Carry Passport At All Times?

I would not leave it in your room without there being a safe. We kept ours with us at all times, in my small purse/cross-body bag. Actually, I think we put it in the moneybelt the first day or two. Then in my bag - we never had any pick pocket problems - we were very cautious and aware of our surroundings, like I said used the money belts a lot at first. Husband always kept his credit card in his money belt, but carried a small travel wallet with cash in his front pocket. Always kept his hand in pocket if in a tight space. I kept my small travel wallet with cash and credit card in my purse and the passports and my camera. I was always aware and held onto my purse when in tight spots.

Holly,

I'd suggest keeping your Passport with you whenever possible, both to minimize the risk of loss as well as to provide ID (should you be asked to produce this).

It's a good idea to place the Passport in a small zip-lok bag when it's stored in a Money Belt, otherwise it will get quite "damp" from perspiration.

Cheers!

I always carry my passport on me. Try the neck-type money belt. Also make sure to make a copy as a back-up should you lose or misplace orig.

I have never had a problem with just leaving my passport in my locked trolley bag, in the room. I only have it with me when I am traveling to another location. I use my driver's licence as ID for Internet places.

Some places will insist on taking your passport from you when you arrive. Don't freak out. They're using them to fill out some forms. They'll usually give them back to you before you leave.

"Don't freak out...they'll usually give them back to you before you leave."

Let's change that to they'll ALWAYS give them back to you before you leave! Otherwise, the "don't freak out" advice won't work so well ;-)

But I think I know what you mean. Most hotels get your passport back to you before you go out on the town later the same day. A few years ago, in Athens, we stayed at a youth hostel and they kept our passports until we checked out two days later! I guess it's a guarantee that you'll pay for the room or not cause any damage. But we didn't worry about it, since we'd already gotten used to the passport-taking routine in Italy.

A couple of years ago we were checking into a hotel and the clerk at the desk was busy with another tourist for quite a while obviously making some phone calls for him. When he finally got to us he apologized and explained that the man had forgotten their passports in the hotel safe in the previous town. They were arranging for the hotel to send them. We always keep our passports in our money belt. My husband has a copy of my passport page and I carry a copy of his. I would not leave the passport in a hotel room if it doesn't have a safe.

We just carried a copy of ours in my moneybelt and left the passports in the hotel room (hidden, if no safe). One less thing to worry about. But do what you are most comfortable with.

For the same reasons Kim has mentioned, my passport is with me at all times.

It's in my moneybelt and I don't worry about it. However, should I need it, I have it.

You'll hear from many people who will say "I leave my passport in the hotel room, room safe, hotel safe...AND I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM."

While they may not have, talk to the many who have.

Lighten the load of your moneybelt by either finding a more comfortable style of moneybelt or take less stuff in it. How many credit/debit cards do you have? What do you carry in it that doesn't need to be in it?

I always carry my passport with me in my RS Hidden Pocket. I have been asked for it when paying with my credit card.

We have friends who traveled to Italy last year in a group of six, rented a car and driver, and their first outing, the bags were stolen, with passports and even diabetic medicine! Make a two copies of your passport, leave one at home with a trusted friend or relative, leave a copy in your luggaage in the room, and keep the original with you. If your passport is lost or stolen, you will have fewer problems getting it replaced through the embassy. Our friends had a big mess -- no copies at home, no copies with them.

We always carry our passports with us (we like the neck pouch version of the "money belt"). I also seem to recall that we had to present our passport in Italy whenever we stopped in an internet cafe to use a computer.

In room safe or not, we always carry our passports in our money belts. Nothing to think about, they are always there when we need them.

A surprising number of people have reported, here, that they have (or "know people who have") left their passports in the hotel safe, checked out, and only later discovered they didn't have their passports. If you're telling yourself "that would never happen to me/us", it may be the kind of thing that, if you leave it in the safe 10 times, you may forget once. One time would be one time too many for a passport.(yep, we know, it's not going to happen to you)

I use to think it was okay to leave the passport with my luggage at the hotel.
But then we got robbed by one of the cleaning staff - they just took money. Passport is on my person at all times now--- aside from bathing :)
The cleaning staffs at the places we stay are usually "Green Card"
labor and have a tenuous relationship with the hotel manager. For instance the suspected thief had left that day after her shift. I simply ask at the desk that the room is to never be cleaned, just put the fresh towels by the door. If they insist on entry, at least this puts the management on notice.