Should you walk around with your passport when traveling?

You should only carry your passport with you when you need it – otherwise, it should stay locked up. If you're going to take your passport with you, always keep it in a location that is hard to get to. If you carry it in your purse or travel bag, keep it zipped up in an internal pocket within your bag.



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You will find that most activities don't need passports, so carrying it around is a risk you need not take. Watch your surroundings: Identity theft is rife not only in the U.S. but also in Europe. So, you should keep watch of your environment to keep people from taking your passport and using it in illegal dealings.

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Copies of All Identification Documents Keep a hard copy of your documents in your carry-on and each checked bag of luggage with which you are traveling, in case any of them go missing during the trip. These copies can help you in multiple situations.

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Do you need to carry your passport at all times? No. But it makes for good identification should you need it.

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Leave Your Passport at the Hotel Although your passport is required as an ID when travelling abroad, you don't really need to carry it around with you everywhere. Consider moving around the city with your driver's license instead, and leave your passport behind in the hotel safe.

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Many European hotels check your passport in addition to asking for a credit card for incidentals. In most cases, you only need to show your passport at check in, or, rarely, leave it overnight.

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All foreign visitors, including European Union (EU) nationals, must carry identification in the form of a passport or national identity card. French police may require visitors to show identification at any time, including when entering or leaving the country.

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It is part of the way things are done in Italy. The hotel has to report your details to the police. If the front desk is busy, they will want to hold the passport for a short time until they can take the details. There is no risk: many thousands of passports are handled this way every day.

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Many countries have laws requiring foreign visitors to register with the local police. By taking your passports the hotels are doing this for you (and it's not their decision - it's the law - they have no choice). If the hotel didn't do this for you, you would have to find a local police station and register yourself.

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Never keep your passport in your back pocket. That pocket is called the “sucker pocket” for a reason. The very best way to keep your passport safe is to carry it on your person in an anti-theft pouch or money belt that is hidden under your clothes. Here is a selection of anti-theft money belts and wallets.

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Mobile Passport Control (MPC) allows eligible travelers to submit their travel document, photo, and customs declaration information through a free, secure app on their smartphone or other mobile device.

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Passport. app is the new way to manage your passport. Safely store your passport on your phone for secure access on-the-go. Keep track of expiry dates and save money by avoiding expensive last-minute renewals.

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