Dude, Is That A Passport In Your Pants, Or Are You Just Happy To See Me? (Citation: CLB)
June 6th, 2008
Some of you have recently asked me what to do with your passports, particularly in China. Carry them on your person or other?
I can’t/won’t advise you on this. This is your call to investigate and make. For myself, I will likely carry a copy of my passport and visa on me, not the original. I will also carry with me a copy of the Trip Information Sheet and my airline ticket so that if I am stopped I can pull out a document that verifies what I tell people as to why I am in China. There is risk in my strategy. I may find that they don’t find this acceptable. So you should not assume that my way is the only way or right way. Everybody is responsible for their own selves on this issue on this trip.
See this recent good CLB post on this very topic, Is That A Passport In Your Pants or Are You Just Happy To See Me? Thanks, Dan Harris. As always, you have a way with titles for blog posts, of which I admittedly used verbatim in this post to grab my own student’s attention.
As I have mentioned in one of our recent predeparture sessions, China is cracking down on expats with the wrong or expired visa in advance of the Olympics. There are a number of theories why they are doing this. I won’t go into that in detail here, but in short, my own view is that they are coupling the Olympics with visa issuance and renewal to find out who the “gamers” are in their country that are not playing by the rules, paying taxes, starting unregistered firms, to get a handle on who is legitimately there, etc., and, they are doing this as part of a fear of terrorism in lieu of the upcoming Olympics. Whatever the case, this is an issue to take seriously.
See, e.g., the below email excerpt I recently received from one of our MBA alumni now living and working in China where he/she describes a situation that is even more heavy handed than I realized:
The visa situation is horrible leading up to the Olypmics. The government is going to the [___ citizen] homes and trying to take away their visa by showing they are on the wrong type (i.e., working with a tourist visa). I got mine before these problems. I was on a student visa and now on a business visit visa for work. It was easier to call me an “internship” to get the visa. When I need to renew it might be difficult. My _____[omitted] company is trying to get a license here and get him/her a working visa but he/she is having difficulties so he/she keeps going to other countries to get a tourist visa. We have had guests who had a lot of problems, it is hurting our business. Last week _______ [omitted] came and spoke to ______[omitted name] [and us] because the police are calling people and asking questions to find reason to deport them. It is crazy here. They have pulled over two of my foreign friends and taken away their scooters and tried to take their passports.
As you can see, the Chinese don’t waste time endlessly debating visa, passport and immigration issues like we do in the US and Washington D.C. They make a decision, execute and get it done. Don’t blame them. They are only enforcing the laws that have been on their books for some time which hoards of companies and expats were violating en masse, but now said expats are crying that the enforcement rules have changed. Happens all the time in regulatory environments across the globe. Further, in terms of an checkpoint, or an opportunity to create a checkpoint via the Olympics, the Chinese strategy here is pretty darn effective and efficient, in my view.
And for cryin’ out loud, folks, if you DO carry your original passport on your person or in your backpack (can easily be cut open with a knife from behind), do NOT lose it or let it get it stolen!! Per the FAQ document, if your passport is lost or stolen I can do nothing for you other than drop you off at the embassy or consulate to solve this problem (plan for it to take a few days), you are on your own, and the rest of us move on. Any extra expense in you catching up with us will be yours to incur.
Take this issue seriously! Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore.
Entry Filed under: Pre-Departure, China, India, Pre-Departure
49 Comments Add your own
1. Simeon Trieu | June 6th, 2008 at 9:00 am
When I travel, I keep my original passport on my person. People can break into your hotel room and steal your passport that way, also. So, the best way that I’ve found to keep my passport safe is to get a small neckback that I carry my cash, ID, passport, and checks in and store it UNDERNEATH my clothing. They may be able to slash and pick your backpack, but they will sure have a hard time getting under my shirt and suit!
2. Dan Harris | June 7th, 2008 at 5:08 am
IF you keep your original passport and visa on your person (and even if you don’t), I suggest you upload a copy of them to somewhere on the internet (your hotmail or gmail account, for example) so that even if you lose everything but the clothes on your back, you still have a place you can go (fairly easily) with the key information.
3. Eric Kvilhaug | June 7th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
For people who have been to China, how likely is it that laptops, passports or the like will be taken from hotel rooms. I worry that my laptop will be taken, I am not sure if the worry is warranted (sounds like it is), so here is my question. What are you going to do with laptops, cell phones, camera, passports, gifts for tours, etc?
4. WhiteDuskRed | June 8th, 2008 at 3:34 am
We have colleagues who gotten their laptops stolen when they left it in the car trunk. Suspected the driver to be in cahoots with whoever who stole the laptop but with no evidence whatsoever the matter was laid to rest and they poor chaps got to replace the company laptops with their own money.
Heard hundreds of stories regarding hotel staff opening and stealing stuffs from the safes in the rooms. Anyway most laptops will not fit into the safes in hotels. If you must keep it in the room, keep it in a robust suitcase/lugguge and keep it well locked. I do that even in major hotels since I cannot be assured of the integrity of the staff.
When in China, keep your valuables (cash, IDs and travel documents) with you wherever you go. But there’s always the risk of getting robbed. So always travel in a group, avoid suspect areas and be aware of your surroundings…
5. Pierre Michael | June 8th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I have a money belt that I’ve used before on my travels to Europe, it definitely gave me peace of mind about my passport, plane tickets and cash. Two problems though, 1) these are not my only valuables, and there’s no way I can keep all my valuables with me at all times, 2) (and this is more pertinent to people traveling post India) when you go to bed what do you do with your money belt? In Europe I stayed mostly in hostels, sharing rooms with strangers. I usually took my money belt off when going to bed and put it in my backpack, or put it under my pillow. Well, one night in Germany, one of the guys in my hostel room woke up to find $500 missing from his bag, someone must have come in in the middle of the night….Scary. Anyways, the best recommendation I can give is to bring a small padlock or combination lock and find lockers to put your stuff in.
6. Matt Fencl | June 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Nice work using the Wizard of Oz quote to illustrate your point. Ironic that I lost my Driver’s License my senior year at the University of Kansas and used my passport to get into bars for several months. In retrospect it was a pretty stupid habit, but I ended up only losing my dignity at the bars, not my passport.
7. Adam Windham | June 11th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
The pickpockets in most other countries are phenomenal to the point that I almost feel they deserve your stuff for being so stealthy. Petty crime, especially pick-pocketing is all over Europe, a friend I was traveling with had his wallet and cell phone lifted from his front jeans pocket, on the subway, while I was about a foot away. Didn’t even realize it for about an hour. After that I carried everything in my money belt. I would like to get some outside input on whether carrying around copies of all your information will be acceptable because that seems like the best way to go, assuming everything left in the hotel room is safe as well.
Soon, we’ll all just have a chip in our hands that has everything; passport, credit cards, driver’s license, social security (if it still exists), bank records,… ahhh won’t that be nice? nothing more to carry around…
8. Richard Ciesco | June 11th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I think that the Chinese government is trying hard to control this issue but in reality with over a billion people in the country it is impossible to check everyone. But from the sound of it, I am sure they are trying to. I wonder how hard it will be to get a vise after the Olympics? I have been thinking about getting a job with a company who does business in China, so I could spend some time over there to doing business. From the sounds of it though it seems now even businesses are having a problem getting visas. I wonder if this will affect companies from moving their operations over there? We will just have to wait and see.
9. Witold Sadowski | June 12th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I keep all my valuables in a money belt… although at times not very comfortable, it does a great job…
10. gary chou | June 13th, 2008 at 1:05 am
I have heard argument for both ways–bring your passport with you or keep it at the hotel. While many people (including Dr. Carr) thinks keeping the passport at hotel is safer, I personally wouldn’t do that. True, there are risks for both routes, but the level of risk is simply hard to compare. One thing for sure is that, if the passport is lost from my body, I will know about it immediately and have the first opportunity to react to it. Also, I will have more information regarding how it’s lost. (e.g. the physical appearance of the robber.) If it’s lost in the hotel, there will be confusion first. For example, is it really lost or a misplacement? Why hasn’t anything else being lost? Did the cleaning staff take it? Did other students take it as prank? etc. Too much uncertainty.
11. Sarah Ybarra | June 13th, 2008 at 3:48 am
My wonderful Chindia roommate bought me a money belt to keep my belongings in so I will definitely be using that. I think I will probably keep my original passport in my hotel room. Fortunately I haven’t run into many sheisters in my life so I remain pretty trusting of people. I’d never ask someone on the street to hold my passport or my money for me but I have no problem leaving my belongings locked in my suitcase. I’ve checked out the hotels that we are staying at and, based on what I saw online, I think I will feel comfortable leaving my valuables in my room. Eric Cole, who vacationed in Asia after the China trip last year, did inform me that during my post Chindia adventure I will most likely be required to leave my passport with people when I rent things like scooters and kayaks. I do feel a little bit uneasy about that but I guess the rental people would feel uneasy about letting people rent things without a guarantee that they will return. I am definitely emailing myself a copy of my passport because it will make things much easier in the unlikely event that I lose it.
12. Robyn Bowie | June 13th, 2008 at 8:41 am
As long as there is a safe in the hotel rooms, I think I would feel better about leaving my passport there. It is a good idea to carry a copy though and I am planning on doing that as well as sending myself a copy over e-mail so I can get to it anywhere in the world. I am also sending copies of any credit cards I am bringing as well as debit/ATM cards. Same with driver’s license and any other ideas such as international student ID. I did purchase a money belt, though it is going to be so hot, I’m going to try to avoid wearing it and just bring less money with me or something. My biggest worry is my camera and I’m still on the lookout for the perfect case to keep it safe. If anyone has any ideas shoot them my way!
13. Lonnie | June 16th, 2008 at 8:50 am
The customs and police landscape is changing here. Hong Kong just announced that all leaves are canceled for customs inspectors thru the Olympics and they are really scrutinizing credentials at the border and elsewhere.
I took the train from Guangzhou to HK the other day and was subject to three x-ray screenings one-way. And because these guys aren’t much brighter than the Homeland Insecurity folks in the US and know only minimal English it is a daunting task to get where you are going if you don’t speak Chinese.
With terror alerts now abounding I would not be caught anywhere without my passport on my person. It is not just customs that will be checking foreigners coming in and out of the country. Too, word on TV tonight was that those with any criminal convictions may be refused entry. And do not leave any bags unattended anywhere as they will be carted off and searched thoroughly.
I too often use a waist wallet even if it means I will get slowed down coming through the metal detectors. And Dan is right: email yourself and one of your classmates a copy of your documents to make it easier for the State Department to help you if you lose your ID here.
It is stricter now, but the officials are courteous and respectful. The earthquake may have taken the world’s focus off of political issues, but the central government is doggedly in pursuit of a trouble free Olympics.
Everyone expects a halo effect of about 1-3 months after the Olympics before some “normalcy” is restored.
It is good to see you unblocked in South China!! Life here is wet: homes near me are flooded and 800,000 from Guanxi south have been displaced. China has had a rough year. My professor friends in Gansu are shell-shocked by quakes, floods, riots and in-classroom camera surveillance of minority students. It is a fragile time for everyone, so be empathetic…
L
14. Chris Carr | June 16th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Good advice, Lonnie, as always. Thanks!
15. Rob Belloni | June 16th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I’ve been reading this thread with much interest, and appreciate the feedback. Despite a high level of awareness, I seem to have a knack for getting robbed and hope to avoid the hassle on the trip. What follows are a few robbery stories, in hopes that you might learn from my mistakes…
Lent my truck to my Dad. Dad forgets to lock the door and parks it on the street. Someone steals my ash tray along with the $4 in pennies and nickels.
Moral - Ask “did you lock the car?” Thieves are generally idiots and will steal anything if given the chance.
Park my truck at the lake to go fishing. Lock everything up. Return at sunset to find that someone pried the camper shell open, crawled in through the sliding window, stole my cd’s and chopped apart my dash board with a screw driver in a failed effort to steal the cd player.
Moral - Camper shell rear doors are not the best protection. Get a car alarm
Left for memorial day weekend in the dorms. Returned to find my printer and my roomate’s 200+ cd collection stolen. Despite the police’s insistence that we left the door open (we did not), it was later determined the thieves had a master key to the dorms.
As a humorous aside, the thieves also stole my roomates video card, used it, and did not return the movie. Somewhere in the San Luis PD’s archives is a video of the thief parking directly in front of the video store with license plate visible and using the card to rent the video. San Luis PD was unable to find this person due to poor video quality.
Moral - A locked door at a dorm or hotel doesn’t always mean much. Even with a video of the person who stole your stuff and their car - they’ll probably get away with it anyway.
My parents, who had been robbed once before and have a full alarm system, left the maid at the house to run errands. Return to find the alarm off and jewelery stolen. It was almost certainly the maid (they pretended to force the window open but the latch was not broken).
Moral - Maids occasionally steal your stuff. Better to clean your own house (as my parents do now) and when you are traveling - hang the do not disturb all day.
Vacationing in Hawaii Summer and I took a surfing lesson. The surf coach guy (stoner) encourages us to leave our stuff in a cubby hole where we they run the lessons, “Someone is here the whole time, nothing will happen.” Being paranoid, I put everything in the car except the rental car key. Return from the water to find someone has stolen the rental car key (and the safe key to our hotel).
Moral - Don’t leave your stuff with people - ever. That one cost me about $200 for a new car key, a taxi to bring it, and a new safe key. When in the water on vacation, bring a waterproof plastic case (they make them especially for swimming/diving) and bring everything you can with you. Someone on the beach is probably going to steal your stuff.
After being robbed enough times, you learn to roll with it. My main goal on this trip in this regard is to put myself in a position where if I do get robbed, they don’t get very much. My Dad suggested wearing a cheap wallet filled with monopoly money just for the humor aspect when someone decides to snatch it. I’m considering it…
16. David McKinnon | December 12th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Great ideas from the comments. E-mailing documents, money belts, etc. Rob, I hope your luck changes!
Maybe the Visa checks will calm down a bit now that the Olympics is over? Even if that’s the case we should still plan and prepare for the worst.
17. Oscar Merlin | December 13th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
From visiting across the border often, I have learned to place my wallet always in your front pockets. Why? Because when you are using public transportation and its crowded, you can tell right away if someone is trying to steal your wallet from you. And, with regards to my passport, I usually hide it within my luggage. And I do not mean between clothes, but within a double wall on my luggage bag or some other spot where you would not look for it right away if you are quickly sorting through peoples baggage.
18. Andrea Muntzel | December 13th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
All of this input is helpful but it’s also a little overwhelming… I haven’t traveled much at all, have never been robbed, and tend to be too trusting of people. After reading the discussion, I’ll definitely be on my guard but I’m torn over whether it would be better to keep my things on my person or in my room. I hope we discuss more whether the Chinese are being as strict with passports as they were during and before the Olympics because in that case I think I would want to carry my passport on me. If not, it seems smarter to leave it in a safe place. Either way, there’s something about having my valuables on me that makes me feel better about the whole situation. I suppose it’s a control thing.
19. Morgan O'Hara | December 14th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Yes, that is a passport in my pants, and though it’s kind of bulky, it doesn’t stick out too much.
Abroad, I keep my passport in my front pocket. It wears a plastic cover. I don’t drink anymore, so the risk of me mistaking it for a flyer at some dive bar is no longer an issue. I’m also pretty aware, so the danger of it getting swiped is minimal. In fact, the chance of me forgetting my passport in a hotel room safe is much higher than me losing it (though in the first case, it should be retrievable). Finally, I would not stash my passport in my book bag for prolonged periods. Or my purse, if I had one.
As for the joys of bureaucracy – often times you can skirt around it, but rarely can you brazenly beat it. And though it might seem painful, when it comes to official procedures and rules and regulations, it’s best to conform. That’s what you call prudence, not surrender.
20. Raquel Rusing | December 19th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
So basically [forgive me Dr. Whitaker]… I should give out copies of my passport as Christmas cards to everyone going on the Chindia trip so that they can carry a copy for me. In addition, email it to every email account I’ve ever owned… including ownlyndrms@aol.com from 7th grade. Contact the US Embassy in China BEFORE going and beg to have them process the initial paperwork in case I just MIGHT lose my passport… then proceed to super glue the original passport to my chest. All the while be paranoid that I will still lose it.
I’m being ridiculous. I know. But after reading these responses I was inspired by the good humor associated with the trials of traveling abroad. I’ll do my best to prevent the worst… but will also prepare myself to accept the worst.
I have a monopoly set and an extra wallet… I’m SO tempted.
21. Josh Hickman | December 24th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I am definitely paranoid about getting stuff stolen while on our trip. I mean, is there really a safe place to put all this stuff? I know people who have had success with the under-the-shirt/pants belt/vest thing, so I think that is what I will be doing. There is always a way around the lock on the hotel door, always a master key to any safe, and always the thought of housekeeping stealing my identity. I guess I would never feel comfortable unless that I could have it on me so I could check it every 30 seconds…well hopefully not that often. Electronic backups are also a good idea, but would also worry me, as they can be intercepted or backed up/copied with a click of a mouse. Even though it isn’t the original, all the information is still there, and who knows what people will do with it nowadays.
22. Jenna Healy | January 1st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Wow. Paranoia or justified precaution?
What I got from the article and the comments is that there is no safe place for a passport. It can be stolen from your body, your safe, your suitcase, anywhere! Foreign countries are exactly that—foreign. There’s no telling what will happen or predicting or controlling situations.
I think we will all be OK. I’m going to keep my passport and important documents around my neck under my clothes… and sleep with it on! And email and keep copies. Then, I’m going to let go of the fear and know that it will all be OK.
Great post Raquel.
23. Nick Chamness | January 4th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I have done pretty extensive traveling all over the world, and have considered this problem many times. Luckily, losing my passport is never something I have had to deal with. I have almost always tried to carry it with me and did make several copies that were placed in other locations. I am always paranoid that somebody will slash my backpack open and steal all kinds of stuff, which is why I usually carry my backpack facing forward. Not the most comfortable thing, but at least you can keep an eye on you stuff at all times. The passport holder that goes around you chest also seems like a good idea.
Bottom line is that you can only be so careful. Unfortunately stuff happens when you are traveling and you just have to deal with it and adapt to the situation. I am sure everyone will be very careful with their passport while we are over there!
24. Eric White | January 10th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Ok so some people when traveling abroad might have problems with the local food, transporation, or language barrier. Many of the common “difficulties” with traveling I think I am willing to embrace or atleast put up with. After reading this post and subsequent comments, I think the hardest thing for me to get used to when going to China may be taking precautions to not get robbed. I am a very trusting person. Usually I will give a person the benefit of the doubt and trust them until they do something to break that trust. Switching from that type of personality to suspecting everyone even the hotel staff will be a real shocker.
So maybe I should have taken Raquel’s advice and sent a copy of my passport along with my Christmas cards…
25. Mark Polydoris | January 11th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
For my trips to Europe, I did the money/passport belt thing in England, but I just put my passport in my front pocket in Italy. But between leaving it in the room and keeping it on you at all times, I’d have to say the latter is a better choice. I really like Raquel’s “email a copy” idea, which I had never heard before.
Dr. Carr is right that you’re not in Kansas anymore, but just make sure you stay on the yellow brick road. I typically try not to wander down any dark alleys in the US, which is why I’ll be doing my best not to wander down any dark alleys in China or India.
Staying with the group is also always a good idea. As an old camp director, I highly encourage the buddy system. I’m also pretty sure David McKinnon is a Kung-Fu master, which is why I’ll be staying close to him.
26. Amy Cook | January 15th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I think if I left my passport in a hotel room safe I would spend too much time worrying about it. For this reason, I’m thinking I’ll wear it around my neck, under my clothes and leave a copy of it in my hotel safe, (along with one in my suitcase and one under my pillow). I did like the idea about keeping your own hotel room clean and leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign up so that other belongings don’t disappear during cleaning.
To Morgan’s point, I’m willing to bet the chances of losing a passport or other important documents increases significantly when drinking is involved. I hope everyone remembers that we are in a foreign country and extra precautions should be taken to avoid these situations. I like the buddy system!
I’m not generally a paranoid person. Sometimes bad things happen. The best thing to do is to take the proper precautions, stay aware and enjoy the experience.
27. Jessica Harris | January 16th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I can feel the panic setting in already. I assumed that losing your passport while in a foreign country would b e a hassle, but after reading some of these posts I am afraid for my life! I traveled to Europe as a teenager and did all my overseas flying alone. I had a money belt that I kept strapped to me under my clothing, but I was traveling in a very hot summer and on a short flight from Paris to Pisa I decided to take the uncomfortable thing off and place it in my backpack under my seat. As I tried to drift off to sleep I found myself trying to keep one eye open at all times. Not having the money belt firmly strapped to my skin made it impossible to relax. I eventually put the belt back on and strapped it so tight that the indentation has just finally gone away (slight exaggeration).
I will take all of the above advice, as well as my own experience to heart and take every precautionary measure to ensure that I don’t find myself in a sticky situation without a passport or visa (or at least a copy of one) while we are in China and India.
I also think that as a group traveling together it would be a great idea to constantly be reminding each other to bring copies or originals with us in our money belts. It doesn’t seem like there is such a thing as too safe when it comes to China.
28. James McMillan | January 18th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I think Dr. Carr made a good call by not recomending any one way of dealing with the passport issue. The money belt is probably the safest thing but I hate wearing that thing. Putting it in your backpack is a risk but so is leaving it in the hotel room. Putting it in your pocket has the risk of falling out when you reach in there to get something else but if your careful this should not happen. Call me weird but when I travel I alway reguarley check myself for a few things about every hour or so (wallet, camera, shades, passport, room key). I find this to be effective for staying on top things and making sure I always have the items that are most important to me. If I’m missing something I know I ‘mprobably not that far from wherever I might have left it. Bottom line, if your carefull and alway make sure to do regular checks of where it is, your risk of loosing it is minimal. The best way is whatever works best for you.
29. Justin Miller | January 19th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
All of my previous traveling abroad has been with my parents, which was really nice because they had to worry about carrying my passport. Obviously I think that everyone needs to be extra careful about their passports, because to lose them would be disastrous. I’m considering getting a chain mail backpack to prevent people from cutting it open. All kidding aside, I’ll probably keep my passport in my front pocket with my wallet. I would rather have it on me because then I am ultimately responsible for it. In the end, I am going to be very aware of it, but not paranoid. If something does happen then I’ll deal with it. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
30. Jimmy Spann | January 20th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I have never really worried about my stuff being stolen or lost. I have grown up being a very organized kid, who always knew where everything was in his room. I also grew up in a suburb of Chicago, where I did not even worry about locking my car or house door at night. I have been to Greece a few times, but those times I have stayed at my grandparents place so I was not really worried about them stealing my passport.
I guess the point that I’m getting at is that this China and India trip will be the first time I go somewhere and actually worry about my stuff being lost or stolen. I do think that I will be buying one of those money belts to wear under my clothing. I also think that I will be taking all of the same precautions that everyone has suggested to us: emailing copies, carrying copies, carrying friends copies, and patting myself every 5 minutes to make sure that everything is still with me.
31. Patrick Johansing | January 21st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Thanks for all the advice. Sounds a bit chaotic over there, hopefully everything turns out OK. I think I’ll copy Dr. Carr and just bring a bunch of photocopies. Maybe we should set up a trading session later on.
32. Jason Larocco | January 21st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
This is definitely a legit concern. I have done a decent amount of traveling in Latin America and the only times that I had any problems (attempted pick pocketing) was when I had my big packs on and stood out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately in China there is no way for me to not stick out, pack or no pack. Anytime I head out for a trip overseas I e-mail a scanned copy of my passport to a family member or friend. If for some reason I lose everything I can at least access my e-mail (assuming I can access the internet) and print of some form of ID.
Drinking aboard probably creates the most risk for me, even when it’s with locals. Of course as you drink you become a much easier target for pick pocketers. Locals get pick pocketed too, so you can’t assume a greater level of safety because you are with them. I will have to find ways to be responsible and limit my risk, but at the same time I can’t be so paranoid about potential bad events that I do not experience the all the trip has to offer. Like Dr. Carr said finding that balance is up to each of us individually. Our mommies are not coming with us.
33. Scotty Hayes | January 29th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Although there is not a single right answer, it is important to not let a pick pocket have their way with you (Unless she is cute). A money belt is a good idea, but I know the best advice for and from me is to keep the boozing to a minimum. For some odd reason I tend to lose things when I’m out painting the town.
34. Michael Mossman | February 4th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I am expecting the Chinese to be less aggressive on the visa and passport checks now that the Olympics are over. It will be a new experience for me to have to deal with random checks if one were to happen. I am used to traveling around the United States and parts of Europe with no one bothering me; it appears that China will be different. My plan is to carry a high quality color photo of my passport and visa with me at all times. I am assuming that if I am stopped this will be sufficient documentation, if not I will have to get my official passport and visa from my hotel room. Hopefully I will not have any passport or visa issues on the trip.
35. Matthew Neal | February 12th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
I am hoping this issue is not as relevant as last year, seeing as the Olympics are over. But caution is always the best route Being a foreigner in another country though I know it is important to be prepared for anything. After some of my few travels, the safest I felt regarding the passport issue is to simply keep one on a money belt around my waste. I find it the least annoying for the security that it offers. I used one all over Europe without incident (one of my friends had his stolen out of a backpack in France though…) I really like the idea of emailing yourself one just in case. Hopefully it wont be as chaotic over there since the Olympics are now over but im going expecting the same. As they say expect the best and prepare for the worst.
36. Andre Ourthiague | February 15th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
“Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” I have very little experience traveling abroad, but I feel that the advice others have to give is enough to understand the risks. I simply will act on the assumption that things can turn sour at any moment. I small splash of paranoia will remind me to continually watch out for myself (and my friends), while not damaging the quality of my trip.
37. Mark Wegemer | February 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Wow, there is a lot of fright and terror being shoved here and the only advice that I would give is the same advice James said. Make sure you do regular checks to make sure you have all your things. There is no harmful result in being paranoid when it comes to things like this. There is also no such thing as overparanoia. Underparanoia could cost you a lot of grief. Better to be overprepared then underprepared. I plan on making quite a few copies for myself.
38. Victoria Rodriguez | February 19th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I seem to be better prepared at buying stuff (for this business trip) than finishing my work, so I’ll soon be looking for a neckback(?) and making lots of copies and scanning documents, etc. I would be afraid of forgetting items in the safe, so I will probably carry the items with me.
39. David Caldwell | February 21st, 2009 at 11:47 am
I was happy to hear at Thursday’s Chindia meeting that the majority of the random checks were in preparation for the Olympics, and that we probably won’t have to deal with as many random checks. That being said, I feel a lot more comfortable just carrying a copy of my passport and leaving the original in the hotel. The hassle of getting a friend to go pick it up or having a cop escort you back to the hotel is way less than having to mess with the consulate.
40. Xiaofei Song | February 21st, 2009 at 9:15 pm
This seems not really related to me, but I never take it with me anyway. I never even take my ID with me when I am in China. It is not because I am afraid someone will stole it, I am just a massy person, always lose something. I think people are more interested at your money than your passport, so my suggestion is dont put them together!
41. Alex vanDalen | February 21st, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I always keep my documents on me. In some countries they hold your passport at the hotel in which you are staying. This has always made me quite uncomfortable as i do not trust hotel staff in the least. Especialy when traveling on one of those blue yankee passports that stand out like a sore thumb these days. If your are doing something active, ie river rafting or jaunting about a certain area for a while then it would make sense to find a safe place to stash your documents, but i never feel comfortable unless they are kept under the watch of someone I trust.
I’m traveling to Russia post Chindia and am more concerened about traveling with documents/ getting robbed there than in China or India. But as others have commented… I feel it is better to know where your papers are and to have access to them at all times.
A quick rant :
Wouldn’t it be nice to do away with all the passport and visa nonsense in the world?… capital, information, and labor (internet outscourcing.. see India blog posts) are crossing borders with little or no restrictions these days… its high time people were able to do the same. I recomend people facilitate this personaly by getting more than one passport if possible. In fact… start collecting them. Easy alteratives to one’s own country are Belize and Bangladesh, with a small investment these and certain other countries with gladly grant you citizenship. Multi -nationalism has many advantages in our increasingly interconnected world.
42. Matt Eves | February 22nd, 2009 at 9:27 pm
I misplace things all the time. It is good we are discussing issues like this so we have the best trip possible. I’ve been in some pretty sketchy places abroad, Columbia being the worst, but because we were prepared I felt safe and consider it one of the best trips of my life. I think we all want to be able to focus on the opportunities at hand instead of dealing with Passport complications and theft. Maybe we could give a copy of our passports to our roommates? (that could end up disastrous if you use your imagination). Anyway, check out this link, I found it very useful… the better prepared we are before going the more peace we will have and the ability to make the most of our trip! US Dept. of State Travel Tips
43. Jamie Hastings | February 23rd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Front pocket has always worked pretty good for me. However, I have seen some pretty good pick pockets in places like European subways and Africa. Those people (and most often kids) have talent. I wouldn’t totally put it by them, but front pockets are probably pretty tough to get into.
44. Ashley Breneman | February 24th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
After listening to the talk in the pre-departure session, I agree that the best option is to carry a copy of my passport and travel visa with me. Another option would be to get one of those “fanny packs” ( I don’t know what they are really called, but I know a lot of people get them to carry their important stuff in and they fit under your shirt so they can’t be stolen). However, given the circumstances, I would rather take the chance of them not accepting the copies since I can always have them follow me to the hotel to see the actual copy. I don’t know about anyone else, but I definitely do not want to spend my time at the embassy!
45. Andrew Welborn | March 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I am also fairly trusting and because I haven’t traveled abroad I have no idea what to expect. I will be in need of some reminders to be paranoid about getting my stuff stolen. I feel like having a copy will do the trick if I get questioned. I plan on trying to carry just the copy around, unless there is no safe place to keep my passport when I am out. Otherwise, I feel like the underclothes money belt option is best even if it is somewhat inconvenient or uncomfortable.
46. Cece Reyes | March 4th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
There are always many options, but never a best one. A few travel stories to assist the decision - copies at home, on the internet, wherever you can access them in case of emergency:
In Africa, a friend was almost left behind at the border crossing from as we were returning from Malawi through Mozambique to Zimbabwe because our airline tickets were in a friend’s apartment in Harare. They took credit cards to guarantee that 2 of us would eventually depart Zimbabwe - the other person, they wanted to see his ticket and it was hours until that situation was resolved and we all made it back to Harare. Good advice to keep copies even if you don’t travel around with the real thing.
Even if you have the original stashed on your body - keep a copy with you just in case it will suffice. Better not to let an overzealous official take your passport and review it for hours before handing it back and letting you cross a border. Show them the copy first.
In Guatemala, my sister had a sneezing fit and someone grabbed her wallet, passport and all. Luckily we had left photocopies at home and mom was able to fax a copy to the US Embassy but it was a long day of hassles in Guatemala City. And now she has a funny-looking and very thick passport with big statements saying it is a replacement and was issued out of the country, etc…good souvenir I suppose.
My sister had lots of bad luck - on a city bus in Guatemala City a guy knifed through her front jacket pocket but stopped when she turned to look at him. It wasn’t until we got off that she realized what had happened and, luckily, nothing was taken.
In most of my travels I either stayed with relatives or friends of friends and would leave my passport behind when going out for the day. When traveling around I never stayed anywhere nice enough to have a safe…so I would just keep the passport in a secure place on my body. I too feel more comfortable keeping it on me instead of thinking about the what ifs back at the hotel.
In Peru - we were robbed near Cuzco - crazy antique looking guns but who is going to question if they work? My mom had her original passport, but I was about fluent at the time and screamed for them to give me the passport and the guy threw it at me. I had my original stuff in a backpack, and after they looked for my neck/body pouch I was able to pull my stuff out and stash it in my pants. All they got was a bad digital camera. Everything else we had on us was photocopies.
Just take precautions and hope for the best!
47. Logan J Travis | March 15th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Has anyone looked into if authorities might accept a digital copy of our visas? I see a few comments about using email accounts to store scans. However, I really don’t want to rely on my ability to access the Internet (much less a connection to my Gmail through The Great Firewall) while being questioned by authorities. If I could instead store an image on my smartphone or a flash drive that they could easily view… I’ll do a little looking to see if its an option.
48. Chris Carr | March 15th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Logan,
Don’t know your plan for having cell/phone internet connection for China or India, but I would play it safe. Take/keep a paper copy on you as it’s light, easy to fold and keep in your pocket, etc. You correctly note that access to Internet could be a problem, not so much for Great Firewall reasons, but connectivity reasons when you are out and about.
49. Logan J Travis | March 22nd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Thank you for the information Dr. Carr. I found some information suggesting my phone should work (it’s a world band phone). However, as you suggest that “should” creates enough doubt to warrant physical copies.
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