What if all of your money and cards were stolen while traveling? (hotel, reservations)
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No, a photocopy of your passport will not get you in or out of a country; it will, however, facilitate getting a new one if your original is stolen or lost. That's why we keep copies in Dropbox.
First, you call your credit card companies to report that the cards were stolen. If you are going to be there long enough, they can send you duplicate cards.
I'd have my family wire me some cash so I could eat. When I am in Europe, my transportation and hotels have all been paid for before I arrive. So at least, I am not homeless.
If your passport has been stolen, you go to the American embassy and report it.
Take precautions against pickpockets, use a money belt and only have the cash you need for that day in your pocket or wallet. Women should be using a purse with a sturdy cross body strap and zippers on all compartments.
I always feel my stuff is safer with me than it is left in the motel room.
When traveling, I always wear a Pac-Safe crossbody bag with a slice-proof strap and secured zippers, with my money and cards in an interior zippered pouch that is also attached inside the bag (or in an interior zipped compartment). The bag NEVER leaves my body -- not sitting in a restaurant, not in a cab/Uber, not during any activities we do, NEVER...until I return to my hotel room. So far, it's worked well for me.
No, a photocopy of your passport will not get you in or out of a country; it will, however, facilitate getting a new one if your original is stolen or lost. That's why we keep copies in Dropbox.
($9.99/month for Dropbox??? WHY?)
My cousin travels overseas for work a lot. Every single time she gets singled out, pulled aside, searched and questioned. She finally asked why and apparently since her passport was lost/stolen and she needed to get a new one she is permanently on the watch list. Sucks for her but somewhat understandable.
My cousin travels overseas for work a lot. Every single time she gets singled out, pulled aside, searched and questioned. She finally asked why and apparently since her passport was lost/stolen and she needed to get a new one she is permanently on the watch list. Sucks for her but somewhat understandable.
You're referring to in the airport?
Now I know why that happened to me after getting/using the emergency passport I obtained in Paris. Every time I flew I got pulled aside by security during that year.
What I am trying to determine is the likelihood of needing my passport while on the streets in Spain though. I'd be more comfortable leaving it in my room than on my person but I've heard you're supposed to have it on you.
What I am trying to determine is the likelihood of needing my passport while on the streets in Spain though. I'd be more comfortable leaving it in my room than on my person but I've heard you're supposed to have it on you.
Technically, you're supposed to carry your passport with you at all times when traveling abroad, but I seldom do that. I usually leave my passport in a room safe and carry a photocopy of it instead. I carry a secure lock with me when traveling so when there's no room safe, I can use my suitcase as my 'safe', I just put my valuables (not much: just an extra credit card, extra cash, kindle, and passport) in my locked suitcase in my room and carry the key with me.
I ALWAYS wear money belt when traveling alone in cooler months - and I put my 'lifeline' there (passport, credit and debit cards). In summer, when I wear summer dresses more often and money belt won't be as convenient, I carry my Pac-Safe crossbody bag with me. And like RooCeleste, that bag NEVER leaves my body - not even when I go to potty in a public toilet. You might want to invest in one - they're not that expensive and it can serve as your day bag. Mine is waterproof and big enough to hold a bottle of water, an umbrella, and a cardigan / scarf. And you can lock the bag while it's on your body so you don't have to worry about thiefs in a packed metro or a bus.
Technically, you're supposed to carry your passport with you at all times when traveling abroad, but I seldom do that. I usually leave my passport in a room safe and carry a photocopy of it instead. I carry a secure lock with me when traveling so when there's no room safe, I can use my suitcase as my 'safe', I just put my valuables (not much: just an extra credit card, extra cash, kindle, and passport) in my locked suitcase in my room and carry the key with me.
I ALWAYS wear money belt when traveling alone in cooler months - and I put my 'lifeline' there (passport, credit and debit cards). In summer, when I wear summer dresses more often and money belt won't be as convenient, I carry my Pac-Safe crossbody bag with me. And like RooCeleste, that bag NEVER leaves my body - not even when I go to potty in a public toilet. You might want to invest in one - they're not that expensive and it can serve as your day bag. Mine is waterproof and big enough to hold a bottle of water, an umbrella, and a cardigan / scarf. And you can lock the bag while it's on your body so you don't have to worry about thiefs in a packed metro or a bus.
Thank you for the suggestion; I may go ahead and purchase one of those soon.
I keep a password protected file with credit card numbers [u]and the phone numbers to the cc company [/U in Dropbox. I also keep photocopies of our passports and driver's licenses in there. I keep the emailed plane, hotel, car rental, tour reservations in my email in a special folder. ALL of this can be accessed on my smart phone or any computer device.
DH and I travel together. We split the cash (very little), split the credit cards and we have two separate debit accounts. If one of us looses their wallet, we're still in the clear. When I travelled alone, I carried all the cash on me unless I had a room safe (but never much cash). I always left at least one credit card and one debit card in my hotel room, well hidden if I had no safe. Inside a book in my suitcase, under clothes. I cut the lining once in a suitcase. In the box where I keep my soap, under the soap.
The biggest protection, imho, is setting up TWO different credit cards AND TWO separate debit card accounts. Capital One is great for this - they don't charge the international transaction fee on cc purchases or ATM withdrawals.
I do the EXACT same thing! I make copies of everything. Keep phone numbers to the credit cards in my phone, split the cards & cash with my spouse.
I wear it underneath my clothes so you can imagine the awkwardness come time to pay for things .
A money belt or neck wallet worn under your clothes should only be used to carry your emergency stash, and NEVER accessed in public! Put the money you expect to need for the day, a credit card, and possibly an ATM card in your purse/daypack (which you will keep a close eye on), and your emergency credit card and extra emergency cash in your moneybelt. If you miscalculate and do need to dip into your emergency cash, go to the bathroom (locked stall) to make the transfer.
That way, if you are pickpocketed or (worse) robbed, the odds are good the thieves won't get everything, just your purse/daypack. They can't steal what they can't see!
I know cargo shorts get laughed at, but when I'm going to the ATM or airport, I put my passport and big cash and one credit card in the zippered pockets. I still have my cross-body small purse so if someone rips that off me, I'll still have what's in my pockets. There's a little money in the purse so thieves don't get too pissed off. I am going to look into that Pac-Safe purse someone else mentioned.
I never take my purse off either. Even in a restaurant its over the shoulder and in my lap, not hanging on a chair. And DH and I split the cards and money. I was used to carrying almost NO cash, but here in So. America, now we have to use it a lot. A draw-back, but.....
Barclay Card also has no foreign transaction fees for purchases. My debit cards charge a fee though, so I try to minimize withdrawals....use the cc whenever I can. Have to show copy of passport for that too.
A money belt or neck wallet worn under your clothes should only be used to carry your emergency stash, and NEVER accessed in public! Put the money you expect to need for the day, a credit card, and possibly an ATM card in your purse/daypack (which you will keep a close eye on), and your emergency credit card and extra emergency cash in your moneybelt. If you miscalculate and do need to dip into your emergency cash, go to the bathroom (locked stall) to make the transfer.
That way, if you are pickpocketed or (worse) robbed, the odds are good the thieves won't get everything, just your purse/daypack. They can't steal what they can't see!
I understand your logic but I guess in the past I've been too concerned whatever is in my bag will actually get stolen for sure; no matter how close an eye I keep on it.
My understanding is the neck wallet is protection moreso from pic pocketers. It would take a highly close encounter to take the neck wallet from underneath my clothes and a zipped up jacket; such an incident would probably be more in the realm of a robbery.
When I imagine a mugging I imagine the chances are way higher I'd be demanded to show underneath my clothing as many robbers know tourists are wearing money belts, neck wallets, etc. In reading the reviews of the people who purchased this product many of them are using it the same way as I originally mentioned.
As I mentioned I still carry a purse that has no true valuables in it, my assumption is pic pocketers will try to access that, which I wouldn't care about as my cards/cash wouldn't be in it.
I am taking into consideration everything you wrote as I understand I cannot be too careful; you have me thinking about this so what I am taking away from your post is maybe I will simply keep enough cash for the day in the purse that's outside of my body. Maybe I can do one card as well. Neck wallet will include 1 or 2 cards and just a little cash.
In the room I will keep remaining cash and cards in the safe.
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I make copies of everything. Keep phone numbers to the credit cards in my phone, split the cards & cash with my spouse.
