Brit schoolgirl stranded in Denmark for three weeks over new passport rules speaks out

Earlier this month, Hanne* was due to fly from Copenhagen back home to London.

However, she ended up stranded and has now been stuck in Denmark for more than three weeks.

The 16-year-old was ‘locked’ out of her country and missing school, with her Norwegian-born mum flying to collect her GCSE revision material so she can carry on studying in the meantime. And she believes she has been treated like a ‘problem’.

This situation arose as the UK introduced passport rule changes in February for those with dual nationality. Previously, Hanne would have been able to travel on a foreign passport whereas now she must use a British passport.

But, having applied before her trip to her dad’s, she was still waiting for it as she travelled.

Hanne previously would have been able to travel with her foreign passport. (Getty Stock Image)

Having now finally been granted an emergency travel document and retuning to the UK today (1 April), Hanne has spoken out to say she believes ‘mistakes’ have been made by the government.

She told The Times: “I have been here ever since, missing school, missing my friends, missing my life, because the UK has decided that I, a British citizen born in Bristol, am not sufficiently British to be allowed to return.”

Hanne added that she believed that if ‘you were in trouble’ in Britain, you would get help.

“And that the government, whatever you thought of the people running it, would not actively make things worse for you,” she said.

While the teen explained ‘most’ of the individuals she has spoken to have been ‘kind’, she now reckons the ‘system itself has no kindness in it’.

“It does not see a child missing school. It does not see a girl who is missing key content for her soon-to-take-place GCSEs. It does not see a girl who wants to go home. It sees a category, an application, a reference number, a fee,” Hanne said.

“It doesn’t see a person, it sees a problem. A problem to be processed and brushed off. And when you ask for help, it uses your request against you.”

The teen has missed weeks of school. (Getty Stock)

Hanne has been revising while in her dad’s flat for the past three weeks, with her school and local MP being ‘brilliant’ in trying to help her.

However, she maintained that the government has continued to treat her ‘as though I am the problem, rather than its own system’.

“I think the government should look back on the changes they made, and they should reflect on the mistakes they have made,” she added. “They should be aware that as a government it is their responsibility to make sure that their citizens are prioritised, and the fact that many others are in situations similar to mine shows that this has not been thought through.”

The Home Office previously said it was ‘working at pace to provide assistance’ as it added: “Public information advising dual nationals to travel with a valid UK passport or certificate of entitlement has been available since October 2024, including official guidance on gov.uk.

“Guidance for dual citizens was also included in our ETA communications campaign, which has been running since 2023.”

LADbible has contacted the FCDO for comment.