Does anyone know if it is possible to carry a copy of your passport and not the original when sightseeing or shopping in Italy, France & England.

I always carry a copy and not the original when I'm out and about. You can leave the original at the hotel desk safe, room safe, or tucked away somewhere in your luggage.

I'm sure some will tell you it's not wise to leave the original in your room lest it get stolen, but I'm the type who would rather worry about where to get a good cup of coffee or find a new place to explore rather than worry about that.

Hi clucchesi, when I am in Italy I always leave my passport in the hotel safe (not the room safe if there is one) or with my friends in Italy. I just carry a photocopy of my passport. Not having been to either England or France I cannot comment.

Back in the days of using Traveler's Checks people would sometimes ask for my passport when I cashed one. Of course, these days the smart travelers use ATMs and not TC's, therefore I see no reason anyone would ask to see your passport if you're just out and about the town.

I always keep my passport with me. Knock on wood, I've never had anything stolen from me nor have I been pick-pocketed. Personally, I would not leave my passport in the hotel safe just because me being me...I would go to get on the plane to go home, and guess where my passport would be. hmmm...are you guessing? The hotel safe perhaps?!!!!!

I don't understand the question. Of course it's possible. You make copies and you carry them with you. Are you asking if it's illegal to wander around Europe without your genuine passport with you and only copies? No, it's not illegal. A copy is fine. I personally always have my genuine passport with me, and a copy of it back in a safe place at the hotel, but if you want to reverse the process, no problem.

Alrighty, now I have to ask, or say, or something; at least chime in here.

I've been going to Europe frequently for the last 10 years and I never carry my passport with me when I'm out and about. And I never carry a copy of my passport, either.

Should I? Why? Do most people?

What about the people who carry neither; your reasons?

It feels kind of creepy to me; sort of a "let me see your papers" kind of thing.

We have been stopped for traffic checks and for speeding but have never been asked by anyone to show our passports, outside of an airport or border crossing.

tuscanlifeedit,

I'm with you on this one. We travel to Europe pretty frequently, too, and never carry passports with us when we're out and about. I do tend to leave them in the room safe or locked into luggage, and have never had any problem.

I know there has been a lot of discussion about Tripadvisor reviews, but I can't resist posting a excerpt from the latest review on the Ambassador Hotel:
&quot;...<i>our room was broken into and the actual SAFE was ripped out of the wall and stolen. See the pictures. Apparently, 4 men came into the hotel and walked right past the reception desk, got into the elevator and came into our room and stole the safe. They also emptied one of my suitcases and put the safe into the suitcase and wheeled it back down and right past the reception desk in the lobby. This we were able to see after the fact, on the video surveillance. Luckily the <b>only valuable thing that was in the safe were our passports</b>. Yes, our passports, and we still had 4 more countries to visit...</i>&quot;

Weadles,

I've been reading a lot of discussions here lately wherein folks talked about carrying their passports with them, and I was surprised.

I'm with you, but I usually do lock them in the hotel safe, or the room safe if it seems trustworthy. I do have hidden copies, in case they are stolen from either place, but I hadn't thought at all about carrying them around.

I am forgetful and a klutz. My passport would be much more likely to be taken if it were on my person. I don't like the idea of carrying copies, either. Too much information on them.

sure, I do it all the time. I've even used the copy for ID in numerous places (like cashing travelers' checks, or when some stores want ID for a credit card outside that country). I ALWAYS carry a copy of my passport in my wallet, even at home. Why not, it's like carrying another form of ID, and it's been useful on numerous occasions (like when I am buying airline tickets at work by phone and they want to know my passport number).

There is the debate between folks who feel they are safer in a safe in the hotel versus safer on your person, but that's kind of a separate issue as to whether you can carry a copy.

Well having a photocopy of your passport on your person is a good idea in case you have any sort of accident. It tells the authorities and or medical people your name, address etc. Page 7 of my passport has the information where I provide the information as to whom to contact in case of emergency. Have a photocopy of all of this information on your person is a good idea IMO.

At home, in the USA I always have my DL with me. But also in my wallet is Emergency info..again, name, address and telephone no.

Even if one is out jogging or whatever it is good to have contact info on their person.

I am speaking from personal experience due to people that have had emergencies and did not have any contact information on their person. Believe me, you do not want to go through what they and there loved ones went through.

Thaks to all of you for answering my question.
Charlotte

In some countries (like Belgium, where I live) it is mandatory to have an ID with you at all times. We have a Belgian ID card, as well as a passport, so we carry that with us. A driver's license would probably be fine too. I do not carry my passport around with me. If I travel, I leave it in the room safe. In reality, I don't think you would be arrested for not being able to show a proper ID, but it is a legal requirement here.

i am always a little perplexed by the common warning not to use the room safe at the hotel. of course it is possible for the safe to be ripped out of the room in a brazen theft as the one described above. however, it is also possible that you are thrown into a van whilst walking down the street at midday and stripped of your money-belt that is carrying your passport.

unless i was carrying some a fortune in diamonds or something unusual for a normal tourist, i don't see the big risk in using the room safe. i know that this topic has been discussed here before, but i have never seen any evidence that using the room safe is a risky practice.

Agree with Tulips. In Belgium, a copy is NOT legal. Anybody can photoshop a passport or national ID copy these days, so there have been crackdowns in Brussels when people were stopped and only had photocopies rather than original ID. They weren't stopping people on the street just for walking around, but for example, when the police were called into an Irish pub over near the EU because of some brawling (and these pubs do get their share of tourists), they checked the IDs of many of the people present.
So don't assume that it's legal to carry a photocopy *everywhere* in Europe.
In the UK, which doesn't (yet) have national identity cards, I don't carry my passport unless I know I'll need some official ID. Normally, though in France and Italy, I do carry my original (Longchamp makes a wallet just right for holding a passport along with the rest of you stuff--it's not sold in the U.S. though). My husband also carries his original passport with him everywhere.

The word passport seems self explanatory. It identifies the bearer and allows immigration and emigration to pass or not pass the bearer. Carrying a passport is not a legal requirement. That said, it is a kind of insurance. Accident? Sick? Positive identification? Many countries require daily registration of residence. Hotels and such collect passports or ID cards to collect registration information. Hotels also collect passports to ensure proper payment. Passports are used for many identification purposes much as USA SS numbers or state driver's licenses. Check to see that your passport is current and has updated personal information.

Does one need an original passport when shopping at a store that offers a &quot;Duty Free&quot; refund form (the de-tax form that you take to the airport to validate upon leaving the country or EU)? Will those shops accept a photocopy of a passport?

I am an American living in England, and wouldn't dream of carrying my passport around with me. The only time I need it is when travelling abroad.

When travelling, I leave my passport in the hotel. It would be most secure in the hotel safe, but I just leave it in a locked suitcase in my room. If you are worried about someone breaking into your locked suitcase, find another hotel.

I always carry my passport on my person, never thought to do otherwise. It seems too important for me to be separated from it. In case of emergency or accident having left it back at the hotel isn't much help.