Updated February 4, 2024

In my travels, there have been many occasions when I’ve been asked for my passport and a copy was all that was needed. As a result, I’ve learned that to carry laminated copies of your passport is a wise choice. It keeps a passport secure until there’s a valid reason for presenting it.

My recommendation is to make several copies, one for each bag, one to share with a travelling companion, and one to leave with stay-at-home family members. In addition, store a scanned copy in Dropbox or your email account.

9 Tested reasons to carry laminated copies of your passport

By ‘laminated copies of your passport,’ I’m referring to copies of the information page, the one with your passport number, photograph, date and place of issue, and expiry date.

Why carry laminated copies of your passport? 

1. It’s a form of identification in many situations

While it’s necessary to hand over an actual passport to a border services officer, there are many situations when a copy is adequate. I’ve been asked for my passport at hospitals, booking agencies, banks, mobile service providers, supermarkets, credit card terminals, and car rental agencies. In each case, a copy was acceptable.

I’ve used it to establish proof of age when seeking a discount, and have my identity checked against the permit required to hike Taiwan’s Old Zhuilu Trail. Many cities in Central and Eastern Europe offer free public transportation for seniors; in Warsaw, Prague, and Budapest, a laminated copy of my passport met the requirements of transportation workers.

2. To establish your identity when you can’t speak for yourself

If you’re in an accident and lost consciousness, a readily accessible copy of your passport provides first responders with your name, age, and citizenship. These can be invaluable in getting you medical treatment and consular support.

3. To help facilitate getting an emergency passport

If you ever have to apply for an emergency passport, some countries indicate that a copy of your lost or stolen passport will expedite the process. Some jurisdictions require the number of the original passport, date of issue, date of expiry, and place of issue. These particulars are at your fingertips when you carry a laminated copy of your passport. 

4. It keeps your passport secure

Using a laminated copy is an opportunity to keep a passport in a secure, but somewhat inaccessible place. Some travellers advocate carrying their passport at all times in an under-clothing security pouch or a pickpocket-proof bag. Others prefer to leave it in a safe or safety deposit box at their accommodation. Whatever your preference, with a passport securely stowed or locked away, there’s less chance of loss or theft.

In some countries, the hotelier will want to keep your passport in order to record the necessary information to satisfy his or her legal obligations. For travellers who don’t like to be separated from their passports, it’s easier to hand over a laminated copy than to trust leaving the actual passport in the hands of stranger for several hours.

5. It helps keep your passport damage-free

A damaged passport limits your ability to travel. You could be denied boarding an aircraft or denied entry to a country. Examples of a damaged passport include:

• a loose or missing passport cover
• frayed or loose binding
• torn, worn, or curling edges of pages or covers
• warped, bent, or curved covers or pages
• unauthorized markings or stamps, not of official government agencies
• major or minor water damage
• worn or curling edges of pages
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip damage

Every time your passport is handed to a stranger, there’s a risk of damage. It could be stamped with a novelty stamp from a tourist attraction, dropped in a puddle, accidentally marked with a pen, or be the victim of coffee spills.

Travel + Leisure describes the plight of a UK passport holder who was denied boarding a Qatar Airways flight because of a novelty stamp from Machu Picchu in her passport. The holder of this Australian passport was denied boarding a Malaysian Airlines flight from Brisbane to Istanbul via Denpasar. It was a costly outcome: a ruined vacation and non-refundable trip expenses.

6. It saves time

In Cambodia, I was the first in line at the hotel registration desk. Our bike tour organizer had indicated we’d need to present a passport to check in to the hotel. While my cycling companions were rummaging in their gear for passports, I had already checked in with the aid of the laminated copy stored in an easily accessible pocket of my day bag.

Arrival and departure forms usually require details such as the passport number, date of issue, and expiry date – information that is rarely committed to memory. A laminated passport copy might be more accessible than your passport. Mine is. 

7. To avoid breaking the law

In many countries, people are required by law to carry a valid form of identification at all times. For this purpose, and for other reasons, I always carry my Canadian drivers licence in a slot of my wallet phone case. While it’s uncommon to be asked for identification, there may be occasions when producing a laminated copy of your passport quickly satisfies the authorities of your identity, resulting in your ability to be on your way without unnecessary fuss.

8. To get out of a jam

In unfamiliar surroundings, stuff happens. A person might inadvertently break the law without realizing it. Here I was in a country where people drive on the other side of the road, and I was crossing a busy intersection with two sections. I saw the first “WALK” signal but not the second (that had changed to “DON’T WALK”) and besides, I was sticking close to another pedestrian who seemed to know what she was doing and crossing at the same time.

Waiting for both of us on the opposite footpath was a police officer demanding identification. I produced a laminated copy of my passport and was told to stay where I was with the comment, “I’ll deal with you in a moment.” Meanwhile, the other person was advised that her fine would arrive in the mail at the address listed on her identification. I escaped with a caution that the intersection was the scene of a recent fatality and a warning to be more vigilant at pedestrian crossings.   

9. It may prevent extortion

When travelling to a country where corruption is tolerated, it would be useful to carry a laminated copy of your passport. Picture this scenario. It’s a random police (or fake police) stop and you’re asked for your passport. Is the stop designed to extort a bribe? Once your passport is in an extortionist’s hands, s/he may attempt to extort money from you before giving it back. A laminated copy might foil these efforts.

Keep a passport hidden until it feels safe to hand it over. Or suggest the officer (or fake officer) walks you to a nearby police station or to your hotel to retrieve it. At the hotel, there’d be a translator or witness who could likely confirm the legitimacy of the request. A real police officer with a legitimate reason to ask for your passport shouldn’t have an issue with either of these scenarios.

How to make laminated copies of your passport

The easiest and most efficient approach is to use the equipment and expertise of an office supply depot. In Canada, I used Staples.

Why?

• The store has a laser printer that makes copies in colour.
• A guillotine paper trimmer cuts straight edges. It’s more effective than my ruler-and-scissors effort at home. As a dual passport holder, I found it difficult to line up my back-to-back Australian and Canadian copies at home. At Staples, they lined up perfectly.
• Staples stocks different sizes of laminating sheets. It’s cheaper if a single sheet can be used for the number of copies you need.
• The four back-to-back copies of both of my passports cost less than $10 and will last for the 10-year life of my each of my passports.

For additional security…

Might you be interested in making a laminated emergency contact card? It’s the size of a credit card and contains information such as:

• name
• ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact name and telephone number
• citizenship and passport number
• emergency medical insurance policy number and telephone number
• consular services contact number
• telephone numbers of financial institutions’ credit and debit cards

If so, check out How to make a traveller’s emergency contact card in 5 easy steps. One of these cards is usually in the same place as the laminated copy of my passport. 

If you found this post helpful, please share it by choosing one or more social media buttons. Do you carry a laminated copy of your passport? If so, when has it been beneficial? Please join the conversation in the comments below. Thank you.

 

For additional resources on being prepared to deal with emergencies, see

• 10 Best things to pack in case of a travel medical emergency
• 25 Ideas on how to assemble and emergency preparedness toolkit for travellers
• Features of an ideal wallet phone case for travel
• Emergency ID bracelet for travellers

 

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