clifbob

While in Italy..where is the best palce to keep my passport? On my person..or in the hotel rooms?

janisj

In a money belt or in the hotel safe - your choice. Whichever makes you feel better.

adrienne

There are many threads on this subject. I think it's divided fairly evenly between keeping the passport with you or leaving it in the hotel/apartment. Do a search on "passport" and read some of the responses.

Venezia123

I would keep in money belt,And keep a copy of it in my room i safe.

nytraveler

I would leave in the room ONLY if there is a secure safe. (We always carry ours with us - so if anything happens we would know immediately - not find out days later>0

But - in 70+ trips have never had any problems (caveat: we do take subways, but are native New Yorkers and used to it - and we don't take mobbed tourist buses.)

LSky

Since it weighs next to nothing, I'd rather have it with me.

bdjtbenson

I keep mine with me in a money belt or neck pouch. I don't carry a wallet when I travel. Your passport is your only valid ID when in Europe. Like here, you may rarely/never be asked for ID but it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

suze

This question consistently gets 50/50 answers here on Fodor's.

I am one who prefers to carry my passport on my person. I think it's important and don't like to be separated from it.

If you don't want to carry it, I would not leave it laying around "in the hotel rooms" but rather in a room safe or at the front desk safe.

Dukey

I've carried it in a money belt, in my pocket, and left it in numerous room safes (yes, I know the management has a way to open them because we had to do just that once at Lake Como).

Never had a problem; never been asked to produce it for purchases, etc., and again, perhaps lucky.

What I WOULD do regardless of where you carry it is make a couple of copies of the info page and store those in a separate place...even better you can store them as PDF files somewhere on the web/in your e-mail in box, etc., in case there are any mishaps.

dmlove

Not sure if Bjtbenson is referring to ID for official purposes, but when asked for ID in Madrid when Using Visa in a store, I used my CA drivers license. I usually keep my passport in the room safe, with copies left with someone at home and in my travel papers. I never just leave it lying around. PS I don't use a moneybelt either - I have a small purse that I wear cross-body.

kayd

In countries where law mandates that all adults carry a national ID, and I think Italy is one of those, only a passport will suffice for visitors. A visitor is unlikely to need it on the spot, of course.

A US driver's licence is not a nationally issued document so it may not be acceptable where a merchant, e.g. cellphone seller or internet cafe operator, adheres strictly to the rule requiring the customer to privide positive ID.

dmlove

Out of curiousity, has anyone ever been asked to show their passport at an internet cafe? I've used internet cafes in London, Barcelona, Madrid, Cairo, etc., and never been asked for I.D. that I can recall.

tod

Dukey has it in one. Definitely , most definitely have at least three photo - copies of your passport in different suitcases - jacket pockets , etc.
We always leave the originals in the Hotel safe or room safe. Whatever you do, DO NOT CARRY IT WITH YOU! Scam artists are much much cleverer than you would ever believe.

Christina

Actually, in the US, a driver's license is accepted as national ID, and as a matter of fact, I have used my US driver's license as ID in Europe many times and it has been accepted (at stores and bureaux de changes when exchanging TCs, the only two times I've been asked for one).

You never know, but it just isn't the case that a passport is the only "valid ID" that will be accepted in Europe for US citizens for routine things.

janisj

&quot;<i>at stores and bureaux de changes when exchanging TCs, the only two times I've been asked for one</i>&quot;

Not really talking about identification for merchants/cc use. In some countries one must carry an official identification document of some sort. 99+% of the time one will never be stopped and asked - but for that one time, a US drivers license is not adequate. The passport is the only document that allows one to legally be there. So, you take your chances not having it on you - but in the VAST majority of times it isn't an issue.