To think we have to be let in??

[yummyubereats]

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.

Sorry I had actually intended to type "N Irish"!

Do you know what actually? Don't mind me I was just being a cranky prick 😊

I'd say first of all, contact the theme park and ask to speak to someone in security or an event manager and just ask whether any sort of exception could be made on this occasion as other forms of ID can be presented.

If not you have the option of flying I guess.

Other than flashing the bouncer, I can't see a way around it other than finding other plans and keeping this knowledge in the bank for the future

TBF it's an important distinction! I type slower than I think and I don't reread so that's entirely on me

In 2021, 31.86% of All Usual Residents [of Northern Ireland] declared their national identity as British Only; 29.13% selected Irish Only; and 19.78% stated Northern Irish Only.

Well the participants in the Census don't agree with you.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.equalityni.org/ECNI/media/ECNI/Publications/Corporate/Commission%2520Meetings/2023/cmeeting250123/EC-23-01-11-Census21databriefingnoteAC.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwib3sesrLiDAxW9VUEAHcwpDlUQFnoECAYQBQ&usg=AOvVaw0XBdPsXjUeNt6Lgd2pF16O" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Census Northern Ireland

@ShippingNews Ha ha, I'm in Oz and no we are not used to 10 hour drives to deliver someone's passport ! It's a helluva drive and most people would only do it if they were going on a holiday

I take it you have never gone outside your backyard? I used to do 9hr drives daily for one work stint, it was considered standard. You do realise that some people do such drives just to get groceries/essentials? I’m gathering the amount of time you have spent in the Top End/Far North to be absolutely zero?

It was a salty remark that's been all sorted now but thanks for your input, I can argue Irish/British politics all night if you like but I'm quite sure we'd both rather not

I wonder if OP will update us. If it were me I'd have booked the first flight this morning from Sydney to Brisbane. £240 or so to avoid any possibility of not being allowed in seems worth it.

@Tulipvase You can fly within the UK without a passport! 😆 You just need your driving licence

It is a really bad idea to carry your passport around with you. My work colleague had hers in her rucksack rather than the hotel safe. Her rucksack was stolen while she ate lunch and it took her nearly 3 weeks and £500 to get a new one sorted.

@caringcarer

terrified to go out without your passport

WHY??

I don't carry mine around daily, it stays in my accommodation.

but I would take it if travelling to another city.

I’m from Australia and particularly at these big events they’ll be sticking to their rules and won’t make exceptions I’m pretty sure (sorry OP). Though we aren’t on alert for a terror attack 🤣 and we certainly don’t all hate people from the UK! You could try calling but even then I think the answer you get over the phone and the response you’re going to get at the gate will be no. Bummer dude sorry. Plenty of fun places to go and watch the fireworks on the big screens tho.

Flying to Europe from the UK is not the same as travelling to the US, Australia, South Africa, Japan etc. Most European countries accept the UK driver's license as a valid ID (mind you, I have no idea if this is still the case after Brexit).

When you travel to Australia your only legal identification is your passport. You can leave it at your hotel or other accommodation provided is within a short reach. The problem for the OP is that she left her only legal ID in Australia in Brisbane which is a different state from NSW. She then drove 10 hours crossing State lines without thinking that she could have been involved in an accident or be stopped by road police for whatever reason. For the police without her passport, she's a foreigner without a valid ID.

I really hope Luna Park can do something for her but I doubt it. The tickets are not transferable and will be checked against a legal ID to stop reselling with fake IDs. If it had been any other time of year, Luna Park may have been more accommodating. Highly unlikely tonight, when more than a million people are expected in Sydney for the fireworks.

How strange, as all you need to do is get an apostille attached to the change of name certificate.

I have a friend who changed their name by deed poll and they got their passport in their new name - they went to see a solicitor in Manchester in UK and got the apostille attached to it.

They then got married and used their marriage certificate but they did have to show how the name was changed, so birth certificate showing birth name, change of name by deed poll done in the UK then apostille attached, and then marriage certificate. As long as you can show how the names are all linked, so birth name to new name, then you absolutely 💯% can get the passport in your name.

https://www.passports.gov.au/getting-passport-how-it-works/documents-you-need/names-and-name-change#new%20passport%20after%20name%20change

https://www.passports.gov.au/getting-passport-how-it-works/documents-you-need/names-and-name-change

Nah, that's Aussies who go to Bali. Brit's are fine in Australia and NZ.

"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."

As an Aussie, she doesn't speak for us all. We don't claim people like that as one of our own.

Anyway, I hope the OP sorts it all out.

I don't until why you didn't check the terms OP if you're visiting a foreign country, or even just in general. Surely this is basic common sense.

Exactly, just basic rules of travelling

I think people should lay off taking their phobias and political views on the OP. She made a mistake that many thousands do without realising how important it's a passport as the only legal ID when travelling outside Europe.

I hope the OP has made alternative options. But hopefully this thread can make people aware in the UK holidaying in Australia, that their ONLY legal ID is their passport.

How old are you OP? Is it not just to prove you're over 18? If you look clearly over 18 it might not even be a problem.

Agree with all of this. Hilarious that we apparently don’t like Brits 😹
I live in Sydney, and it’s known to be OTT for things like this. Hope OP has some good luck but the whole harbourfront will be a vibe anyway, you’ll have a good time.

So we didn’t make the flight back. It was way too expensive and we live a while out of Brisbane. Without the car it would’ve been so hard to make it in time.
We have spoken to luna park who have said “no guarantees” but we are going to try and get in in an hour.
Turns out we’d paid $500 🥲

Thank you all for your advice. I know I should’ve been smarter! I’m so used to travelling in Europe, I’ve never been outside of Europe apart from Australia one other time!

I'm sorry you weren't able to get a flight. If you do try to get in be honest about your mistake without making it into a sob story us Aussies appreciate honesty. If you aren't able to get in remember there are many vantage points around the Harbour that are all free. Either way I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun.

Good luck, OP

Good luck!