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I'm a British national, born in Britain. I have two passports: British and Ghanaian. I am planning to travel to go to a relative's funeral and start a course in university. I recently lost my British passport and my Ghanaian passport is expired. However, my Ghanaian passport states I was born in the UK and that it is my place of residence. I also have my UK driving license and a photocopy of my birth certificate.

Could travel with my expired Ghanaian passport? I know you can with an expired UK passport. Before I book a ticket, what is the likelihood of me being granted a emergency travel document?

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  • You could try an emergency travel document or expedited passport from Ghana, to get there.
    – phoog
    Commented Jun 4, 2017 at 16:49
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    "I am planning to travel to... funeral and... university" From Britain to Ghana? From Ghana to Britain? somewhere else?
    – smci
    Commented Jun 4, 2017 at 20:35
  • If Ghana wasn't on the list of airport transit visa countries, you could have simply faked a transit through the UK and reported yourself to UK immigration. They have to let a citizen in no matter what.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Jun 5, 2017 at 9:34

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You can in theory apply for an Emergency Travel Document if you are outside Britain and have lost your passport and need to travel. However the normal purpose is to allow you to return to the UK when you have no other travel document. It is uncertain if wishing to go to a relative's funeral constitutes an emergency. It may depend on how close a relative it is.

You should be aware that if you have lost your British passport you are obliged to report it when you realize you have lost it. A lost passport may be used illegally if someone else finds it.

Proof of being born in the UK is not proof of British citizenship, so your Ghanaian passport will not get you into Britain, even if it were valid.

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  • If you showed up at the UK border with a Ghanaian passport which said you had been born in the UK, a birth certificate and a UK driving licence, I am sure that after some extended questioning, you would be allowed in. British citizens are unconditionally allowed into the UK, they do not need a valid passport. Combined the various databases the border officers have access to, the three documents would prove citizenship. The bigger problem would be leaving Ghana, since the airline likely wouldn't let you board.
    – MJeffryes
    Commented Jun 5, 2017 at 9:21
  • As I said in the answer, unlike the US, being born in the UK does not always mean you are a UK citizen.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Jun 5, 2017 at 13:49
  • Yes, that's true. But the asker would still be in the UK passport database, it would be trivial to look them up given they had their driving licence. It would take longer but they would be allowed in eventually.
    – MJeffryes
    Commented Jun 5, 2017 at 13:53
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Could travel with my expired Ghanaian passport?

You cannot travel out of Ghana on an expired passport. I am a Ghanaian and I know this because I checked something similar including traveling to Ghana on a US passport with my expired Ghana passport as proof of citizenship.

Not only will the immigration at Kotoka Airport not allow you, but the airlines at Kotoka will not even allow you to check in before getting to the immigration gate. If they do, the immigration will stop you, fine you, and request you get a new passport or travel document

Before I book a ticket, what is the likelihood of me being granted a emergency travel document?

I will defer this part of the question to the UK immigration experts here.

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  • I will never lose my passport again. Believe me my appointment is in two days for the emergency passport so I'll see what they say and give u guys feedback
    – Edgar odompleh
    Commented Jun 5, 2017 at 18:09

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