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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think we have to be let in??

244 replies

yummyubereats · 30/12/2023 07:36

I am currently in Australia visiting a friend. We have travelled from Brisbane towards Sydney for the last few days. We are spending New Year’s Eve in a theme park next to the harbour bridge to watch the fireworks. We bought the tickets ages ago.

My friend and I, who have travelled together, didn’t bring our passports with us to sydney, just our drivers licenses.

We have just received an email from said theme park, saying that they ID on entry and do not accept foreign driving licenses as a valid form of ID. Only passports and Australian licenses. This was not made clear when we bought.

So now, we are panicking. We spent £120 on these event tickets and now we probably won’t even be let in.
NSW government guidance says any country license can be accepted as ID, so they’re not following this.

What can we do?? It’s tomorrow and we don’t have time to get our passports.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Sagealicious · 30/12/2023 12:43

yummyubereats · 30/12/2023 12:36

I don’t have time to drive back, I’m staying an hour from Sydney tonight and we’re staying just above Brisbane. Currently 9 hours from home and 10 hours back to Sydney - it’s 11:35pm now so I won’t make it to Sydney until 6pm with zero stops!
And flight could be an option so I’ll look into that

thank you all for posting helpful replies xx

Hope you're able to get a flight and it works out for you. Good luck!

Original poster
yummyubereats · 30/12/2023 12:44

Thank you :) I’ll update you all!

OP posts:
Milkybarsareonmeeeee · 30/12/2023 12:44

How ironic you can fly without a passport but can’t get into a theme park .

NoraBattysCurlers · 30/12/2023 12:47

Is the OP BU to think she has to be let in?

Very.

I do agree the guidelines for ID are very strict.

betterangels · 30/12/2023 12:51

demonheed · 30/12/2023 12:15

"Oh and please don’t be angry at them if they say no, it was on you for not reading the website properly."

Why would she get angry?

Let's not pretend a lot of people wouldn't give staff abuse when denied what they feel entitled to.

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 30/12/2023 12:57

betterangels · 30/12/2023 12:51

Let's not pretend a lot of people wouldn't give staff abuse when denied what they feel entitled to.

Show quote history

Right? Very high chance someone would lose their rag and get angry at the staff in this scenario, heightened emotion, disappointment and all that. It’s also implied with the title ‘they have to let us in’ - they really don’t have to let you in. Though I hope they do!

user1492757084 · 30/12/2023 13:09

The only solution is for you to drive and meet someone halfway between or use a courier.

user1492757084 · 30/12/2023 13:09

Flying to collect them could also be a solution.

MILLYmo0se · 30/12/2023 13:13

Was the ID warning/information always on the website? I know you didnt actually see it either way, but if its only recently appeared you may be able to contact them and make arrangements given your circumstances and lack of notice. If its always been part of the T&Cs well Id go and chance my luck but not throw a wobbler if refused

Needsomesupport84 · 30/12/2023 13:14

user1492757084 · 30/12/2023 13:09

The only solution is for you to drive and meet someone halfway between or use a courier.

Yeah or not go to the NYE party. 🎈

Scalottia · 30/12/2023 13:16

theduchessofspork · 30/12/2023 08:45

Helpful.

Take your driving license, a photocopy of your passport and a winning smile and be prepared to weep attractively - they don’t have to let you in but they just might take pity on you.

Show quote history

Fuck's sake, don't do this, what terrible advice. I mean the weeping - however I am hoping that comment was a joke.

penjil · 30/12/2023 13:19

yummyubereats · 30/12/2023 08:35

I just didn’t think to bring my passport as we were only driving :( and I have been to Australia before - every hostel and hotel has accepted it as form of ID

Always keep your passports with you, even if just out for a day trip.

It's the only official form of ID you have in a foreign country.

Lesson learnt. 👍

Scalottia · 30/12/2023 13:20

lesdeluges · 30/12/2023 10:30

I'd give the British Consulate in Sydney a call for their advice. Worth a shot to explain your circumstrances. They may not be able to do anything, but it's surely worth a phone call in case they can help.They operate 24/7.

Is this a joke?

OneTC · 30/12/2023 13:23

penjil · 30/12/2023 13:19

Always keep your passports with you, even if just out for a day trip.

It's the only official form of ID you have in a foreign country.

Lesson learnt. 👍

Show quote history

She's got an Australian passport so she's Australian. I don't carry mine round when I'm at home just like I don't carry my British one here

ClareBlue · 30/12/2023 13:30

FreeRider · 30/12/2023 11:06

Lots of posts here that show how most Brits don't understand how truly disliked they are in the rest of the world...especially in Australia.

I'm Australian, my father was French and we spent the first 10 years of my life there...he had to carry his passport everywhere (this was back in the 1970s) until he got his international driving licence as it was the only id that would be accepted.

Australia now has some of the strictest homeland laws in the world - I had to change my name back to my maiden name the last time I renewed my Australian passport as since 2011 a passport will only be issued with the name on your birth certificate. You can apply to change the name on your birth certificate but doing so from abroad is a long involved process...and I didn't want to do it anyway.

Without your passport so it can be scanned, you won't be getting in. Australia expects to be the victim of a terrorist attack at any time and UK passport are worth less than toilet paper to them, especially since Brexit...

The British passport has exactly the same status in Australia as it did before Brexit and is not inferior to any entry requirements to an EU passport.

coldcallerbaiter · 30/12/2023 13:33

I am terrified to go anywhere WITH my passports. I have a Europe holiday home with a safe. When I travel around the rest of the country and stay at a hotel, I leave the passports home. It’s a risk but the hotel has always accepted pic of passports or UK drivers license. I have a worry of carrying my passports everywhere in case they get lost. Some hotels don’t have safes or they can be easily opened, I sometimes travel by train too. I have travel duplicates of everything inc 2 phones with 2 credit cards. But you do not have a spare passport.

Taking your passport everywhere has its downsides.

penjil · 30/12/2023 13:35

OneTC · 30/12/2023 13:23

She's got an Australian passport so she's Australian. I don't carry mine round when I'm at home just like I don't carry my British one here

Show quote history

Well, I always carry mine with me when I'm overseas. It's always on me. Saves it being stolen out of a hotel room too.

Anyway, the problem is yours, I've tried to advise, but you can watch the fireworks from elsewhere now, as you also ignored Luna Park's advice. You know best, it seems.

StockpotSoup · 30/12/2023 13:38

user1492757084 · 30/12/2023 13:09

The only solution is for you to drive and meet someone halfway between or use a courier.

Obviously I don’t know the OP’s specific circumstances, but I can’t think of anyone I could ask in this country to make a ten-hour round trip so that I could go to a party, never mind in a country I was just visiting.

willWillSmithsmith · 30/12/2023 13:39

turkeyquestion · 30/12/2023 08:55

Yeah, it is pretty clear on their website 😬

Show quote history

So is the ID just for proof of age? Surely OP’s face will be proof enough (well it is for me!)

IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle · 30/12/2023 13:39

user1492757084 · 30/12/2023 13:09

Flying to collect them could also be a solution.

Flying is a perfectly do' able solution. One of them can fly to Brisbane and back easily on the 31st. As a PP said a driving licence is fine for internal flights.

It's already the 31st in Sydney. The first flight to Brisbane is at 07.05 and then hourly thereafter. It's an hour and 35 minutes but the internal time difference means that the time it arrives in Brisbane is 30 minutes after the hour it left. Coming back there's flights at 09.15 and pretty much hourly until 18.15. The last flight is 19.50 and will be back in Sydney before 22.30.

Tattletwat · 30/12/2023 13:52

ClareBlue · 30/12/2023 13:30

The British passport has exactly the same status in Australia as it did before Brexit and is not inferior to any entry requirements to an EU passport.

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Yeah that was just some idiot trying to make a poor point about brexit on a thread nothing to do with brexit.

FreeRider · 30/12/2023 13:58

This idiot has two passports which means she isn't stuck in Brexit Britain.

I do love watching Brits stuck in the long queues when going into European countries...

This thread even existing proves the point that Brits somehow think the rules don't apply to them...even the title 'To think they have to let us in'...err no, start thinking that they don't.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 30/12/2023 14:01

CleverLilViper · 30/12/2023 09:02

But then what is the point of this thread at all-none of us know if they'll be willing to overlook their rules this one time or not.

We can hardly assist here. They may or may not. OP just needs to call them up and ask. Then accept her mistake in not checking if it's a no and learn for next time.

Show quote history

Actually, some posters may have had direct experience of this venue

clara778 · 30/12/2023 14:03

@FreeRider

Maybe buzz off and leave this very BRITISH site?

Backtomyoldname · 30/12/2023 14:06

Had a similar problem in an Italian supermarket. Everything on the conveyor - assistant wanted to see our passports.

Well before Brexit nonsense, no drink or medicine. Obviously no advance warning, not happened in other shops there.

No Italians, or others, asked for passports. They weren't for moving on this - nor would explain. And were arsey about it all - I was just bemused.

Only time I've every walked out of a supermarket and left all my stuff.