Stupid passport question??

I never keep the real document on me, when out sight-seeing.

I always carry a copy and have been stopped never had a problem.

I've read this alot too.

Alica I never carry it with me either, but I would NEVER leave it in my suitcase. I always lock it in room safe or leave it at desk in safe.

If I'm staying in a hotel, I always take my passport with me when I go out. It's in my money belt along with my flight documents. Hotel staff enters your room when you are out, and you never know. Things I absolutely do not want to lose I keep strapped to my body. If I rent an apartment however, most of the time I leave them there.

Wow. This is surprising. When traveling abroad, I'm never without my passport. I've never considered for a moment leaving it in the hotel.

On a 3-hr wait in the Frankfurt airport, my wife left her passport with her luggage and went for a walk through the shops and corridor. After she didn't return after an hour, I was concerned. Shortly, thereafter, a very nice policeman came right up to me and asked my name. He then asked for my wife's passport. She mistakenly walked out of the secure area and couldn't get back in. She had no I.D. Just an odd circumstance.

My husband always carries his passport. I never do. I leave it in my hotel or B&B and in 20 years have never had a problem. I do always carry a valid driver's license for I.D. and at an airport it is always glued to my body. No one has ever asked for it while I've been touring. Even when you have to leave something to secure your headsets at a church or museum they'll accept either a driver's license or passport. Unless you're staying at real dives decent hotels or B&B are safe (I do put it under a paperback book or some such - not in plain sight).

While researching before our first trip to Europe, I recall reading somewhere that a highly prized item on the black market is an American passport. Our hotels were small with no room safe, so our passports stayed with us in our money belt at all times.

Leave it at the hotel with a copy with me. Also a copy in each piece of luggage (so with 2 of us each carrying 1 piece, a passport for each in both) along with a copy in her carry on and a copy in my CPAP bag.

Why would anyone carry their flight information, its not like anyone can use your ticket ?? My most recent flights in past few years don't even issue tickets anymore, you could just go up to the desk with your confirmation letter. Times have changed.

As I said, two camps, but, I have never heard of anyone having their passport stolen out of a room safe yet, ( although posters always say " they heard it happened to a friend of a friend," LOL )

PS I wish someone would steal my passport sometimes, the thought of being "forced" to spend a few extra days in Europe doesn't scare me abit!!!LOL

What would Erma Bombeck have said to this one....

When the maid looks like may passport photo, its time for a new hotel.

I just take it along because it has to be shown with the rail pass, museum pass, at a bank as ID, etc...

As for having a copy of it--scan it into a computer file, attach the file to an email, send it to yourself on a web based email account, and wherever you are, you can pull up a copy and print it if needed.

I know some may worry about security, but it is as secure as in your pocket/moneybelt, and more so than in a hotel room with staff going in and out.

Kevin

I only carry a copy with me, if there is a safe in my room. I would never leave it in a suitcase. If there is no safe in your room, carry it on you, where you have your money, so you know it's safe.
Passports get stolen in Europe.

When traveling it goes with me everywhere.

I second the copy situation. Having them in your suitcase can ensure for example should the bag get lost and the identity tag on the outside ripped of during transport that they have a way of finding the bag back to you.

One thing we do in addition is we swap copies - should I lose my purse or vice versa - there is an easy way to get thing handled.

Passports - especially American passports are big market money - thus leaving in the hotel is not recommended - it is like leaving cash out for the one opportunist.

I carry mine in my moneybelt. It's the only ID anyone will accept from you if you need it. If you run into any trouble, you will be asked for your passport.

I've never been in trouble in Europe, so have only needed it for checking into lodging and getting back into the U.S.

I've never lost my passport. Anyone who has will tell you any small inconvenience of keeping it with you in a safe place is more than offset by the major hassle of trying to replace it if lost or stolen.

Wow I can't imagine not knowing at all times where my passport is and being 100% sure it is safe. It is the most important thing I have ( although I am quite fond of the wife, children, grandchildren, cats etc. ). If it isn't under lock and key at home it is under lock and key in a hotel room safe or it's secured on my person or, as is the case right now, it is in transit between an embassy, where it has received a new visa, courtesy of a secured courier service. Your USA passports have a very high exchange value on the criminal market.

Let us not put temptation in anyone's way.

Having your passport stolen and replaced can be a real grinding headache.

I carry mine with me safely in my money belt because the first time I went to Europe I got pickpocketed in between gates at CDG. Foolishly I had put my passport in my coat pocket since I was just going from the check-in counter to the gate where I would have to show it again. A group of gypsy/teenagers were going the wrong way on the moving sidewalk and several of us were "relieved" of any paperwork, cash, etc. It wasn't tragic, but it was enough of a headache that I NEVER want to do it again.

I always carry mine, too. I just like knowing where it is at all times. I have other ID with me to surrender if I need it as a deposit for an audio guide or whatever, so it never leaves the moneybelt.

Last September we were driving from Assisi to Cortona. We were on a small road in the mountains when we came upon a police check point. We were pulled over and the four of us had to show our passports. We had them on us fortunately because I read you should always have your passport on you when in Italy.

If you are driving a rental car, it is more likely that you will be pulled over by the police at a random checkpoint in some countries, for example Italy, and if this happens you will wish you had your passport in your money belt--see Cynthia's post. Rick agrees with Cynthia. Here's Rick's answer to this perennial debate about "passport with me or not" question, from his Tour of a Money Belt: "Here's what to pack in your money belt: [first item] Passport. You're legally supposed to have it with you at all times." (And yes, it has to be admitted, even on this website, that Rick is not the absolutely last word on any of this, it's just his opinion).

I would say to have it at all times. It's pretty simple to put it in your money belt. Better safe than sorry. I wouldn't want anybody making money by selling my passport. It would be quite a headache. I bring other forms of ID (driver's license, student ID...) so I usually never have to leave my passport to anyone. Hotel staff have access to the rooms when you're not there. Most of them are good people but you never know.

I always carry it with me simply for security and identification. If you have any type of trouble or get in an accident you will need it.

You should always carry your passport. Before 9/11 yea you could just carry the copy. You never know when you may need it nowdays. Think Lebanon and the evacuation of americans recently. Passport was required to board the boat and there was no time to return to the hotel to get it, or the hotel was cutoff by fighting and rockets.

I would not worry about the supposed black market value for your passport. The housekeeping staff is only going to take cash (if anything). Passports are too difficult to sell for big money. A stolen passport is worth about $50-$100 to the person that stole it as long as they know who runs the market and can get rid of it. After that it will be sold and sold again.

One of the news programs (20/20 etc) did a great report on how easy it is to buy a stolen passport. The guy they dealt with on the street had a shoebox full. Any country you wanted $200 each.

If driving a rental car sure have passport on you, if going for dinner at the cafe down the street it is not needed. Leave it in the safe.

Having my passport on me is a little like having my underwear.I never leave home without it.