Passport photocopies

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if it was OK to go down to shore with photocopies instead of the real passports?

We always carry the copies in suitcases but would love to leave the originals in the cabin’s safe.

Cruising to the Italian and French Med in October on the Symphony.

Thanks!!!!!

We never take our passports (leave them in the safe) off the ship with us unless we specifically have to depending on itinerary policy.

We never take our passports (leave them in the safe) off the ship with us unless we specifically have to depending on itinerary policy.

Thank you👌

Taking a photocopy of your passport is fine. It would ease the difficulty in getting a new passport should you miss the ship, and your passport hadn't been given to the port agent. However in many (most?) ports, you are supposed to bring a piece of photo ID (such as a DL) with you when you disembark. It may be required to re enter the port facility when you return. A photo copy of anything would not be sufficient.

Taking a photocopy of your passport is fine. It would ease the difficulty in getting a new passport should you miss the ship, and your passport hadn't been given to the port agent. However in many (most?) ports, you are supposed to bring a piece of photo ID (such as a DL) with you when you disembark. It may be required to re enter the port facility when you return. A photo copy of anything would not be sufficient.

DL makes sense to me, thanks

Some Countries require you to carry your "real" passport

The ship will usually tell you when it is required otherwise take your other Photo I.D. like DL & cruise card

I can only think of one time where we took our passport off the ship. That was because we planned to buy some money at currency exchange store. Even when the cruise says you need it we don't take the original either. Just a copy. The real deal stays in our room safe.

I wonder what I would do if I lost my actual passport while carrying it in a port. Would I be able to get on the flight at the end? Therefore, a photocopy is my preferred method, with a real DL of course.

I wonder what I would do if I lost my actual passport while carrying it in a port. Would I be able to get on the flight at the end? Therefore, a photocopy is my preferred method, with a real DL of course.

To each his own, but we usually have our passports with us when we do land vacations. We only carry them, on cruises, in port if required by that country But we aren't stupid about it, either. We keep them either in a money belt or a neck wallet under our clothing. Quite safe from just about anything short of armed robbery.

I can only think of one time where we took our passport off the ship. That was because we planned to buy some money at currency exchange store. Even when the cruise says you need it we don't take the original either. Just a copy. The real deal stays in our room safe.

As is often mentioned here - on a cruise where US Citizens can sail with alternate ID [DL & birth certificate] instead of a passport, no one will need to see/stamp your passport. The best place for it is the stateroom safe.

On last year's transatlantic round trip, I needed to present my passport [1] at checkin in Brooklyn, [2] to HM Customs on the eastbound leg, [3] going ashore at LeHavre, [4] later that day returning from a Normandy shore excursion and [5] back in Brooklyn. The passport collected stamps at 2, 3, 4 & 5.

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if it was OK to go down to shore with photocopies instead of the real passports?

We always carry the copies in suitcases but would love to leave the originals in the cabin’s safe.

 

Cruising to the Italian and French Med in October on the Symphony.

 

Thanks!!!!!

Our ship kept our US passports until the morning of debarkation. We take photocopies with us just in case and our driver's license as a photo id. We did not need either one in the Italian and French ports. By the way, we never leave passport photocopies in the suitcase. We only leave our address inside on a large piece of paper.

I actually have my passport page scanned into a PDF document and stored in a cloud drive. I can then bring it up from my phone.

I actually have my passport page scanned into a PDF document and stored in a cloud drive. I can then bring it up from my phone.

That's what I do too.

We didn't need to carry our passports ashore in the Med, we just left them in the cabin safe for the whole cruise.

I actually have my passport page scanned into a PDF document and stored in a cloud drive. I can then bring it up from my phone.

Funny, so many people are afraid of having their passport stolen, but not their phone. When a smart phone is MUCH more marketable than a passport.

Taking a photocopy of your passport is fine. It would ease the difficulty in getting a new passport should you miss the ship, and your passport hadn't been given to the port agent. However in many (most?) ports, you are supposed to bring a piece of photo ID (such as a DL) with you when you disembark. It may be required to re enter the port facility when you return. A photo copy of anything would not be sufficient.

On our recently completed Boston to Montreal cruise (with 1 port stop in the US and the rest in Canada), we were required to carry photo id to enter the port facilities at each port when returning to the ship. Both DW and I carried photo copies of our passports, and that was always accepted.

On our recently completed Boston to Montreal cruise (with 1 port stop in the US and the rest in Canada), we were required to carry photo id to enter the port facilities at each port when returning to the ship. Both DW and I carried photo copies of our passports, and that was always accepted.

We had the same on our Canada/NE cruise, they were happy with seeing a PDF copy on our phones and we're from the UK not USA.

Funny, so many people are afraid of having their passport stolen, but not their phone. When a smart phone is MUCH more marketable than a passport.

I don't carry my phone with me ashore, either, unless I need it for something:).

As for photocopies of passports, here is the reason to have one (from https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/lost-stolen-passport-abroad.html:

The following list identifies a number of documents/items you should take with you to the embassy/consulate. Even if you are unable to present all of the documents, the consular staff will do their best to assist you to replace your passport quickly.

Please provide:

• A Passport Photo (one photo is required; get it in advance to speed the process of replacing your passport)
  
• Identification (driver's license, expired passport etc.)
  
• Evidence of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate, photocopy of your missing passport)
  
• Travel Itinerary (airline/train tickets)
  
• Police Report, if available
  
• DS-11 Application for Passport (may be completed at time of application)
  
• DS-64 Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport (may be completed at time of application)
  

Funny, so many people are afraid of having their passport stolen, but not their phone. When a smart phone is MUCH more marketable than a passport.

I tend to agree, and if I could I would definitely be taking my passport off with me when I go ashore. Usually, though, it's in the hands of the purser. The risks if your passport is stolen are a lot greater, though than losing your phone.

However, I also think the risk of cell phone theft is pretty much overblown, but I suppose it's location dependent.

Neither of them are more marketable than cash, though.

Part of my point is, all the people saying they carry a copy of their passport on their phone. Their phone is more likely to be stolen than the passport.

Even if robbed at gunpoint, if you have passport in a separate pocket, you can hand wallet and phone and possibly keep the passport.

Z'Loths suggestion was a scanned copy stored on a cloud drive, not (necessarily) the phone itself. If the phone disappears the uploaded copy is still accessible from the cloud drive via another device.

Part of my point is, all the people saying they carry a copy of their passport on their phone. Their phone is more likely to be stolen than the passport.

 

Even if robbed at gunpoint, if you have passport in a separate pocket, you can hand wallet and phone and possibly keep the passport.

While the person you quoted did mention their phone they said the copy was saved to the Cloud drive, which can be accessed from any computer.

Part of my point is, all the people saying they carry a copy of their passport on their phone. Their phone is more likely to be stolen than the passport.

 

Even if robbed at gunpoint, if you have passport in a separate pocket, you can hand wallet and phone and possibly keep the passport.

I don't know about others, but I have a pretty secure password vault on my phone (in terms of protecting it). And I also have a copy in the Cloud, which isn't as secure, but can be accessed from any computer/phone/tablet that I could use. I also have my health insurance information there.

If you are told to take your passport ashore that means the passport, not a copy. If you aren't told to take it you don't need it, or a copy.

Funny, so many people are afraid of having their passport stolen, but not their phone. When a smart phone is MUCH more marketable than a passport.

If I lose the phone, it is just my problem, it is cheap to replace, and I can delete remotely all thing on phone (both Android [remember to install Google app "Find My Phone" and iPhone). Replacing a passport is much more expensive and it cause a lot of troubles when going out and in to new countries (and to flight).

The passport is an internationally recognized document that identifies who you are, where you are from and often whether you are in the country legally. A creased photo copy of the picture page might be sufficient or it might not. It probably will be on a cruise but not always and not everywhere. I carry my passport with me while in a foreign country.