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Two years ago I had applied for Portuguese citizenship (As my father is a Portuguese citizen by descent) while I was in Goa. Then I traveled to the UAE with a visa on my Indian passport. After being in the UAE for a couple of months, I received a letter from Portugal with my Portuguese birth certificate. So, being in the UAE, I applied for my Cartão de cidadão, and now will be appearing for an appointment to apply for Portuguese citizenship.

My family resides in the United Kingdom and I wish to join them there. My visa here in the UAE on my Indian passport expires in a few months and I am planning to cancel it and directly go to the UK showing my Portuguese passport at the airport.

Is it possible to travel to the UK from the UAE, if I show my Portuguese passport at the airport exit and not surrender my Indian passport? I plan to surrender it in UK. Any guidance will be highly appreciated.

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The UAE doesn't care about your Indian passport. Neither does the UK. They wouldn't know what to do with it. You can't surrender it to either immigration service...

Exit the UAE on your Indian passport, and enter the UK on your Portuguese passport. Show the airline in the UAE both passports (so that they see you are (a) legally in the UAE, and (b) can go to the UK without a visa).

If you want to surrender your Indian citizenship, visit the Indian embassy.

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  • Hi, Thank you for your valuable answer. The real problem is, India doesn't allow any dual nationality. Won't that create a problem for me at the Airport? Many Thanks.
    – Muxeque
    Jun 24, 2018 at 4:26
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    Again, the UAE and the UK don't care about potential dual citizenship conflicts for non citizens. They only care whether you are allowed to leave or enter. The rest is up to you.
    – dda
    Jun 24, 2018 at 4:28
  • Thank you so much. This was of real help. Cleared my confusion.
    – Muxeque
    Jun 24, 2018 at 4:30
  • Haha. Yeah Right ;)
    – Muxeque
    Jun 24, 2018 at 4:32
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    Also, thinking of surrendering it whilst in the UAE, I would assume you can't actually surrender your Indian passport to an Indian embassy in UAE because that's where your visa is and would make you illegal in the UAE if you do so? In the UK obviously it's fine as you would be there based on your Portuguese passport.
    – kiradotee
    Mar 1, 2020 at 11:12

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