When you travel, leave passport in hotel or take with you?

[Nolucklcfc]

Got into an interesting debate today about whether you leave your passport in your hotel accommodation when you travel or take it with you at all times … 

 

I’ve always personally taken it with me but did get me wondering whether that’s the smartest move. 
 

what does everyone do? 

[AKCJ]

Lock it in the safe.

[Grebfromgrebland]

Leave in hotel. But really depends where you are. Whether decent hotel or backpacking etc 

[bovril]

5 minutes ago, Grebfromgrebland said:

Leave in hotel. But really depends where you are. Whether decent hotel or backpacking etc 

Correct answer.

 

 

[jammie82uk]

34 minutes ago, Nolucklcfc said:

Got into an interesting debate today about whether you leave your passport in your hotel accommodation when you travel or take it with you at all times … 

 

I’ve always personally taken it with me but did get me wondering whether that’s the smartest move. 
 

what does everyone do? 

Depends on what country you are in, in some it can make your life a little easier also in some of them carrying your passport is considered a non-negotiable requirement

[Nolucklcfc]

1 minute ago, jammie82uk said:

Depends on what country you are in, in some it can make your life a little easier also in some of them carrying your passport is considered a non-negotiable requirement

Yeah I recently found out that the Spanish police are dead funny about ya passport not being carried on you. 

[Bryn]

Depends on the country and hotel. If I'm just in like France or something I'll just leave it in the room generally. In a less developed country probably take it with me. In some countries it's mandatory to carry it - Japan is one.

[FoxesDeb]

45 minutes ago, Nolucklcfc said:

Yeah I recently found out that the Spanish police are dead funny about ya passport not being carried on you. 

It's the law to carry photo ID with you here in Spain, and for most people, especially from the UK, the only valid form is a passport

[Lako42]

I put mine up my bum regardless of country

[Trav Le Bleu]

I tried leaving my passport with the hotel, but Kings Lynn Premier Inn didn't want to know.

[Nolucklcfc]

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

It's the law to carry photo ID with you here in Spain, and for most people, especially from the UK, the only valid form is a passport

Ah cheers for the heads up 

[FoyleFox]

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

It's the law to carry photo ID with you here in Spain, and for most people, especially from the UK, the only valid form is a passport

I've always had my driving licence, do they not accept those?

I keep that with me on holiday, when out and about, with my passport in the safe. Unless I've has specific instruction to have my passport.

[FoxesDeb]

2 minutes ago, FoyleFox said:

I've always had my driving licence, do they not accept those?

I keep that with me on holiday, when out and about, with my passport in the safe. Unless I've has specific instruction to have my passport.

No a foreign driving licence isn't an accepted form of ID here,  it needs to either be a passport or a Spanish identity card. 

 

Hardly likely you'll ever be asked for it and a photo copy might do, it makes for a much easier encounter with the gun carrying Guardia Civil if you do have it when asked for it though 

[Daggers]

Always had a photocopy and left the original in a safe or safe space. It’s never been an issue. 
 

 

[mozartfox]

I usually throw mine away in the English Channel on the way back from Calais, as there are many benefits to be had upon arrival enhance your stay in the UK.

[grobyfox1990]

Lock it in my suitcase with my own lock. I never use hotel safes as the staff invariably have a master key 

[Dr The Singh]

Tend to leave at hotel but I carry my driving licence.  In most countries DL works just as a passport.

[FoyleFox]

4 hours ago, Daggers said:

Always had a photocopy and left the original in a safe or safe space. It’s never been an issue. 
 

 

I tended to do this outside of Europe and just have a driving licence but, Deb was advising, in Spain your DL isn't accepted. I went to Zeebrugge last week, we were informed we must have our passport with us, which surprised me.

I prefer leaving it in the hotel/ship safe where it can be accessed in the event of an emergency (or missing the ship) and figured if you're mugged, it's easier to replace your DL at home, rather than not be able to get home without your passport.

[RoboFox]

Lock in the hotel safe, and if that's not an option, KEEP WITH YOU, unless you want to unethically blag a few more days off work. 

 

I learned this the hard way when my rental car was broken into in Spain when I stopped off for a break on the way to the airport. 

 

They stole everything, including my passport - which meant an extra 4 days holiday whilst I waited for the consulate to re-open and I could get an emergency one and get home. 

 

Top tip for an extended break: get robbed. 

[brookfox]

Tried to buy a bottle of wine in the US last year. Got asked for ID (I’m 47, but policy is policy I suppose!). Showed him my UK driving license, “what even is this, I can’t accept it, is it like Ukranian or something?!”. Sometimes easier to have your passport!

[jgtuk]

10 minutes ago, RoboFox said:

Lock in the hotel safe, and if that's not an option, KEEP WITH YOU, unless you want to unethically blag a few more days off work. 

 

I learned this the hard way when my rental car was broken into in Spain when I stopped off for a break on the way to the airport. 

 

They stole everything, including my passport - which meant an extra 4 days holiday whilst I waited for the consulate to re-open and I could get an emergency one and get home. 

 

Top tip for an extended break: get robbed. 

Back in the early 80’s I was robbed in Brussels and they took my passport amongst other things. It took just under 6 weeks for a replacement so I hiked around Belgium, met some other travellers, went to a couple of festivals (Werchter?) and generally had a great time. Stayed in the YMCA hostel in Brussels, an old theatre with bunks everywhere, including the stage, which was owned by/run by an alcoholic American Vietnam vet called Jesse. Very nice chap and he helped me survive those 6 weeks with his knowledge and circle of friends, all for the price of a few bottles of Chivas Regal (his favourite tipple). 
Shout out to Steve (Bristol) and Matt (Canada) wherever you may be. 
Strange days indeed. 

[Daggers]

58 minutes ago, FoyleFox said:

I tended to do this outside of Europe and just have a driving licence but, Deb was advising, in Spain your DL isn't accepted. I went to Zeebrugge last week, we were informed we must have our passport with us, which surprised me.

I prefer leaving it in the hotel/ship safe where it can be accessed in the event of an emergency (or missing the ship) and figured if you're mugged, it's easier to replace your DL at home, rather than not be able to get home without your passport.

Yep, but I still do it. I figured that if that works in hellholes like Venezuela and Colombia (as they were then), then I can get by in European countries. Just not prepared to risk having my passport lifted.

 

Spent a very tedious long weekend as a translator at the embassy in Bogota attempting to get a temp passport for an in-law, I'm not going through that again.

[dsr-burnley]

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

I tended to do this outside of Europe and just have a driving licence but, Deb was advising, in Spain your DL isn't accepted. I went to Zeebrugge last week, we were informed we must have our passport with us, which surprised me.

I prefer leaving it in the hotel/ship safe where it can be accessed in the event of an emergency (or missing the ship) and figured if you're mugged, it's easier to replace your DL at home, rather than not be able to get home without your passport.

You can (at least sometimes) get home without a passport.  I came back from a trip once with a man who left his passport in his camera bag on the station platform on the journey home, but (with the help of lots of phone calls to various places) they still allowed him through eurostar to get home.

[suffolk fox]

4 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Lock it in my suitcase with my own lock. I never use hotel safes as the staff invariably have a master key 

True story had a mate do this whilst on holiday in a dodgy B&b in Benidorm.  Came back to the room one day and someone had nicked the suitcase.  (Said passport inside).

[UniFox21]

5 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Lock it in my suitcase with my own lock. I never use hotel safes as the staff invariably have a master key 

Surely suitcase is easier to steal than a fixed safe?