'Desperate deadline': Queensland couple face missing $30,000 cruise due to British passport rule change

A Queensland couple who emigrated from the UK over 40 years ago face a "desperate deadline" to renew their old British passports before an around-the-world cruise in March.

Stuart and Gwen Rayner, both aged in their 70s, are dual Australian-British nationals and haven't held valid UK passports since 2002.

The soon-to-be-enforced Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which requires dual citizens to have valid UK passports from February 26, has thrown their travel plans into chaos.

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Stuart told nine.com.au the couple booked a $30,000 cruise, which will set sail from Sydney to Southampton on March 17.

The plan is to arrive in the UK by the end of April for a much-anticipated family reunion.

If their British passports don't arrive before embarkation, the couple faces being banned from boarding the ship.

"We have a desperate deadline. We'd had all our ducks in a row and somebody shot one of the ducks," Stuart said.

"We're quite stressed about it."

The couple sent out applications to renew their British passports following 24 years of travelling on their Australian documents after reading about the ETA scheme.

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It can take anywhere between six and 13 weeks for passports to arrive in Australia from the HM Passport Office.

Stuart said he is "not at all confident" the documents will be posted in time.

Their cruise departs in just over six weeks and it is too late to cancel.

Travel insurance covers a small portion – around $9000 – meaning they will be $21,000 out of pocket if they can't board.

"The cruise line is liable to make sure that everybody on board has the right documentation, so they wouldn't even let us board [without the passports]," Stuart added.

"We've also asked our travel agent, if the documents don't arrive in time, if we can catch up with the boat in Hawaii.

"But we haven't heard back from them yet."

The Rayners feel they are being "penalised" for keeping their UK citizenships.

Renouncing citizenship was also an option – until they found it could take months and will cost around $1000 per person.

They could also apply for a certificate of entitlement in lieu of a passport, however this also takes weeks and requires an in-person appointment.

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"If we'd just been Australian, we could walk in with no problem," Stuart said.

"But because we're dual citizens, you've got to jump through all these hoops."

Now, all the Rayners can do is wait.

"There are many of us in the same boat," Stuart added.

The ETA scheme has triggered such a huge response from concerned travellers that the British High Commission in Canberra has stepped in to clear up any confusion.

"You must use your UK passport or a certificate of entitlement to travel to the UK", Deputy High Commissioner Dr Brian Jones said in a video shared online.

"From the 25th of February this year, you may be denied boarding on departure if you don't have this when you travel to the UK."

The HM Passport Office recommends that people do not book travel or apply for visas until after they have their passport.

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