I've rarely if ever been asked to verify CC signature with my passport. Merchants routinely accept my International drivers license or Calif drivers license.

If you are concerned about carrying your passport around with you can ask your bank to issue you a Visa or Master Card with a chip and ask for a no signature required option. They are accepted everywhere throughout Europe.

I prefer not buying something because I am refused my CC than traveling my my papers. >>

What, it happened that I had my passport on me because we had checked out of our hotel and were doing some last minute shopping. That was the only time [so far] that I've been asked to verify my identity in a shop with my passport [or a driving licence come to that] and in museums, if we have to verify our advanced ages, copies have always sufficed.

not sure why a spanish shop should require it, it's never been required in restaurants or cafes.

nanabee - it wasn't a matter of verifying the signature - it's the identity they were interested in.

<i> Passport question - carry with or leave at hotel?
Posted by: APBaron on Jul 23, 15 at 9:20am</i>

You never know when you are going to need a passport. I've been asked when using a credit card, entering a casino, renting a bike, driving in Switzerland, and crossing borders in the old days. And I am the forgetful sort. After checking out of my hotel taking a Lisbon taxi to the dock I noticed my PP missing. I had left it in the hotel safe.

Under my day shirt I typically wear a t-shirt with pocket. It is as secure as anyplace for my passport, credit cards, and cash. Pickpockets have made half a dozen attempts on me over the years and they are batting zero.

<i>Pickpockets have made half a dozen attempts on me over the years and they are batting zero.</i>

They are not very good at their trade if you knew that they tried even without you missing anything.

There is no rule.

With the current state of emergency, the UK Foreign Office is reminding people that...

"It is illegal not to carry some form of photographic ID in Turkey. Make sure you carry your passport and a printed copy of your e-visa or your residence permit with you at all times".
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...ws-and-customs

>> Those who could not produce valid, genuine IDs were penalized. >>

A passport is a form of ID needed to go from one country to another when required, so can't other forms of valid ID's be used if you leave your passport at the hotel and are in the country. Meaning can't you use your driver's license or military ID for purchases, identification, etc.

In the states a passport is not required as a valid ID except for travel into the country.

In the States, I have been asked to produce passport when paying for goods by credit card. It has not happened often but it is annoying if you want to buy something and you don't have any ID with you.

For those going to Bucharest, if you intend to visit the Ceaucescu's (sp?) parliamentary building--a popular venue for tourists--only the original passport is accepted as ID, and it will be held at the entrance, you do not get to keep it on your person.

@Michael - I ran into the same thing at the Royal Palace grounds in Rabat in Mexico. Not sure what they do with groups, but I was solo. The policeman who held it was very concerned that I had everything secured again before I left the grounds!

And a happy birthday for this thread, which started on a 23rd of july 2015.

I needed my passport with me when buying beer in the US. But alas, it was long ago, they don't doubt now that I'm above 21...

Aargh... Rabat in Morocco, of course. We so need an edit function!

I posted the museum entry for teens ID question on another thread and the answers were hands down carry your original pp, but I don't believe my husband and I did that in Italy and I know we didn't carry them on our trip to Ireland, but some good points have been made and I am now vacillating between the carry a color copy or carry the original options. Leaning towards a copy for London ,Paris, but I understand you must carry ID in Paris. Would a US driver's license suffice for the adults? Could the teens carry copies of their pp? They don't actually have any other ID.

For a more recent thread on the topic, but little change in viewpoints that I could perceive:
http://www.fodors.com/community/trav...t-591845-2.cfm

do people still need to sign for credit cards? Surely we have moved on from that.

In less civilized places, yes Bilbo.

>> I needed my passport with me when buying beer in the US. But alas, it was long ago, they don't doubt now that I'm above 21... <<

Two years ago, my MIL needed to show her passport when she ordered a beer in a restaurant in Alaska. And she was 84 at that time. Same thing happened in a liquor store.

[Insane laughter]

"do people still need to sign for credit cards? Surely we have moved on from that."

I wish. Seems not many Americans travel in Dorset, I have to keep explaining how my stupid chip and signature card works.

We still think the metric system is a communist plot.