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I have two EU citizenships (and passports). A few years ago I travelled to Spain on my old EU passport (citizenship). I shall call it other passport from now on.

But now every single time I visit Spain with my new EU passport (citizenship), they are always confused that somehow they can see in their system that there is another person with the same name, and same date of birth (and other similarities). I get questioned about it, but luckily I had my other passport with me every time and that solved things pretty quickly. On at least two occasions I was asked if I ever lived in Spain, which I found a bit odd at a time.

I know it's not a huge deal, but it's causing unnecessary delays and I'm worried that if I don't carry my other passport with me, it may cause even more delays. I don't want to carry both passports with me.

Is there anything I can do to avoid this in the future? Is this normal procedure for dual citizens that in the past used the other passport to travel to a particular (EU) country? Should I expect the same thing when I visit other EU countries that I visited in the past in my other passport.

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    Dual citizenships, change of citizenship or multiple persons with same personalia (name, date and place of birth) are quite common and no reason for an immigration officer to be confused. Are you sure that you are not overinterpreting the situation or that there is something else attracting the officers' interest?
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 9:28
  • @Tor-EinarJarnbjo Yes I am.
    – async
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 9:35
  • @Tor-EinarJarnbjo To clarify: if it were something else, I assume I would've been questioned further or things would have escalated one way or another. But every time I decided to show them my other passport, things got sorted immediately - no further questions asked. One time when I didn't want to show my other passport (to see what would happen) I was asked for information that I know for a fact appears in my other passport, but not my current passport. Once I answered the question, I was waved to go.
    – async
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 9:45
  • Different EU countries keep different records about their borders. There isn't yet a unified Schengen database of entries and exits. I've used an EU and a non-EU passport to fly in and out of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria, at least, without this ever coming up. I believe I only ever used my EU passport in Spain. If I fly in again I'll try to remember to use my other one to see what happens, but I have no idea when that will be.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 10:40
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    @async You could try asking the immigration / border control officer to explain if there’s anything you can do to avoid being questioned like this next time it happens? Perhaps your entry/exit on your old passport wasn’t fully recorded?
    – Traveller
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 12:26

1 Answer 1

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As an EU citizen you have a nearly absolute right to enter any EU country. If the immigration officer sees another document in their system they may ask you questions about it, but they can never deny you entry over not being able to show the second passport. Even failure to properly answer a question about the other passport is not grounds for removal. So you can relax and travel with just one passport at all times.

As for why they ask about the second passport - most likely they want to make sure you are who you say you are, so they ask an extra question for verification. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

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