When you’re about to hop on a plane and take off for a faraway destination, it’s always a good rule of thumb to write down your ultimate packing list so that you don’t forget essentials while you’re abroad. That list can include your favourite string bikini, a good pair of walking shoes, and charging cables for your smartphone or tablet. Of course, you’re not going to get very far if you don’t have your passport. You might think that’s a no-brainer, but according to travel experts, you’d be surprised how common it is for people to simply forget to pack their passport, or forget where they placed it.
Former travel agent Jackie Cucco told The U.S. Sun, “When I was a travel agent, way too many people I worked with left their passports at home and missed their flights as a result.” It’s not just forgetting your passport at home, either — you might misplace your little blue book when you’re already abroad, making it difficult to come back home. CNN reports that around 300,000 American passports are lost or stolen each year, so you’re not totally alone if your passport vanishes in a poof of smoke. However, Cucco says that simply investing in a passport wallet can help you avoid forgetting or misplacing your passport. Here’s how.
Passport wallets prevent misplacement
Having a passport wallet might be the ultimate travel hack. “Do yourself a favour and get a special wallet or passport holder to store your travel documents in and always make that the main priority on your packing list,” Cucco says. It may just be a bit of fabric, but it can serve as an essential reminder not to forget your passport at home, and it could prevent you from losing your passport deep at the bottom of your backpack. As long as your wallet is securely fashioned, your passport is less likely to fall out, which will also protect it from theft. There are even some great and stylish passport wallets on the market, like this one by Ecco, that come with a neck lanyard, meaning your passport will always be close at hand! This stylish one by Michael Kors comes with a lanyard and a small pouch for storing your drivers license, coins or small bills, and other travel essentials.
If you do end up losing your passport while abroad, we recommend always carrying two photocopies of your passport ID page. Keep the copies separate from your actual passport. Having your lost passport’s details (it has vital info, like your passport number) will help expedite the passport replacement process.
