Do you always carry your passport?

You're going to get a lot of replies from people who leave their passports in the room safes so I'll be the odd person out here. I generally carry mine in my neck pouch under my shirt as I travel around. It's just the habit I developed and I'm comfortable with that plan. In regards to your question about when you might need it outside the airport - many hotels require a look at it when you check in...most just keep it for a few minutes.

Yes, you will need it when you check into each hotel, but in that case you'll have your bags with you too. Otherwise, you probably really only need it on your person if you have no other photo ID on you.
Enjoy your trip!

First, to fully comply with the rules in most European Countries, you must have it on you at all times.

However, my typical reality has been if I am just wandering around the neighborhood, it is in the hotel. Out for a full day, I probably will bring it along. Taking the train to another town, almost always will have it with me, crossing a border, even within the Schengen zone, always have it with me.

With all of the issues though with refugees and several terrorist incidents, and the increased security checks, I will probably opt to have it on me more often than in the past.

Mine is always in my neck pouch, whether I'm going from place to place, or just exploring my current town. Some countries require that you have it with you, but I've never been stopped and asked for it.

And in 15½ years, almost 50 different accommodations, I have never, ever been asked for my passport, even when checking in. Never!

I never carry mine with me, just leave it in the hotel safe or in my room. If you are going across borders on a day trip, you will need it. If you are driving a car, you should have it with you.

It is a myth that most countries require you to carry it on your person. You are only required to have one. If the police have to go with you to your hotel room to see it, they will. Most of us aren't taking part in activities that would require this kind of action from the police.

To carry or not to carry. That is the question.

The answer depends on the situation. I would not carry my documents in a beach setting. I don't carry my passport in a ski race, but do carry my passport on inn to inn walks, village to village bike tours and hut to hut skis.

Belgium and most of the old Eastern European countries require you to carry your passport at all times. I would never suggest a guest breaking the law in a host country. Beyond that there is no correct answer, what ever makes you the most comfortable. Me? generally I carry it, but not always. Depends on the setting and the circumstance. .

I adhere to keeping it in my purse, which is a secure crossbody bag, along with my Permesso si Soggiorno (residency permit) at all times. Over trained by the Foreign Service, I guess: in case of emergency you do not want to have to return to home base to get your ID.

Whether to carry a Passport or not is always a source of debate here. Even though I've never been asked to produce a Passport, I prefer to always carry it with me at all times. If it did happen to get stolen from my room or wherever, having to travel to the nearest Embassy to replace it would be a major pain in the a**. If it's in my Money Belt, I always know where it is.

Yes, we do when traveling.

Since security concerns are at the highest level in Europe, it would be a good idea to carry your passport with you - keep it in a neck pouch, not in a purse or backpack or other bag. No sense in tempting fate.
I would also recommend that you make a color copy of your passport and keep it in a separate location, in case your passport does get lost. That way, it will be much easier to go to the Embassy to replace it.

When I've actually need my passport, aside from entering and leaving countries:

To check into a hotel in some countries (notably Italy). Others just want the passport number, or nothing from it.

To buy a SIM card in some countries (Italy and Germany are ones where I've personally encountered it). Others do not need it for this. For these, a copy of the passport will probably suffice - but don't quote me if it doesn't.

Changing money. When I used traveler's checks, I often had to show a passport when cashing them. Of course, I haven't done this in MANY years - ATM's are the way to go.

Entering some high security sights. The one I remember was the Jewish Museum in Munich - precisely because I wasn't expecting it (hadn't thought ahead) and was glad I had my passport with me.

Personally, I carry it in my money belt (the "hidden pocket" kind, that hangs off my belt loop inside my pants). This means I always have it (handy not only for the museum in Munich, but also the cell phone store in Berlin where I wasn't expecting to need it). It also means I don't have to worry about leaving it behind in a hotel, as it's always in the same place, with me. In Brazil, I heeded the warnings to carry only a copy and leave the original at the hotel. This actually caused me more stress, as I worried I'd forget it when I packed, since it was different from my regular routine.

I always leave my passport in the hotel. I've spend 9+ years in Europe and have never been asked to show a passport except by immigration officers at ports of entry and upon checking in to a hotel.

I always have my passport with me. Always. Never know when someone will invite me to go somewhere...

So you see...there is NO single answer - do what is most comfortable with you.

"Never know when someone will invite me to go somewhere..."

When Mia Farrow was dating Frank Sinatra, she says that they would start an evening with dinner in Los Angeles, then on the spur of the moment he would fly them to Las Vegas in his private plane, and sometimes go to London from there. "I learned to bring my passport to dinner."

So yes, if you're dating someone in a position to go to foreign countries at the drop of a hat, always have your passport ready!

Maybe Zoe gets invited on far-flung dates on a regular basis...

I personally have a secure way of carrying it so I never consder leaving it at the hotel (where I'd be more likely to forget it on checking out anyway). I also think with increased security and the remote, but possible risk of an attack (or major disruptions during an attack), I'd lean on the side of caution and carry it as long as you have a safe system.

It is a myth that most countries require you to carry it on your person.

If you take the time to read through the Schengen rules you will find that you are required to be able to identify yourself to the authorities at all times and justify you presence within the Schengen area. If you are unable satisfy these requirements they are fully entitled to arrest you and detain you until such time as they are satisfied as to your identity and status, they don't have to take you back to your hotel, or your car or where ever else you've left your passport.

If you further going into the EU rules into what type of identity documents that are acceptable you will fine that for US citizens the only valid form of identification is a US passport. A driving licence etc.. although acceptable for a EU/EEA citizen is not acceptable for third country citizens.

The reason that Lee has never been asked for a passport when checking into a hotel reflects the area where he travels - quite a bit in Germany. But hotels in Italy and elsewhere do require it.

I've several times needed my passport in circumstances that Harold listed, and others, such as renting a museum audio guide. You also need to show a passport when activating a rail pass and sometimes when traveling with a rail pass. Some print-at-home tickets for trains and other services also require ID, to combat duplication.

My routine includes keeping my money belt right with the clothes that I took off at night, so I've never had any worries about leaving it behind, which I'm afraid I might do if I put it in a safe. Under your pillow = just no. If I'm going swimming, then that's the time when I hide or secure the whole money belt in the hotel room.

I doubt that the responses on this thread are much different than on the many previous threads that you'll find if you search above for the words "carry passport."

May 11th to June 11th ( just returned)..

We flew into London, then flew to Greece, then to Spain, Ireland and finally France.. flew out of Amsterdam( took Thalys)

Passport sometimes in purse.. sometimes in hotel safe.. but never took it to beaches.. that seems silly to me.. nor into the small towns we visited in Spain and Greece.. it was fine back in hotel safes.

Maids/Theives etc. do not break into hotel safes for your passport. nope .. they want your cash a roo..

A passport is not as hot of an item as you would like to think it is.. in fact most passports that go missing are simply lost, forgotten( sorry I would never forget mine.. been travelling since I was 13 and that is just mind blowing to me that someone would do that) .. or in your purse which is stolen( they want your iPhone and cash.. passports have been found in garbage cans)

PS I NEVER leave my passport as collateral in museums for audio guides.. I know they ask for it.. but I give them my DL and they have ALWAYS accepted it( both at Louvre and Orsay in PAris for instance) . I gave them my passport once, years ago and was not impressed when they shoved in what looked like an open file box.. and it was not under lock and key.. forget that nonsense.

This trip I did carry it around in Paris but only because there was some stuff going on.. a few protests etc.. but normally I do not bother. I carried in my purse. Like I always do when carrying it.. I no longer bother with a moneybelt unless I am travelling alone..

Always carry passport. In a zip top plastic bag. Inside a money belt. Strapped around my waist.

So far I have only been asked for my passport once in 10 years of travel. That was in the Czech republic. Guy in military uniform said "Papers!! Please!!" Difficult to comply if the passport is in a safe somewhere. :-)

I follow the same "rules" traveling abroad as I do at home with my driver's license. If I am leaving home for more than just a walk, run, time at the pool, I have my driver's license on me even if I am not going to be driving. You never know what may happen and what scenario you may find yourself in that you will need to identify yourself. In Europe and elsewhere, I carry my passport almost all the time. I may leave it in the hotel room if I am walking down to the beach or just walking in the immediate area of my hotel. All other times, I carry it.

I like Laurel's answer: "Over trained by the Foreign Service, I guess: in case of emergency you do not want to have to return to home base to get your ID."

I hesitate to post my reasons because it make me sound like I've got a bunker dug in my back yard but yes, this is the reason I carry my passport with me at all times when I travel. There may be a time when I can't get back to my hotel and the safest, most prudent course of action is to get on a train and go elsewhere leaving behind whatever is in my hotel room. I have my passport, credit/debit cards and money in the money belt and have my phone and iPad mini in my purse.

If you choose to go there, the other frequent question with about the same distribution of definite yes and no answers is whether you should get a little foreign currency before you travel or just go to an ATM after you arrive at your destination, lol. (I vote for having some with you when you arrive so you can get in to town, have a meal or 2 and go to the ATM the next day when you are less jet-lagged!)

We practically never carry our passports on us. While traveling between locations, we keep them handy though. We travel a lot in Germany and Austria, we stay in small, family owned/run Pension's and Gasthof's and have always been asked for one of our passports, even at places we are friends with the owners and are visiting for the 2nd, 3rd, or even 5th time.

Me too Zoe... It is always with me, in my little Maruca purse.... so I never have to worry about where it is.
I might be hanging out in the wrong places since I am still waiting to be invited last minute to hop on over
to someplace exotic:)
I never have to wonder where it is or worry about it being left in some hotel safe.

We have been asked twice on trains by armed LEO's - we happily obliged.

They also need to be presented with a rail pass on the train

We are always asked for them at hotels

You'll have to temporarily surrender your passport to check into some hotels and possibly train stations. However, I'm a war veteran and only feel comfortable with my ID on me. The only time I would leave it behind is on a beach day (which I had plenty of last year in Greece), when I leave it in the safe. I will NEVER leave it laying around in my room. If there is no safe available then it goes with me. I take the same caution with it as I do my credit cards. You'll get used to having it with you after a few hours. Try to have it handy when transitioning onto planes/trains.

Prior to Schengen I was asked a few times for my papers. Sicne Schengen I have never been asked except when leaving the Schengen zone. STILL; when the law of the country requires that I carry it, I carry it. That's called respect. Otherwise, what ever makes you the most comfortable.

You'll have to temporarily surrender your passport to check into some
hotels and possibly train stations.

Can you provide a personal experience about surrendering your passport in a train station?

Thanks for all of the advice. Even though there are varying opinions they all will help me decide what to do.

One more instance when needing a passport that I didn't see mentioned above. We just spent a month in Spain and Portugal. Almost anywhere (El Prado to Plaza de Toros Museum in Seville to a Lisbon transportation card) that offered a senior or pensioner or similar reduced entry fee or rate required ID. For us that was our passport. So if you are of a certain age, this would be a reason to carry it. Having said that, I don't know if a photocopy would have been sufficient because we had the real deal. Have a wonderful trip.

When we are within walking distance to our hotel, I typically don't take passports. But if we are getting on a train for a day trip or not within walking distance, we definitely take passports in our money belts. There's been times I needed a passport outside of airports, where I'm glad we had them with us. Segway tour in Florence required passports. Hotels in Italy and France upon checkin. If you buy tickets to pick up at Will Call, seems to me I recall being asked for passport to verify identification.

I've never been asked for my passport anywhere but immigration when entering/leaving a country and at some of the hotels/hostels where I've stayed (in fact, I think that was exclusively at the few Hosteling International hostels I've stayed at). I did encounter an armed police/security officer on a train from Amsterdam to Brussels once, but he just asked for our train tickets and kind of badgered us with "were you visiting the coffee shops?" since we were leaving Amsterdam (in reality, we were just jet lagged after a long trip from Seattle).

I always carry it with me, on my deep storage pocket or money belt. I always have it with me because I'm used to do that since I was young. I have never need it before, just for immigration or checking in at the hotel but I never leave it behind at the hotel safe.

Mostly, I did not carry my Passport on me when in cities in Germany and Austria, in France I did. Now I do it all the time. In the City i figured if the Police were that interested in having me produce ID, then drive to the hotel with me to get it. Doing a day trip on the train, I have had the Passport with me, but have never been asked in a city in Germany to produce ID, ie the Passport.

What ever you do, don't loose your passport. Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark have all asked for and received exemptions from the Schengen free borders; Austria has sent material support to Hungary's efforts to stiffen their southern border and has even constructed a fence in the Brenner Pass to ire of the Italians. Looks like everyone is expecting the migrant issue to heat up again. Might be a good reason to carry a passport more often just in case you get swept up in a migrant related disruption.

I carry mine because it's your only legitimate ID when you travel.

I recognize the chances of being asked for your passport as a middle class American family is virtually nil, so there will probably be no negative consequences if you choose to leave it in your hotel. I don't think it's the right answer but it won't matter most of the time.

It's essentially the same as your driver's license. How often do you get pulled over and need to show it? Yet you still keep it with you when you're driving.

Always carry it with me, in money belt worn in the small-of-my-back, inside pants. Very comfortable, and I always know where it is.