Hi there. wondering if anyone knows this. when we went to Spain 6 years ago my daughter was 10 and I carried her passport for her. Do I do this again since she's still a minor? Does it matter if she carries it (if she wants to, that is)?
thanks for any help.
I would. If it gets lost or stolen it wouldn't be her fault. A lost passport can mess up a vacation and cause havoc for sure. I carry my husband's! :)
I would carry it too (in my money belt along with my valuables) I carry my mom's (elderly).
Better safe than sorry ;-)
It doesn't matter who carries the passport as long as she has it to present to the guards at border crossings and at the airport.
I carried my kids when they were 11 to 14...but this last visit my dd had just turned 19, and although i wanted to carry hers( she is a bit absent minded) she insisted on carrying her own.
I however insist on carrying my husbands as i am definately more anal and more experinced at travel then he is( we have only been together 5 years and previous to that he had never been to europe and just to mexico twice and hawaii once) I am the detail person.
I think i would be in charge of 16 yr olds unless she insists and you have total faith in her ability to keep it safe( pickpockets etc) most teens do not want to wear a moneybelt .
I'd default to carrying it. If she is very responsible and wants to carry it herself, I'd let her. That is, IF I thought she'd take good care of it. I'd discuss risks and safety measures, then call it "adulthood training". But if she's not interested, or not ready, I or my husband would do it.
One consideration - are you letting her go places alone? If so, are you in a country where you are required to have your passport on you at all times? If so, she might need to have it during those times.
Just for info: in Spain it's compulsory by law for EVERYBODY 14 y.o. or older to carry a legal and valid form of ID at all times. Period.
"legal and valid form" can be either a national ID or a passport (or if you're an EU national, the driver's license is considered to be also a legal form of ID, but not so for US driving licenses, or US SS cards for that matter).
While it's highly unlikely you'll ever be asked to produce your ID for no reason, should you be involved in an incident (ranging from an accident, a brawl, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time: a robbery, a terrorist scare, a police raid, etc) you might be asked to do just that and not carrying a form of ID can ruin your day because, in certain more serious cases, you'll be taken to the Police station until your ID can be checked out... or someone can produce a proper ID on your behalf... and a fine for not carrying your ID can also be issued.
But there are also practical reasons:
Lastly, and this is just a personal reflection, it's simply a matter of self-protection: say your daughter goes on her own for a stroll and something happens (she's run over by a car for example). She'd be rushed to the E.R. by the Emergency Response Services of course and she'd be taken good care of, but without ID no relatives could be contacted if she's not conscious, could they? This is not to turn you paranoid of course, but being 'identifiable' at all times it's a good thing I believe, don't you? :))
(a) Certain attractions will accept other forms of ID too, such as a non-EU drivers license, or even a library card or university card providing there's a (recent!) picture of you and the d.o.b. is indicated.
If you are always going to be with her, it probably just depends on how responsible she is. She should be able to carry her own, but as some people noted, even some adults are less responsible than others and so it's better to carry their passport for them! If she is going off on her own, she will need to be responsible for carrying it herself.
Thanks everyone for the great information and advice! I appreciate it.
My kids have carried their own passports (in neck wallets) since at least 7. They also have to pack only a carry on, and carry or pull their own.
It's worked out fine but it's true that kids brains don't consider risk/consequence the same way adults do. They are likely to be much less careful with it than you are.
I didn't read through all the responses, so I hope this wasn't already mentioned.
If you do let her carry her passport, you might want to have a photocopy of it in case it is lost. Also, bring the extra passport photos if you have them. She can also keep a copy of your passport as your backup. It will be easier to replace if you have a copy and photos in case they are lost.
I also scan my passport (with a password) and email it to myself as backup. If you do let her carry her own passport, I think she would like the neck wallet the best. She can drape it over her neck (easiest to access on travel days or wear it cross her body when she doesn't need to access it on that day. Both positions should be under clothes.
