In December of 2019, I officially became a German citizen, reclaiming the rights denied to my family by the Nazis. I received my passport in early 2020, just in time for the world to shut down. But once it reopened and international travel resumed, I found myself in new territory. I now possessed two passports, and a significant amount of confusion on how to deal with them.
As I’ve been navigating this, I thought perhaps others would be in similar situations: having recently acquired a second passport or being in the process of doing so. And with that can come questions. Which passport do I take when I travel? Do I have to show both? Can I get in trouble if I use one and not the other, and when?
So let’s go through a bit of this today. Keep in mind, the U.S. State Department and relevant similar agencies from any other country (Germany in my case) can have different rules, and those rules can change.
Entering and Leaving the United States
I live in the U.S. full time (at least for now). So when I leave the country, I always have my U.S. passport with me. Why? Because here in the United States, it is required for citizens to re-enter the country on that passport. To do otherwise would be to enter as an alien on a tourist visa, despite my citizenship and residency.
My U.S. passport is therefore also the one I use to leave the United States, whether by showing it if needed or by giving that information to the airline I travel on. It would look weird – and could be illegal – to enter and leave the same country on different passports.
Entering and Leaving Germany
As far as I can tell, Germany does not have the same rule for me that the U.S. does, and technically doesn’t require me to enter on my German passport. (Obviously the same goes for other EU/Schengen countries.) But I do. Why? Because a) I’m a citizen and proud of it, b) it means I definitely don’t need a visa – as of 2025 or 2026, Americans will need an e-visa for Europe – and c) the line is typically shorter and easier.
And of course, if I enter Europe on my German passport, I need to make sure to leave on it, although on flights back to the U.S. I still put in my American passport info to the airline for the sake of security screenings.
Entering and Leaving Other Countries
This is where it gets a bit tricky. Sometimes, a country requires a visa for Germans but not for Americans, or the opposite. Those are straightforward; not needing a visa is better than needing one, both for logistical and financial reasons. But what if a visa is needed (or not needed) regardless? What then?
There are some countries that don’t have fantastic relationships with the U.S., especially right now. For those, I choose to use my German passport. (Example: Turkey has had some issues – and harsh rhetoric that can get very ugly – with the U.S. and Israel since the Oct. 7 massacres and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza. While I don’t feel unsafe as an American, I feel safer going to Turkey as a German, especially given that Germany has one of the highest expat populations of Turks and therefore a more robust diplomatic program there.)
The same could theoretically go in reverse, if Germany – or the EU as a whole – had a more fraught relationship with another country than did the U.S.
Finally, there is just sometimes ease of use in having only a single passport with me. So where there is no reason at all to use my German passport, I don’t. I know I have to enter and leave the U.S. on my American one, and not switching means no confusion.
Switching Between Passports
So what happens when I have a trip with both passports? Let’s say I leave the U.S. to head to Germany. From Germany I travel around Europe, and leave there to go to the UK. And perhaps from the UK, I fly back home, but do so on Air Canada and connect in Toronto.
Well, here’s how it would go. I’d enter my American passport information with the airline I flew out on, showing my U.S. passport if asked. Upon arriving in Europe, my U.S. passport would remain in my pocket, and I’d show my German. Same goes for leaving Europe at the end. When I got to the UK, I could use either one, as both currently require an e-visa, so I could pick. But I’d need to be consistent and show that same passport again leaving the UK, although Air Canada would need my U.S. passport information since security boarding a flight bound for the United States is more stringent. And given that Air Canada had that one already on file, I’d likely enter Canada on my American passport to use for the connection, and then use that same one – obviously – when clearing immigration and customs for the U.S.
Whew! That’s a lot. It seems more complicated than it is, and I know people who default to just showing both of their passports all the time. But for me, it is just a matter of consistency.
Advantages of Dual Citizenship for Travel
For a quick starter, from a pure travel standpoint, and not any aspect of life or politics, the only downside of traveling with two passports and citizenships I’ve experienced is a bit of confusion. The positives, however, are numerous.
First, there is the financial benefit of needing a visa in fewer places. I believe that the last time I checked, there are roughly 15 countries where one passport is visa-free and the other isn’t.
Second, there is a logistical advantage. Entering Europe as a European, lines are shorter, the process is smoother, and I can stay for as long as I want. (Americans are limited to 90 days in every rolling 180 day period as tourists.)
Finally, there is an added benefit of perceived safety. Whether I am or not, I feel safer as a German than as an American in some of the world due to international relations. This could be even more important if I were to go to a country that the U.S. doesn’t have diplomatic relations with at all.
Conclusion
Traveling with dual citizenship and two passports is a bit weird. Things can be complicated, and I feel a bit like a spy when I change passports over the course of a single trip, departing on one and arriving on the other. But for those out there who have – or are entitled to have – multiple citizenships, these are real issues to think about. I hope my own personal experience helps you with yours!
