5 Tips For Safeguarding Your Travel Documents

According to the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA), each year more than 300,000 U.S. passports are reported lost or stolen. That statistic emphasizes the importance of safeguarding not just your passport but all your travel documents and currency.

The USTIA offers 5 tips for safeguarding your documents:

Tip #1 – Make a couple photocopies of your passport face page. Bring one with you and leave one with a friend or relative at home. And it’s also a great idea to pack an extra set of passport photos, which would be helpful in expediting a passport replacement, should you need one.

Tip #2 – Bring only one or two credit cards. If you are traveling with someone else, make sure you each have different credit cards. If one of the cards is stolen, you still have the ability to pay for items on your trip.

Tip #3 – If you use travelers’ checks, keep a list of the check numbers in a separate place and track the checks you have used. It is also important to leave a copy of the travelers’ check numbers at home and accessible to a friend or family member.

Tip #4 – When staying at a hotel do not leave any documents out in your room. Always use the hotel safe for your passport, tickets, excess cash and credit cards. This is better than carrying everything with you as you explore a city. Be sure to take everything with you when you check out.

Tip #5 – Wear security belts, pouches and wallets to carry money and documents while traveling, especially to areas known to have pickpockets. Also, be familiar about the areas around your hotel and carry the hotel’s phone number with you to call for assistance if you have problems getting back to the hotel.

For more information about USTIA, go to http://trip.ustia.org/security/articles/1128/safeguarding-travel-documents/. Contact us directly at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/pages/contact.