Your passport is the single most important document you have while traveling abroad. It proves who you are, where you’re from and allows you to return. There are some rules of thumb when it comes to your passport and what to do with it before, after and during your travels.
It’s important to always keep your passport in a safe place. A fireproof safe in the hotel or host location is the optimal location. Since this is a form of government identification, you should always know where yours is and that it is safe just like that of a driver’s license or birth certificate.
When traveling, you want to avoid carrying your passport or having it sticking out of a bag. This is how documents wind up missing or stolen. And once you arrive at your destination, put your passport in the safest spot available; ideally a combination safe. If you are touring around the city and don’t need you passport, don’t take it.
Carry your driver’s license for photo identification and leave your passport where it’s safe. If it is necessary for you to carry your passport with you, make sure it is in a zipped, closed bag or wallet. It is an even better idea to keep it in an inside pocket of pants or a shirt, as these are the hardest places for thieves to reach.
Passports are one of the main things stolen when American leave the country. Don’t fall victim to international identity theft and keep your passport under close watch. After all, it is your ticket home.