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8 Important Tips To Keep Your Passport Safe, You Might Get Stranded If You Do Not Know These

safety passport tips
passport tips

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When you leave your country and go to another, you will be filling up forms by the customs and immigration.  Your passport is your most essential document and you must take care of this.

#1 Do not ignore your passport’s last page

You should fill up the emergency information page of your passport usually located at the end of your passport’s page. Someone might pick your passport up and contact you immediately instead of going through the hassle of retrieving your passport from your embassy.

#2 Read the Consular Information Sheets of Your destination country

Consular Information Sheets consist of entry, exit and Visa requirements, crime profile and victim help, public transportation, health, aviation safety, etc. Public Announcements or Travel Warnings might be included on your passport if applicable. For instance, a passport’s pages were stamped, “Not valid for travel to Elbonia”. The government might issue travel warnings on war, typhoon and widespread disease stricken countries.

Elbonia is a fictional country in Dilbert comics

#3 Your embassy’s location in your destination

You must look for contact numbers and the address of your embassy to solve your encountered problems quickly.

#4 Leave an itinerary and copy of your passport at home

Make copy of your passport and itinerary then, leave these to your family at home. Also, make a copy for yourself so if in case you lose your passport, you will know the exact details. Put your original passport and the copy on separate places of your bag.

safety passport tips

Image source: Pixabay (Click on image for bigger size)

#5 Keep yourself on guard

You must be more cautious when travelling and shopping. Thieves are everywhere. Do not talk to strangers and do not accept something from them. If they are asking for help, just told them to go to the police or customer service. They will create any disturbances just to divert your attention from your belongings. For instance, there’s a woman who will scream inside the mall’s restaurant. With this, people will look immediately to the lady without holding their belongings. As a result, the thief will have the chance to get your bags and escape the premise.

If you are going to shop, use a body bag instead of a purse or a shoulder bag. Money belts especially for men can also be used to place the wallet wrapped in wallet chains or en elastic band. Place your bag in front of you.

#6 Do not leave your passports to a single person

If you travel as a group, you must bring passports on your own. Do not leave all your passports to one of the members of your group.

You must always carry your passport to confirm your identity to the authorities and some hotels. Hide your passport inside your bag, not on your bag pockets. If you will be sleeping on your hotel room, put this inside your hotel safe just to be sure. You can also keep your passport on a hotel safe and just bring colored copies of your passport and visa with you. Just check every night if your passport and visa are still there on the hotel safe.

#7 Do not attempt to use your passport as collateral

You must have financial capacity to travel at the first place before going to abroad. Aside from cash, you have to bring traveler’s checks and credit cards as your travel money backup. Don’t ever think of using your passport to make money. You will be in danger if you do that because someone might stole your information and use this for illegal purposes.

If you have encountered travel problems, go to your embassy.

#8 Report lost passport ASAP!

If you will report your stolen or lost passport, do it as soon as possible because like in credit card, your passport might be a gateway for syndicates, gangs and criminals to enter your country and use your identity illegally. Also, your name will be disdained because of “your” involvement on the crime.

Valuing your passport’s safety is almost like valuing your life. A passport is essential for your arrival and departure. Have a safety trip!

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