Dual British citizens need UK passports to travel there from Wednesday - but can try their luck with an expired passport if they have to.
UK dual citizen Chris Betterton is among those outraged by the change to require British passports, describing it as a shambles, with "appalling communication".
The move meant citizens of UK and Irish citizens needed a passport from one of those countries to enter Britain, and could be turned away at airport check-in if they did not have one.
However, the British High Commission confirmed on Tuesday additional temporary guidance had been given to airlines about travellers using expired (post-1989) passports. It said it was an operational decision for them whether to accept them.
"We recognise that this is a significant change for carriers and travellers, but we have been clear on requirements for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement, in line with those for all British citizens," said a spokesman. "At their own discretion, carriers may accept some expired British passport as alternative documentation."
Emergency travel documents were available to some citizens if they urgently needed to enter the UK.
"In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person's suitability to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required."
The House of Commons library guidance still said that operators were "unlikely to deviate from the guidance because they can be penalised for bringing inadequately documented passengers to the UK".
The Board of Airline Representatives New Zealand declined to comment.
Betterton, who has a New Zealand mother but moved from the UK in 2017, said using an expired document was not a gamble worth taking. His parents were in their 80s and he may need to travel quickly if they became ill. He was also taking his family to visit next year.
The Wellingtonian wants a rethink, with an affordable and lifelong certificate of entitlement - which currently costs £589 (NZ$1330) - to make sure dual citizens did not have to bear ongoing costs.
Tremendous expense
"It's been an absolute shambles, they haven't given any explanation," he said. "Like everything else, I don't think they've thought through the consequences, I don't think they've thought through the cost and expense, the fact they're making it more expensive for British citizens to come to their own country than everybody else.
"I think their communication has been appalling. I did email the High Commission but they just ignored me. I'd like them to have announced it properly, like a good six months to a year ago. I'd also like there to be a grace period. And I'd like the certificate of entitlement to be much cheaper, and then that would be the obvious thing to do - now they're not charging to transfer it between passports, you've got it for life."
UK media was also now recognising the huge impact it was having on dual citizens including those who had to take up citizenship after Brexit, he said.
"We now need to go to the tremendous expense and waste of money of UK passports for the entire family rather than go on our New Zealand passports like our New Zealand friends can."
Thousands of dual citizens from New Zealand had applied for passports since last month, many angry at what they believed was poor communication of a significant change.
UK MPs have called on the government to delay the enforcement of needing a UK passport or CEO.
NZ Post had been fielding complaints, too. Customer John Day said it took a month for his application to arrive in the UK, and at one point he and his wife were worried both had been lost - including the New Zealand passports they also sent - and his wife's application has still not arrived.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a New Zealander arrested for allegedly accessing extremist material, and Scott Robertson has a new job. (Source: 1News)
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