There is no single rule for every destination. Carry the original passport when local law or the day’s activity requires it. Otherwise, store it in a secure, locked location and carry a photocopy or protected digital copy for reference.
The safest choice is the one that reduces exposure without leaving you unable to prove your identity. Check local identification rules before the trip, then reassess each day based on transportation, official appointments, lodging security, crowds, weather, and planned activities.
Carry It or Leave It? Quick Decision Guide
| Your situation | Recommended approach |
|---|---|
| Local law requires foreign visitors to carry original identification | Carry the passport in a concealed, secured pouch. A copy does not replace the original when the law requires the passport itself. |
| Border crossing, airport, ferry, official appointment, or another activity requires the passport | Carry the original and keep it accessible only when needed. |
| Ordinary sightseeing and a secure in-room safe or locked container is available | Leave the original secured at the lodging and carry a copy, unless local law requires the original. |
| Beach, swimming, boating, nightlife, or a crowded event | Leave the original in secure lodging when lawful. Water, crowds, and repeated bag handling increase the risk of loss, theft, or damage. |
| No trustworthy locked storage is available | Carry the passport in a concealed travel wallet or secure interior compartment that remains under your control. |
| Changing hotels or preparing for possible evacuation | Keep the passport on your person. Do not place it in checked luggage or a bag that can be separated from you. |
Report a valid passport immediately and contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. You need a replacement before continuing international travel or returning to the United States.
Check Local Identification Laws First
Some destinations require foreign visitors to carry a passport or another accepted form of identification. Others allow a copy for routine encounters but require the original for transportation, financial transactions, hotel registration, or government services.
Review the State Department’s Travel Advisory and destination-specific information before departure. Check the “Local Laws and Special Circumstances” and “Entry, Exit, and Visa Requirements” sections. Requirements can change, and enforcement differs by destination.
A copy is a backup, not a travel document.
A photocopy or phone image cannot replace the original passport for international travel, border crossings, or any situation in which authorities require the original document.
How to Carry a Passport Safely
When you need the original passport, keep it concealed and attached to you or inside a secure interior compartment. Suitable options include an under-clothing money belt, a neck pouch worn beneath clothing, or an interior zippered pocket that a pickpocket cannot reach easily.
- Use a water-resistant sleeve to protect the passport from rain, sweat, spills, and humidity.
- Keep it out of back pockets, open purses, outer backpack compartments, and jacket pockets that remain unattended.
- Return it to the same secure location immediately after presenting it.
- Do not display it while waiting in public lines longer than necessary.
- Keep some money and at least one payment card separate so one theft does not take every essential item.
- Never place the passport in checked luggage.
Anti-theft pouches and hidden compartments can reduce access, but no accessory eliminates risk. Choose a carrier that stays under your control and fits the day’s clothing and activities. See our travel accessory guide for passport-carrying options.
How to Leave a Passport at the Hotel Safely
Leaving the passport at your lodging can reduce exposure to pickpockets, water, and accidental loss. Use this option only when local rules and your plans do not require the original.
An in-room safe is preferable to leaving the passport in luggage, a drawer, under a mattress, or another hiding place. Before using the safe:
- Set your own code and test the lock before placing the passport inside.
- Store the passport in a protective sleeve away from liquids.
- Do not keep the passport, all cash, every payment card, and all backup identification together.
- Confirm that the safe is fixed in place or otherwise difficult to remove.
- Retrieve the passport before checkout and verify that it is still there each evening.
A hotel safe reduces risk but does not guarantee security. When the room has no reliable locked storage, carry the passport securely or use a locked travel safe anchored to a fixed object.
Hotels sometimes request a passport at check-in to record guest information required by local law. Present it to legitimate lodging staff when required, and retrieve it as soon as the registration process is complete. Do not leave it with staff for general safekeeping unless local law or hotel procedure requires temporary retention and you understand how and when it will be returned.
Prepare Passport Copies and Emergency Backups
Before departure, make paper and digital copies of the passport’s identification page and any required visas. Copies help establish identity and provide passport details when you need consular help, but they do not remain valid for travel.
- Carry one paper copy separately from the original passport.
- Leave another copy with a trusted person at home.
- Store an encrypted digital copy in a password-protected account or device.
- Avoid sending unprotected passport images through ordinary email or public Wi-Fi.
- Record the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate’s contact information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive embassy alerts and help the embassy contact you or your emergency contact during a crisis.
Develop one routine for the entire trip: keep the passport in the same secure carrier when it is with you, or in the same locked location when it remains at the lodging. Check its location before leaving the room, changing accommodations, or traveling to another city.
What to Do if the Passport Is Lost or Stolen Abroad
Report a valid lost or stolen passport immediately. Reporting cancels the passport, and it cannot be used for travel even if you later recover it.
- Report the passport through the State Department’s lost-or-stolen passport process.
- Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
- File a local police report when the passport was stolen or when local authorities or the embassy request one. A police report is not mandatory for every replacement, but it can document the circumstances.
- Prepare identification, citizenship evidence or copies, a passport photo, and the forms requested by the embassy.
- Do not continue to another country until the embassy or consulate issues a valid replacement.
Use our lost passport replacement guide and Form DS-64 instructions for the reporting and replacement steps.
A private U.S. passport courier cannot replace a passport while you are abroad. Replacement service outside the United States is handled by a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Passport Safety FAQs
Carry it when local law or the day’s activity requires the original. Otherwise, secure it at your lodging and carry a copy for reference.
A working, fixed in-room safe is safer than leaving the passport loose in the room or luggage, but no safe guarantees protection. Test it, set your own code, and check the passport regularly.
A copy can help with identification and replacement, but it does not replace the original for travel, border control, or local rules that require the passport itself.
No. Do not put it in checked luggage or leave it loose in a suitcase. Carry it securely or lock it in a safe location at the lodging.
A tracker can help locate the pouch or bag containing a passport, but it cannot prevent theft and does not provide continuous GPS tracking in every location. Never confront a suspected thief; provide location information to local police.
The State Department cancels it. The passport cannot be used again even if you find it, and you must obtain a replacement before international travel.
Last reviewed: July 2026
Our role: U.S. Passport Service Guide explains passport security and replacement procedures. Destination authorities decide local identification requirements, and the State Department decides passport cancellation and replacement.
Before each day abroad: Check whether you need the original passport, where it will remain most secure, and how quickly you could access it during an emergency.
