any airport or another border crossing.
2. If you arrive at any point of entry in the Schengen area other than Italy (and you do not have a passport of that particular country), again show your Italian passport. That is because Italy has privileged relations with all European Union countries.
Italian citizens can enter the EU and EAA countries freely, together with their family members. Follow the signs for European citizens and show your Italian passport.
– If you do not have an Italian passport
If you are traveling to Italy and do not have an Italian passport, the most convenient choice is to use the passport of the state with which Italy has special border policy agreements, such as one of the countries of the Schengen area (see list above). That allows you to enjoy free access without the limitations for non-EU citizens.
Other convenient passports are those of states for which Italy has no visa requirement, at least for short stays. The list varies from year to year. You can check whether you need a visa according to your passport and country of usual residence: official visa website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
How does the 90-days rule work with 2 passports?
Even if you are “visa-free”, a 90-days limit applies. The Schengen area policy is such that you can stay for a maximum of 90 days within the last 180-days period from your entry date (counting backwards). Check my article here for more details.
If you have more than one passport and none is of a Schengen state (listed above), the same rule applies. Each person has a 90 days stay limit within the 180-days period.
#3. Ticket data = passport data
When bookign your flight, write your data carefully according to what is written on your passport when traveling to Italy and to Europe.
Border police checks start with matching your passport data (including the passport number) with your travel ticket, as well as an EU Passenger Locator Form and whatever other document they may request at any given time of the year.
If the border police notice any difference, a deeper and more time-consuming control will take place. The outcome depends on the law of the state in which you find yourself at the time of entry. Moreover, you can be denied boarding if your name on it differs in anything from that on the registered passport in your flight booking.
Not only the passport number on your travel ticket and forms can be an issue. In some cases, the same person’s name and last name may vary from one passport to the other. For example, a married woman’s last name may be registered differently from country to country. Whilst many states apply the husbands’ name to a wife, in Italy the maiden name usually applies to all ID documents. Moreover, the spelling of the name may vary, according to the law of the state that issued the passport. Italy applies the name(s) and spelling exactly as in the concerned person’s birth record. The name on the birth record match exactly the name on the passport.
What if you already booked your trip with your other passport?
The risk is high that you will be denied boarding. So it is important to change your ID data on your travel ticket.
Most airlines allow you to change your data until checking in (for a fee). If you do not manage to obtain the change online or via the airline customer care before your departure date, you can obtain the changes at the check-in counter or at the airline office in the airport.
RECAP!
Show your Italian passport BOTH at entry and exit points. Your hassle-free journey starts with your booking. Remember to write the data on your Italian passport.
Would you like to know more? Download my free SPECIAL 2 PASSPORT TRAVEL KEY
Content:
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Which checks are you meeting on your way IN and on your way OUT of Europe?
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Which passport are you supposed to show at border checks outside of Europe, as an Italian dual citizen?
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More details on how does the 90-days rule work with 2 passports
PASSPORTS TRAVEL KEY
which passport to use when. when traveling between Europe and UK. after brexit. I have british and Italian nationality
The same rule applies: when you enter another country OUTSIDE of Europe (including the UK as soon as they officially leave the EU), feel free to use your non-Italian (UK) passport.
Great information. Please send me the SPECIAL 2 PASSPORT TRAVEL KEY
Lara, always helpful information. Would appreciate to receive the SPECIAL 2 PASSPORT TRAVEL KEY in my email and hopefully I will have cause to use it soonest!
Hi Lara,
James’ experience is not complicated by the issue of being a married female which means a name change in the US but not in Italy. If I purchase my airline tickets in my US married name, round-trip, my airline ticket is now in conflict with my maiden name on my Italian passport. Isn’t this an issue when exiting Italy with my Italian passport and holding an airline ticket in my married name? It becomes very expensive to buy 2 one-way tickets to satisfy the entry and exit requirements of both countries. Please advise best approach. Thank you.
Avoid showing your second passport to prove your identity with a different last name. The (frequent) issue to travel with a passport on a different name than that on the flight ticket is usually solved by having the airline change your name on the booking, before your departure. You can show them your marriage certificate for that. Does that work for you?
Very good and clear advice, Lara. However, if you are also a dual citizen of the United States and residing there, and you are leaving for Italy from the States and returning to the States, it is better to book your flights using your American passport. The United States requires its citizens to leave and enter the United States with a US passport, and to present the passport and ticket together upon exit. When I travel to Italy I do it in that manner, presenting my US passport at border security. I show it again at London, Heathrow as I pass security, but then I put it in my luggage so I can’t make a mistake when I arrive in Italy, where I show my Italian passport in every situation that requires a passport, including hotel check in. When I check in at the airline for my return flight, I present my US passport at the check in desk since the ticket was booked on a US passport. But when passing through border security to Italy, I show my Italian passport to the security agents, but my US passport to the airline boarding agent. After boarding the plane, I put my Italian passport back in my luggage, and present my US passport again in the UK and final re-entry to the United States. It sounds more complicated than it is: the simple description is to always show the passport of the country whose agents are requesting it, and always show the passport with which you booked a flight to the airline agents. It is important to remember that EU citizens are also required by law to present an EU passport upon entry and exit into the European Union. Thanks so much for your fantastic advice and encouragement to our community of dual citizens.
Thanks for your contribution! Yes, the need to show your US passport on the way home entails your ticket for that flight must be booked with that passport data. Your experience is very valuable for us all.
James — why do you show your US Passport as you pass through the UK? I would think it would be best to use your Italian passport there if you are traveling onward to Italy. Also which passport would be best if your flight from the US to Italy passes through Paris? Again if your flight was direct to Milan or Rome — wouldn’t you want to use your Italian passport?