Personal information

I carry my passport on me at all times. It is bulky enough that the addition of my credit and debit cards, cash, and insurance card hardly matters. But all of that lives in my moneybelt. Cash for the day I keep in my pocket, purse, or daypack.

I leave tickets and passport photo copies in the apartment. Credit card cancelling info (phone number to call from Europe and last four digets altered by simple code) I print on several business sized cards which I put multiple places on me and in my backpack so I will always have one if need be. I've never had to use them.

I email myself a document with itinerary and printable ticket, passport photos, insurance card so I could reboot if I lost everything.

I always keep my passport in my money belt on me at all times. I keep a copy of my passport in my luggage back at the hotel.

There is no right or wrong way. Many people on this forum keep their passport in the safe at the hotel, which is perfectly fine.

I have never had an actual visa for travel to any country I visited so far that didn't fit snugly into my passport as if it was just another page or two. But it has been a while since I have needed a visa to go where I go so things may have changed. Not sure why yours is bulky.

The backup copy of things Rick suggest you carry (including the picture page from your passport) is in order to assist with replacing those items if they get lost or stolen. That is what should be left in the hotel room safe or otherwise hidden there. Of the over 100 European hotels I have stayed at I have never had anything disappear from the room. Not saying it won't or can't happen, but I feel the chances are slim. And I have never left anything with real value, like a credit card or cash, in the room when I was not there, so there is that.

What goes in your money belt is: Passport and any important papers like a visa or plane and train tickets you will not be using that day (you may want to put these items in small plastic zipper top bags to protect from moisture), and excess cash you do not plan on accessing that day as well as all credit/debit cards you have you also will not be using that day. The money belt is "deep storage" as Rick likes to say and is not something you are digging into every time you have to pay for something. The key is to forget you are wearing the money belt and not go into it when you are out in the open where you can be seen digging through it.

What goes in your pockets: one credit/debit card you might use that day to buy souvenirs or get additional cash from an ATM and a small amount of local cash, enough to cover whatever you might want to buy that day (meals, snacks, drinks) and not put on the credit card.

Just my opinion about what has worked for me in over 15 years of traveling. Hope it helps.

My visas, thus far, have just been part of my passport. I always carry my passport with me in a neck pouch. Ditto my credit card and my cash. My travel partner usually has 20 - 40 euros accessible in his pockets somewhere for easy access.

What visa are you talking about? Why do you need a visa to visit Ireland? Do you mean your passport?

I carry a credit card, ID (which I have been asked for in some stores using a chip and signature card), and cash in a small wallet. The ID I use is my Passport Card.

I keep everything else in my Hidden Pocket money belt. Photocopies of everything are kept in the cloud.

Legally, you do need some type of identification. Copies don't cut it. Technically, the passport is your only legal form of ID outside your home country but usually anything else will do except at the border.

Be aware, the moneybelt should not be used for every transaction. It is deep storage. Pulling the money belt out for every transaction sort of goes against the idea of using a money belt in the first place.

My practice is like those described above, though I use a neck wallet instead of a money belt. I keep future-use tickets in my bag at the hotel. Besides my passport, I also carry a photocopy of the face page of my wife's passport, and she does the same with mine. That way we can help each other if necessary.

I try not to carry credit or debit cards in a pocket with my daily cash, but sometimes I lapse when I know I'll be using one or both.

Carrying a copy of the credit or debit card, while leaving the actual cards back at the hotel, doesn't make sense. You won't be able to use the copies to buy anything or get cash. They're just for reference in case you lose the actual cards.

Since I now have online banking for all my credit and debit cards, I haven't been carrying copies with me lately. The risk that I wouldn't have online access when I need it seems relatively small.

I, unfortunately, have had to deal with a lost (once) and stolen (once) credit card while in Europe. I have never understood the idea of photocopying a credit card or making a record of the entire credit card number. Based on my experience (and it has happened in the US as well) is that the credit card issuer can easily cancel the card for you if all you have is the last four digits of the card number.

What is important is having a record of the telephone number to call. Often what is printed on the back of the credit is a toll-free number only accessible from the US, so you may need to call that number before you leave home and ask what the access number would be from wherever you are traveling. Believe me, you don't want to be scrambling for that telephone number if a card goes missing.

I carry originals in my money belt, which is actually a leg belt that attaches under my knee just to the narrow part of the leg to where a knee sock used to rise. I forget it is there and often don't notice it until until I crawl into bed at night. I keep originals of my passport, credit cards, train tickets, etc. in this, which I call a money belt. I wear bootcut slacks. I leave copies of reservations, passport, etc. in the bottom of my suitcase unless I need one reservation copy that day. I have an index card with the phone numbers and the last 4 numbers of the CC...coded makes sense if you want, in the suitcase as well. In my purse I carry what I need for the day, usually daily money and one CC, and my license. I use my ID to leave for audio tours, bike rentals, etc. I don't want to leave my PP for that.

Thanks for all the great responses. I was actually talking about my passport and not a visa. Didn't realize there was a difference.
My wife reminded me that the last time we went we carried our passport with us at all times. I just have a money belt and the passport is rather large so wasn't sure how comfortable that was going to be. I am getting copies of everything to remain in our luggage back at the hotel.

I am planning on having cash in my pocket in order to not have to grab into the money belt all the time so that info does make sense. From the responses I got I am probably going to be having my passport on me at all times also.

Thanks again.

Jim, neither my husband or myself can tolerate moneybelts so one of us (usually him) carries a Pacsafe bag with the documents/cards we don't want to lose. I pin a small pouch under my waistband with a card and daily cash. There are lots of ways of keeping valuables safe so it's whatever works for you.

We didn't use to carry our passports with us on a daily basis (left them in the hotel safe) but what with increased security and whatnot these days, we're more likely to have them with us. We do keep copies of cards/passports in a separate place.

I have never in the carry your passport at all times school, even though in some countries it is technically required. The odds of getting called on that are pretty low. I worry about a lot of things but not that. I just put my passport away discretely in the room.

Just to address the "carry or not carry passport" question. I too in years past used the rule of Staying in town? No: Day trip outside the city? Yes, and even then, I would often just not have it on me. However, like it or not, given the security issues in Europe due to terrorism acts in Paris, Brussels, Nice, several towns in Germany, etc.; plus the influx of refugees and increased border checks, I would opt to carry my passport on me for maybe all but popping down to the corner for a meal or a glass of wine.

Thanks for all the great responses, my wife has a passport holder that goes around her neck so I am going to see if that is going to be more comfortable than my money belt. I am also going to find out what a Packsafe bag is and check on that. But it sounds like a good idea to have your passport on you at all times.

As far as having copies of your passport and credit cards goes, I take a picture of them or scan a copy and email it to myself. It's less paperwork and sensitive information that I have to keep track of or worry about losing or being stolen, but it's still quite easy to access if I need to.

I am also going to find out what a Packsafe bag is.

Jim, Pacsafe is a brand of bags with locking security zippers and slash-proof sides/strap. The older models were somewhat heavy but I checked out a newer one not long ago and it seems that they've lightened the weight a bit. They come in multiple sizes/styles, and Travelon makes versions of them as well.

They're not inexpensive but we've had our daybag for years, and have loaned it to friends traveling abroad so we've gotten plenty of good out of the thing.

Look into the "Hidden Pocket" type of moneybelt. I've been using this style for over 25 years.

It is simply a pouch that attaches to your belt and hangs inside your pant leg. I hardly every know it is there.

This is one of the two Rick Steves offers:

Rick Steves Civita Hidden Pocket

He also offers one in silk.

I prefer the ones made by Eagle Creek. That's the brand I've always used.

Eagle Creek Undercover Hidden Pocket

I find these much more comfortable than the ones worn around the waist and less conspicuous than ones worn around the neck.

I didn't care much for the money belt on our first trip abroad last year. I just received the Civita hidden pocket this week and have been wearing it around just to try it out. I don't necessarily feel I need to carry my passport at all times. With four credit cards and a bit of cash in the pocket, I hardly know it's there. With the passport, it's slightly bulkier and more noticeable, but I still think I'll much prefer this to the money belt.

One thing to try with money belt if it is uncomfortable to you is to wear it backwards. Tuck the holder part down the back of your trousers. I do this because the money belt pocket cuts into my belly when I wear it in the front. With the pocket part around back, bending over is not impaired. Have been doing the backward thing since my 1st RS tour and I hardly notice it is there.