Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

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spectec
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by spectec »

mptfan wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:03 pm
AerialWombat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:29 pmIt’s not commonly known, but Americans *can* have two US passports. One is a 10-year, the backup is a 2-year.
Wow, is this true? I've never heard of this before, do you have a cite?
Well, you can always go to the source...

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.c ... sport.html
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by neilpilot »

spectec wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:19 pm
mptfan wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:03 pm
AerialWombat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:29 pmIt’s not commonly known, but Americans *can* have two US passports. One is a 10-year, the backup is a 2-year.
Wow, is this true? I've never heard of this before, do you have a cite?
Well, you can always go to the source...

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.c ... sport.html
Theoretically possible to have a second passport, but in almost all cases it just isn’t going to happen.
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Nestegg_User
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Nestegg_User »

spectec wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:19 pm
mptfan wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:03 pm
AerialWombat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:29 pmIt’s not commonly known, but Americans *can* have two US passports. One is a 10-year, the backup is a 2-year.
Wow, is this true? I've never heard of this before, do you have a cite?
Well, you can always go to the source...

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.c ... sport.html

There's another possibility:
At a prior position, I had the option of having a diplomatic passport....(didn't go that way; the hassles to go through if it's lost made me use my own for the occasion)
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AerialWombat
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by AerialWombat »

spectec wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:19 pm Well, you can always go to the source...

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.c ... sport.html
For the record, this link does NOT go to a government website. This is a commercial service provider.

The information does appear accurate, however.
This post is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real financial advice is purely coincidental.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by AerialWombat »

deleted
Last edited by AerialWombat on Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This post is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real financial advice is purely coincidental.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Dude2 »

wubdemil wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:54 pm Do you carry your passport with you during international travel or leave it at the hotel? What are the best practices?
As others have said, depends. I like to put countries into categories like 1st world, 2nd world, 3rd world. Probably only need to do this in the 3rd world. I've heard a US passport can fetch $20k.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by McDougal »

Just got back from Italy last week. Practice is to leave passport in hotel/lodging safe, but in Florence carried it as I knew I was going to purchase some jewelry and leather and retailers need passport to fill out the VAT refund form or whatever it's called. Worked fine, actually got the refunds yesterday, but noticed that the retailers were using photocopies of passports from other shoppers. Next time I may do that.
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mmmodem
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by mmmodem »

Passport always stays in a safe in a hotel or at home. The risk of losing it is much higher than the risk of an official needing to see it in my opinion. There are large cash bounties on blue passports. Besides, I shudder to think of any situation where I would be jailed because I didn't carry it with me. I have a photocopy of it with my DL, credit cards, and hotel key. I'd like to think that would be sufficient enough for any official to at least pause and check my hotel room safe before deporting me. Our tour guide also coached us to speak English only to Interrogating officials even if we are fluent in the local language.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Grasshopper »

I always carry my passport on me. We do a lot of walking travel, where we walk and our luggage is transferred to a new location. Just returned from a Zambia safari walking 5-6 miles in the morning to a new bushcamp every other day, no lock boxes anyway. I never thought to have a photo copy of my visa on my phone, thanks for the hint.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by BuckyBadger »

Physical passport in hotel safe, paper copy on my husband's person. All you men with pockets big enough to fit a passport should consider yourself lucky! Money belts and passport wallets on lanyards are inconvenient enough with women's clothes that it's not something i want to deal with unless absolutely necessary.

It depends on the place, too, though. We both carried our physical passports with us in China.
SRenaeP
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by SRenaeP »

I leave it hidden in my hotel room but not the safe as I figure that's the first place someone would look if they want to steal something. However, I travel with my Global Entry card as ID if needed.
diy60
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by diy60 »

For work, when I traveled to oppressive/police state countries my passport was with me at all times. For all other countries I usually kept the passport in the hotel safe.
Turbo29
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Turbo29 »

SrGrumpy wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:44 pm
Turbo29 wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:19 pm
cadreamer2015 wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:10 pm Some countries (Spain for one) require everyone to carry a national ID, and a U.S. state driver's license doesn't count. So probably good practice to always have your passport with you unless you know for sure it is not required.
Yes, several years ago when I traveled to Spain I went to get some cash out of an ATM and after I got in the cash and turned around cop came up to me and wanted to see my passport. Fortunately I had it with me.

He looked at my passport, looked at me, look back at my passport, looked at me, and repeated this sequence several times then he said something to me in rapid Spanish which I didn't really understand. I replied, "No entiendo.". He said gracias patted me on the shoulder and let me go. I still have no idea what the whole thing was about.
Generally speaking, I'd be wary of a foreign cop asking to see my passport. It may not be a real cop. This scam is common in places like Colombia, and some dudes pretending to be undercover cops tried to part me from my passport in Tehran.
No, he was real. A few years earlier in Mexico I actually had a cop tell me to give him money or I would go to jail (quite common in Mexico at that time). I gave him the money. So when the Spanish cop came up behind me some kind of reflex (same language, same procedure?) took hold of me and I handed him the money I just got out of the ATM. He gave it right back. A fake cop doing a shakedown would have taken it.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by nisiprius »

In what situation does having a copy of your passport help?
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VictoriaF
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by VictoriaF »

Most hotels and hostels I stay at internationally do not have a safe. Even though some of them do, a habit of safe behavior is more important than optimizing for having or not having a safe. I keep my passport in an internal pocket of a hip belt which I wear when I go out.

Many of my friends were victims of pick-pockets in Barcelona. Someone has un-zipped my backpack at a Belgrade shopping mall. Last summer, I watched a woman trying to run after a thief in Brussels. Paying attention to my hip belt that I don't have to take off and that I can always see worked well for me so far. I have several neck and belt wallets to be worn under clothes, but they don't work well with summer clothes and it's difficult to get into them on a short notice.

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indexlover
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by indexlover »

A word of caution to folks who keep their passports in the hotel Safe ( the safe with numlock/passcode in their room). Make sure to you are able to open the safe well in advance of when you are checking out to go to the airport.. because these are battery operated and if the battery is weak or has gone bad you will not be able to open it even with the correct passcode entered. The hotel front desk has to call the maintenance folks who are always not available at odd hours. This happened to someone i know and they missed their flight.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by bgreat »

SRenaeP wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:26 am I leave it hidden in my hotel room but not the safe as I figure that's the first place someone would look if they want to steal something. However, I travel with my Global Entry card as ID if needed.
Pretty sure your global entry card has no relevance to anyone outside the US (except CATSA in Canada at preclearance airports).

But in general, people here would do well to check local laws and customs before deciding to not carry recognised ID (which outside the US is only the passport book, not passport card). Issues may be rare, but they will be inconvenient when they do happen, and in some countries such situations could be slow to resolve. Similarly to if a non-american gets stopped in the US without requisite passport and proof of legal entry - although in the US, at least in certain states, you'll often need your passport just to get into certain eateries and bars, never mind trying to get a drink with your meal.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by SRenaeP »

bgreat wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:15 pm
SRenaeP wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:26 am I leave it hidden in my hotel room but not the safe as I figure that's the first place someone would look if they want to steal something. However, I travel with my Global Entry card as ID if needed.
Pretty sure your global entry card has no relevance to anyone outside the US (except CATSA in Canada at preclearance airports).

But in general, people here would do well to check local laws and customs before deciding to not carry recognised ID (which outside the US is only the passport book, not passport card). Issues may be rare, but they will be inconvenient when they do happen, and in some countries such situations could be slow to resolve. Similarly to if a non-american gets stopped in the US without requisite passport and proof of legal entry - although in the US, at least in certain states, you'll often need your passport just to get into certain eateries and bars, never mind trying to get a drink with your meal.
My GE card shows my citizenship as well as establishes my identity. Other than when checking into a hotel, I've rarely been asked to show ID outside of the country so who knows if it would actually be useful. If pressed, I could pull up a pic of my passport on my phone as well.
criticalmass
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by criticalmass »

motorcyclesarecool wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:14 pm We also use passports when flying domestically because one time the TSA officer in a faraway city didn’t think my Enhanced DL was from a real state. He hand-wrote an SSSS on my boarding pass and got very special treatment on the remainder of my trip.
Another reason to always get the mobile boarding pass even if using paper.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by bpp »

If you are in Japan as a foreign visitor, you are required to carry your passport with you at all times. Not a passport card, not a Global Entry card, not a copy or photo of your passport, but the passport itself. (Foreign residents are required to carry their residence cards instead.) And yes, police do perform spot checks on occasion. Sounds like Spain is similar.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by mptfan »

bpp wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 1:12 pm If you are in Japan as a foreign visitor, you are required to carry your passport with you at all times. Not a passport card, not a Global Entry card, not a copy or photo of your passport, but the passport itself. (Foreign residents are required to carry their residence cards instead.) And yes, police do perform spot checks on occasion.
And what happens if you do not?
dbr
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by dbr »

nisiprius wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:16 am In what situation does having a copy of your passport help?
If your passport is lost or stolen having a copy for reference may be helpful when you go to the embassy for a replacement. Note that carrying spare copies of a passport photo may be the more helpful of the two. Also, a passport card kept separate from the passport may be the best solution. It isn't very hard to email yourself a photo of the ID page of your passport.


What Do I Need to Replace my Passport Overseas?

The following list identifies a number of documents/items you should take with you to the embassy/consulate. Even if you are unable to present all of the documents, the consular staff will do their best to assist you to replace your passport quickly.

Please provide:

A Passport Photo (one photo is required; get it in advance to speed the process of replacing your passport)
Identification (driver's license, expired passport etc.)
Evidence of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, photocopy of your missing passport)
Travel Itinerary (airline/train tickets)
Police Report, if available
DS-11 Application for Passport (may be completed at time of application)
DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport (may be completed at time of application)
Last edited by dbr on Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Patzer
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Patzer »

I carry my passport card on me (land and sea entry only) and leave my passport in the hotel safe.

I like having them in separate places.

The card is only $20 extra when ordering your passport.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by ddunca1944 »

I agree with the posters who say "it's situational". As a general rule, I leave my passport in the hotel safe. I have a copy on my iphone and I give my travel partner a paper copy to keep in their luggage.

If I'm in a country that requires I carry it on me, I do so. If my guide tells me to keep it on me I do so. but, generally, I'm comfortable leaving it in the hotel safe.

If the hotel safe seems "sketchy" I carry it in my money belt under my clothing.
Last edited by ddunca1944 on Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Sheepdog »

goingup wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 4:20 pm Yes, on my person when traveling internationally.
Always on person. One time in Russia, if I had not, I possibly would be in the Gulag. I was thought to have been someone else. I was verified by the local consulate because I had it.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by bpp »

mptfan wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:03 pm
bpp wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 1:12 pm If you are in Japan as a foreign visitor, you are required to carry your passport with you at all times. Not a passport card, not a Global Entry card, not a copy or photo of your passport, but the passport itself. (Foreign residents are required to carry their residence cards instead.) And yes, police do perform spot checks on occasion.
And what happens if you do not?
Foreign visitors can be fined up to 100,000 yen (about $1,000).
Foreign residents twice that.
Last edited by bpp on Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
michaeljc70
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by michaeljc70 »

I never carry it. I have been asked for ID when making credit card purchases and present my driver's license. They look at it and have no clue what it is and if it is legit but they have always accepted it. Same goes for entering a bar (but that is rare at my age). Of course, if I knew of a law that I had to in a certain place I would.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by dachshunddad »

It depends on where I'm going.
Nice hotel in developed country (Europe, etc): hotel safe all the time.

Underdeveloped country where hotel can be questionable for valuables: with me.

happy travels
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Duckie
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Duckie »

motorcyclesarecool wrote:We also use passports when flying domestically because one time the TSA officer in a faraway city didn’t think my Enhanced DL was from a real state. He hand-wrote an SSSS on my boarding pass and got very special treatment on the remainder of my trip.
What state did the TSA officer not recognize?
Workable Goblin
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Workable Goblin »

I've always carried it on me, but then nearly all of my international travel has been work-related trips to China (along with one work-related trip to London and one to Taipei), so perhaps that's influenced me.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by DVMResident »

Generally, passport card physically on me and full passport locked away. But individual circumstances vary and you need to adapt.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by NewMoneyMustBeSmart »

Trader Joe wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:10 pm
wubdemil wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 2:54 pm Do you carry your passport with you during international travel or leave it at the hotel? What are the best practices?
When traveling internationally my passport is always physically on me.

Not in the hotel safe. Not in my bag. Those options are way too dangerous.
Your approach is reasonable and the conservative approach. Some country laws require it as I understand it.

When I do that, I make sure you have a photocopy of my passport back in my hotel safe.

I think a good rule of thumb in non-US countries is to carry ID, and keep a copy at the hotel.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Artsdoctor »

HueyLD wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:09 pm I carry my passport with me traveling in border states in this country because there are some rogue police in those places. I don't carry my passport with me during international travel.
This sounds like an interesting story. I'd ask you to share details but can certainly respect your privacy.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Artsdoctor »

nisiprius wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:16 am In what situation does having a copy of your passport help?
If you're shopping in Europe, for example, and need to have your VAT paperwork completed at the time of purchase, it's awfully nice to just show them a picture of your passport at the store.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Jazzysoon »

I stay more in B&B's than hotels, and always carry both my passports, a small wallet, and room key with me in a small very thin Baggallini cross body bag that is under my jacket/top. Nothing in pockets or outwardly visible.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by TexasPE »

Duckie wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:05 pm
motorcyclesarecool wrote:We also use passports when flying domestically because one time the TSA officer in a faraway city didn’t think my Enhanced DL was from a real state. He hand-wrote an SSSS on my boarding pass and got very special treatment on the remainder of my trip.
What state did the TSA officer not recognize?
I'm guessing New Mexico. I've heard of this happening before.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Turbo29 »

Artsdoctor wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2019 3:48 pm
HueyLD wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 3:09 pm I carry my passport with me traveling in border states in this country because there are some rogue police in those places. I don't carry my passport with me during international travel.
This sounds like an interesting story. I'd ask you to share details but can certainly respect your privacy.
It's a common story in some of these states, including mine. Our county has paid out some huge judgements due to the actions of law enforcement along these lines under the former sheriff, who called himself, "America's Toughest Sheriff."
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by four7s »

Hotel safes are not always safe. We had money stolen during a week long stay in a Parisian hotel and when we told the front desk they feigned ignorance. At that point we kept ALL money and valuables on our person. For the rest of our stay we set ' a trap' to know if someone tried to gain access again.They did try it again, but the safe was empty. Common sense folks: the bad people have access to your room while you are out and about. Home field advantage, it's called. Hotel safes are not safe.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by 3504PIR »

I keep mine in my backpack which is usually in the hotel room. I’ve never been one to lock it up or carry it with me. I once went to Switzerland about 8 years ago for a long weekend and completely forgot it until the front desk asked for it. I sighed and told them it was out in the car and got a pass. I didn’t realize I had forgot it until pulling up to the hotel. My wife was not pleased with me but we had a nice trip otherwise.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Johnfmh »

Currently living temporarily in Germany. I carry my passport card at all times. Conductors on trains on very rare occasions want to see ID when they scan the ticket on my phone. I also have needed to show it sometimes when renting bikes. If I am overnighting somewhere and staying at a hotel, I will bring my passport. I also always carry my passport when driving. European friends carry nation ID cards most of the time.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by jebmke »

Johnfmh wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:43 am Currently living temporarily in Germany. I carry my passport card at all times. Conductors on trains on very rare occasions want to see ID when they scan the ticket on my phone. I also have needed to show it sometimes when renting bikes. If I am overnighting somewhere and staying at a hotel, I will bring my passport. I also always carry my passport when driving. European friends carry nation ID cards most of the time.
When I lived in Belgium, I was required to have a national ID card -- technically carry it all the time. Does Germany not require that for residents? I rarely carried my passport outside the Shengen zone.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Ron »

Always keep it with me, on a lanyard https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lanyard+for+ ... lu91iili_e , along with a spare CC tucked in the pouch.

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JMacDonald
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by JMacDonald »

I always have my passport and credit cards on me when traveling overseas. I use this money belt under my clothes:
https://www.pacsafe.com/coversafe-v100- ... 42100.html
I keep a copy of my passport on my cell phone and a paper copy in my luggage.
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by jminv »

mptfan wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:03 pm
AerialWombat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2019 8:29 pmIt’s not commonly known, but Americans *can* have two US passports. One is a 10-year, the backup is a 2-year.
Wow, is this true? I've never heard of this before, do you have a cite?
Can confirm, it is true. You could ask for the 2 year passport (it's actually 4 years now changed sometime late 2018) because your 10 year is out for visa stamping frequently, you don't travel frequently but your 10 year is out for a visa and you also have urgent travel plans, and you go to two countries one of which won't let you in if you have a stamp from the other.

The usa considers them an exception, so you don't have an automatic right to one, you have to show need and they can deny you. When I did it, I had to use an expedited 2nd passport service because I was not visiting anywhere close to one of the passport centers. The state department wanted a letter from my company indicating the need (security reasons and passport is often with immigration for visas), a letter from myself documenting why I wanted it (passport out for stamping often and working in a dangerous country where the us embassy recommended all americans living in the country have a second passport), and proof of a flight in a couple days to the country where I worked for the company (I was applying on a same day basis).

Other countries also allow this for clear reasons. People using them often work in dangerous areas (and embassy doesn't want to get into the situation of sending a consular officer to a border hotspot to issue emergency passports so citizens can get out since the neighboring country won't allow them in without, the us has had to do this before), because they are journalists travelling frequently and needing journalist visas frequently, and business people with the same visa needs.

When they were 2 years (4 now apparently), they were a bit of a pain because they are really only valid for 18 months from date of issue, not 2 years, as many countries have a requirement that you can enter only if your passport has a validity of 6 months or greater. This meant that every 18 months I was on leave in the states I had to apply for a new one at one of the same day passport centers or pay a passport service a lot of money to do this for you. I suppose this is probably why they changed it to 4 year validity recently.

Here's some detail about them from the american embassy in malaysia, which is what popped up on google search:
https://my.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-se ... -passport/
bgreat
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by bgreat »

SRenaeP wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:53 pm My GE card shows my citizenship as well as establishes my identity. Other than when checking into a hotel, I've rarely been asked to show ID outside of the country so who knows if it would actually be useful. If pressed, I could pull up a pic of my passport on my phone as well.
So what? Just as a national identity card from any EU country is not proof of age or identity or even nationality when in the US (only the passport is sufficient), so too is your Global Entry card legally and otherwise irrelevant outside the USA. (Which is less of an issue e.g. in Europe because they aren't paranoid about drinking ages so you don't need to show ID just to get into some establishments, and that's the primary situation where ID is needed, but doesn't change recognition of the card - and if there's a situation where you really are obliged to identify yourself they will laugh at the GE card.)
Johnfmh
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by Johnfmh »

jebmke wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:54 am
Johnfmh wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:43 am Currently living temporarily in Germany. I carry my passport card at all times. Conductors on trains on very rare occasions want to see ID when they scan the ticket on my phone. I also have needed to show it sometimes when renting bikes. If I am overnighting somewhere and staying at a hotel, I will bring my passport. I also always carry my passport when driving. European friends carry nation ID cards most of the time.
When I lived in Belgium, I was required to have a national ID card -- technically carry it all the time. Does Germany not require that for residents? I rarely carried my passport outside the Shengen zone.
Technically yes. But reality may be different. I will ask my German colleagues at lunch this question and see what kind of responses I get. They told me recently NOT to carry my passport (even on day journeys by train) because it could get lost or misplaced or damaged by moisture.
pyld76
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by pyld76 »

Situational.

In places in the first world which don’t require you to carry ID at all times and a clear-eyed assessment of the hotel makes me believe it is low risk? Leave it in the hotel safe.

Under most other circumstances, it’ll be on my person (almost always lanyard connected).
bgreat
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by bgreat »

Johnfmh wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 12:48 pm Technically yes. But reality may be different. I will ask my German colleagues at lunch this question and see what kind of responses I get. They told me recently NOT to carry my passport (even on day journeys by train) because it could get lost or misplaced or damaged by moisture.
Technically no. German citizens must have an ID card. Doesn't mean they need to carry it. Doesn't mean non-Germans need to carry one either.

Generally a good idea to have some way of proving your identity though in case you do run into issues though. Especially when close to national borders. But most EU citizens will have an ID card in their wallet (except Britons who have no such thing), and all non-EU citizens resident in Schengen will have a credit-card sized residence permit, hence it's not exactly hard to carry this with you.

(Pretty sure most train companies and similar have closes that can tie validity of a ticket to you showing proof of identity. Many hotels will also need ID, but that's the same even in the US.)
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lthenderson
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by lthenderson »

To those that answered that they keep a copy of their passport on their phone or a photocopy in luggage, aren't you worried that the photo could be just as bad if in the wrong hands? It has all your information plus a photo of what you looked like so I think a fake one could be forged in short order. I keep my original on me at all times and have a scanned copy stored encrypted in the cloud so I can print one off if need be from any computer terminal with internet access.
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mmmodem
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Re: Do you carry your passport with you during international travel?

Post by mmmodem »

lthenderson wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 3:03 pm To those that answered that they keep a copy of their passport on their phone or a photocopy in luggage, aren't you worried that the photo could be just as bad if in the wrong hands? It has all your information plus a photo of what you looked like so I think a fake one could be forged in short order. I keep my original on me at all times and have a scanned copy stored encrypted in the cloud so I can print one off if need be from any computer terminal with internet access.
Yes, it would be bad if the photocopy were stolen. However, if the choice were to lose a photocopy and losing the real thing, I think one would choose to lose the photocopy of it.

The other choice is to not carry a photocopy with me. I do keep a copy on my phone and on the cloud. My phone may run out of battery. And, I had issues typing in my password on an English keyboard. I still don't know what is going on with the umlauts or accents on a French keyboard. I literally had to ask my French customer to type in a password to access a file. It was a password I set up for them in the states and I couldn't type it in to unlock the file. I could not for the life of me figure out what I was typing wrong. They typed it in just fine. :oops:
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