tips to protect your passport while on travelI must say that carelessness is the number one reason for a passport being lost, stolen, or damaged. So here are some tips to prevent this while you are on travel.

  • Always keep your passport in a safe place – never leave your passport in your baggage, backpack, purse, car, hotel room, or anywhere else! When you must carry your passport, keep it in a money belt or inside coat pocket. Upon arrival at the hotel, put your passport in the hotel safe.
  • Never lay your passport down anywhere – passports placed on a counter, phone booth or table can be easily forgotten or stolen. Practice the habit of immediately putting your passport away after using it.
  • If you travel as a family or as part of a group, don’t let one person carry all the passports – the odds are much greater for one person carrying all the passports to lose them or have them stolen than for all the passports to be stolen or lost if each individual owner carries them.
  • Never let anyone leave your presence with your passport – when you’re checking in at the airport, passing through customs, exchanging currency, or doing anything else that requires you to show your passport, never allow the person examining your passport to leave your presence. If the person starts to leave, call their attention and request to accompany them.
  • Immediately report the loss of your passport – If you are careful and follow the tips above, you shouldn’t have any problem with the loss of your passport. If it does occur though, immediately notify the local police and then proceed to the nearest Embassy or Consulate. Take the copy of your passport and extra photos with you. You will be issued a temporary passport that you can replace upon returning to your country.

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