Keeping your passport safe when you travel
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The following tips may be useful to keep your passport safe, and help in getting a replacement passport if needed when overseas.
These are my tips only, as an Australian citizen, please seek information as required from relevant authorities.
Should you really be that worried about passport safety?
In all honesty, chances are that nothing will happen to your passport when you travel. There are so many stories of people who have travelled extensively and/or long term who have never had issues.
But, there are also plenty of people who have had passports stolen, or have lost them.
Personally, I don’t want to waste time sorting out a new passport from a foreign country. I have better things to do, and so do you! Which is why I wanted to provide some simple tips to keep your passport safe when you travel.
Before you go
The below list are some ideas for you to consider doing before you travel:
- If applying for a visa by post before you travel send the visa in registered/tracked envelopes.
- Email a copy of the passport page which has your lovely photo and full name to yourself, or give a copy to a trusted friend/family member. Having a copy might help if you need to have your passport replaced while overseas. Consider your internet safety if you email a copy to yourself.
- Put a photocopy of your passport in a different location (eg in a travel bag).
- Pack spare passport photos as you may need these for a replacement passport.
- Consider taking a lock so you can lock your passport inside your luggage (or do multiple levels like a smaller locked bag within a locked suitcase).
- Consider taking a waterproof cover if you think your passport might get wet, sweaty or exposed to humidity. Passport covers , money belts and wallets offer great protection from general damage but are generally not waterproof.
- Fill out the contact details page, if you lose your passport someone might be nice enough to return it, not everyone is trying to steal tourist identities.
- Make sure you have the relevant information for reporting a stolen / lost passport (eg your consulate in the country you are visiting)
- Buy travel insurance and read any safety tips they provide. Some insurance companies can also assist in providing advice on how to start the process of getting a replacement passport.
Passport safety while you travel
- Use a money belt or similar travel accessory to make it harder for someone to snatch the precious passport.
- Look after your passport – keep it flat and don’t expose it to moisture. Passport covers and wallets offer great protection from general damage.
- Lock the passport in a safe if you can’t take it with you – eg a day of water activities. But only if you can trust the hotel safe.
- If you don’t want to rely on hotel safes, and really can’t bring the passport with you, use a bag with a lock and hide it well.
- Don’t be afraid to refuse leaving your passport with the hotel reception, or any other business such as car/scooter rentals. They may need a copy, but you don’t have to leave the original. I had to push back pretty hard at several hotels in India that wanted to hold passports, whilst it would probably have been fine, I would rather be seen as an over controlling tourist than have my identity stolen (unless they were planning on paying my bills, or investing wisely in the stock market on my behalf…but I doubt that).
The Lord of the Rings is here to help!
Overall, repeat the words of Gandalf to Frodo – “Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe”.
Or if you are more of a Gollum fan go with the overprotective, totally obsessive, all consuming “My precious”….
More information
As mentioned at the start of the post these are only my tips as an Australian. Smartraveller or the Australian Passport Office are good starting points if your passport is lost/stolen overseas. Alternatively, see if your travel insurance company will assist in getting you in contact with the right people (because you got insurance didn’t you!).
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