Australians with British or Irish ties are scrambling to salvage travel plans as sweeping passport rule changes by the UK government begin to bite, leaving many feeling blindsided, frustrated and stuck in limbo.
With the deadline now looming, families across Australia say the new requirements are already forcing them to cancel reunions, miss milestone birthdays, delay visits to sick relatives and rethink costly business travel — all because paperwork cannot be processed in time.
What’s Changing From February 25
From February 25, travellers who are British or Irish citizens will be required to enter the United Kingdom using a valid British or Irish passport, or a Certificate of Entitlement (COE).
The rule applies even to those who hold Australian passports but are citizens by birth or descent through a British- or Irish-born parent.
According to migration agents, none of the available options are quick or cheap. Processing times stretch for weeks or months, fees are significant, and requests for help with UK passport applications have surged as Australians realise they are affected.
A 100th Birthday Now in Doubt
John Fenlon knows exactly how disruptive the change can be.
Born in Ireland, with a wife born in England, Mr Fenlon has lived on the NSW south coast for three decades. He, his wife and their daughter had planned a long-awaited trip to England in March to celebrate his mother’s 100th birthday.
Flights were booked back in August, with a side trip to Malaysia included. Then came the shock.
“Just a few days ago we saw an article about the changes and realised we’d be caught,” Mr Fenlon said.
Their British and Irish passports had expired long ago. Renewing them wasn’t straightforward.
“Because our passports are so old, we have to go through the full administrative process,” he said. “They’re quoting eight weeks or more, which puts us right on the borderline of our departure date.”
With uncertainty mounting, the family cancelled accommodation and flights in both Malaysia and the UK.
The Costly Certificate Option
Mr Fenlon looked into applying for a Certificate of Entitlement instead, but found that path equally unclear.
“The process says you pay over $1,000, then you have to call Canberra or Sydney to get an appointment,” he said. “No one can tell me how long that will take.”
“If I pay nearly $3,000 for the three of us and can’t get an appointment for six weeks, I’m in real trouble.”
Breaking the news to family was devastating.
“I had to tell my sister there’s a real chance we won’t make it,” he said. “They told my mother, and she’s very upset. It was likely the last time we’d see her.”
He fears many Australians still have no idea what’s coming.
“People will turn up at the airport on February 26 with no clue and lose their flights,” he said. “That’s what’s disgusting.”
A Cancer Visit Cancelled
Chris, from Queensland, was meant to take his wife and young daughters to Europe in March — including a visit to his 82-year-old father, who is battling cancer.
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“The whole point was for the girls to see him before he passed,” he said.
Chris was born in the UK and holds a current British passport. His wife and eldest daughter, however, let theirs lapse several years ago. His daughters hold dual citizenship because both parents were born in the UK.
Attempts to renew passports in 2020 were derailed when original documents were lost during COVID-era delays at the British passport office.
Now, even applying for a Certificate of Entitlement is complicated.
“I don’t know what documentation they want until I pay and commit to the process,” he said.
While Chris could renounce his own British citizenship, the Home Office website states citizenship cannot be renounced on behalf of a child under 18.
“You Can’t Speak to Anyone”
Chris said trying to get clarity from UK authorities was almost impossible.
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“I called the passport office, immigration, emailed a minister — everything just points you back to websites,” he said.
“You literally can’t speak to a person. There’s no compassion or humanity in the process.”
Scrambling for Passports
British-born Australian Rosie Workman is due to travel to the UK in less than six weeks with her son James Ireland and his family. Mr Ireland is attending his best friend’s wedding, while Ms Workman planned to help the family with childcare.
Both let their British passports expire years ago.
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“We’re scrambling to get applications in,” Ms Workman said. “There’s no processing timeline and no express option.”
She believes she may still need to rely on a Certificate of Entitlement at the last minute.
“We’ll get there one way or another,” she said. “But it’s a nuisance — and it will affect a lot of people.”
A Big Issue for Australians
The scale of the disruption is significant.
In the past financial year, 635,000 Australians travelled to the UK, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. As of June 2024, 934,000 people born in England were living in Australia — the country’s largest overseas-born group.
That means hundreds of thousands could be impacted by the changes.
Business Trips Also at Risk
For Sydney-based CEO Billy Tucker, the uncertainty is already affecting work.
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The Scottish-born Australian was due in London on March 11 for a major conference tied to his business.
“My flight isn’t fully refundable, and I don’t know if insurance would cover this,” he said.
He worries airlines will also bear the brunt.
“It puts an enormous burden on airlines dealing with passengers who don’t realise they can’t travel.”
Mr Tucker said standard passport processing times of up to 13 weeks leave him anxious, especially as his application requires mailing a copy of his Australian passport.
“When I opened the Home Office chat, I was 50th in the queue,” he said.
Quiet Changes, Big Consequences
The UK government has described the move as a “significant step towards digitising the immigration system” and a pathway to a contactless border.
But for Australians affected, the rollout feels abrupt and poorly communicated.
“To quietly introduce something that creates this much friction makes no sense,” Mr Tucker said.
“I have family in the UK. To think I couldn’t get on a plane if someone was sick is shocking. It feels a bit COVID-esque — a border closing without you realising.”
The ABC has requested further clarification from the UK Home Office as Australians race against the clock.
For many, the damage is already done — measured not just in cancelled flights and lost money, but in moments with family that may never come again.