carrying passport

Passports are generally a pain to replace, so I always keep mine on my person when renting apartments. You never know how many keys are floating around.

I keep it in my moneybelt under clothing.

This is one of the "forever" discussed question with no answer. One side strongly believes that you lock it safely away in a hotel safe, etc., and carry a colored copy claiming that is just as good. The other group just as strongly believes that you should carry it at all time. It is the only documents that proves who you are and are legally in the country. The problem is that IF you need it and don't have it, that could be a problem if the copy is unacceptable. If you have it and don't need it, then you will never have a problem. I always have it. Other things can happen -- fire, earthquakes, etc. who knows?

The was posting a year or more ago about someone in Barcelona who was stopped by the police and only had a copy. A copy is very easy to forge so he had a big problem. Carry it in a PROPERLY worn money belt so there will never be a problem.

I think a lot of people get the wrong end of the stick about the colour copy idea, even though they're very wedded to it. AFAIK the rational behind having one is that if you ever need a replacement passport whilst abroad taking a copy of the information page with you to the consulate can expedite the procedure. I doubt they have too much use as identification.

As most posters here are American I'll use that as an example. I'm always find I have to show ID a lot in the US, from entering municipal building to having a glass of wine with dinner. Think of all the times you have to show ID, usually your driving licence, how many of those times do you think a photocopy would be acceptable? It's no different anywhere, it may get you the over 60's lunch special but anything official?

Thanks for your replies. Frank, I just found what you mean about this being the "forever" question. I apologize for posting it AGAIN, because now I'm finding lots of past conversations about this. I'll be in Italy this spring with my husband and our two children. Carrying four (or two each) of those stiff cardboard passport books seems a bit of a pain, but that may be the best option because I don't recall any of the apartments we're renting as having safes.

Do take your drivers' licenses with you. If you are asked for photo id, for instance, to rent an audio guide, they are acceptable, and much better than handing over your passport.

You can define pain in a variety of ways. I always carried our two sons passports in a money belt and hardly noticed it. Practice before you go. How to wear the money belt is another one of those forever questions. We both wear our fairly high in the hollow area of our back and not under the belt line. We find it very comfortable,not visible,and very secure.

I suggest keeping your passport on you at all times. I think it's probably okay to leave it in a hotel safe but even then I would think twice. I am leary because inside hotel theft can and does happen. It happened to my folks & it was clearly an inside job so I just feel more comfortable carrying it in my money belt.

In Italy there were many times I stopped into an internet cafe to send/receive e-mails and you must show it there before getting access to a computer.

I do same as Sheron and carry it in my neck wallet as mentioned in the other thread. My dad carried his for a few days in the waist belt but found it uncomfortable so I carried his as well. I like to have it with me for a few reasons, one being the internet cafe. A second reason is in case of emergency you might not be able to get back to your hotel to get the passport. I'd much rather be able to run direct to the U.S. embassy and be evacuated if things start blowing up or falling down around my ears. It's an extremely remote possibility, sure, but I adhere to the 'better to have and not need' school of thought.

And while I'm not especially concerned about it being stolen by the hotel staff, I am concerned about me being an idiot and forgetting the darn thing in the hotel when packing. If it never leaves my money belt, it's probably not going to get left behind.

Cindy,

I ALWAYS carry my Passport with me in a reasonably secure location. It would be a MAJOR annoyance if it was every lost or stolen.

We have traveled twice to Europe with our children (teens). Each of us (the parents) carry our own passport and one kid's passport. We tend to have them with us everywhere we go, rather than leaving them in the hotel. My husband wears a money belt and I use the neck pouch. Besides the passports, we have some cash, extra credit cards, and not much else, so they are not very bulky. You get used to whatever you are using pretty quickly, and after that you really don't notice it.

And just to complicate matters, a lot of places you stay will take your passport from you on arrival and either give it back to you the next day, or on your departure.

I have never had a passport retained for more than overnight and that was years ago. Now the most I have ever had it kept was few hours. However, I have been on a cruise ship where it was taken on arrival and given back just prior to departure. But was also given a receipt showing that I had a passport. That I think has to do with the port of calls.

We feel safest carying our passports in secure neck pouches along with our other valuables. While I have never lost mine, a friend's was stolen along with her purse in a Paris restuarant. Her horror stories of dealing with the American embassy completely eclipsed the actual theft itself.

The mistake was not carrying the passport in a secure location. Not whether she should have or not have been carrying the passport. Loose purses, day bags, etc. are always going to be easy targets no matter how careful you think you can be. IF you are not going to carry your valuables in a very secured location, then, by all means, leave them in a hotel safe or locked suitcase or somewhere better

Well, I have a completely different viewpoint. I've lived in Europe for 8 years now (minus 4 months in the US), also lived here in early 90s for a year, and have never carried it and have never been asked for it. I usually leave in my hotel room, well hidden, tho I guess nothing can ever be too well hidden. I guess I've been lucky...??

Ive been reading this with interest and understand there are many viewpoints. However I cant understand why anyone would not carry it in a moneybelt when it is so easy,comfortable and the only 100 percent way to safeguard it.