How has a copy of a passport helped?

[fischymom]

Having just gotten a smart phone I decided to take a picture if our passport rather than carry a copy. Never had to use it, but thought in a pinch, I could show numbers our picture etc.

 

OHHH very good idea I am going to do this for our upcoming cruise. We never should be at a place we need it but how handy to have it for an emergency. At least you would have the info you need for it.

[Raenstoirm]

For those that want to keep a digital copy of a scanned passport, you might consider a program called CutePDF. It's a free download and spam free. Once installed, it appears in your printer list. Scan the passport, select print, choose CutePDF, and then save the images as a PDF. The PDF version takes up far less space than an image file. I use it for any documentation I take on a cruise by just emailing them to my gmail account which I get on my phone. If I need to print something while on the ship, I can also access it through their computers in the computer lounge and use their printers.

 

To add to that, macs can create PDFs without added software. Creating a PDF is a very good idea. I think I will do that!

[Melozone]

Interesting. It seems that most of the ACTUAL accounts of gaining benefit from this revolve around having the passport NUMBER.

 

As such, I am curious of a scenario in which the actual copy of the passport was more beneficial than the passport number. While I can't imagine setting foot on any foreign soil without my passport, I DEFINITELY wouldn't do it without my passport information.

 

So, assuming you carry the passport number in some other fashion (as I do). How does the actual copy of the passport benefit you? Is there some benefit beyond having the number?

RCI retains our passports on E. Med cruises and returns them the last night. I think a copy is a good idea.

[tulsacubfan]

and then whomever stole your phone gets your information. :rolleyes:

 

That was my first thought as well....FWIW I do have a password on my phone....although not sure that would really stop a thief....

 

I am fairly new to iPhone....is there a way to password protect (again...does that really help) a particular photo or document?

[SlightDraw]

Do not do what I did to my sons passport a number of years ago. I was scanning into my laptop, and he was the last of three to be done. Guess where his passport remained while we were at embarkation. Yep, in the scanner at home. Jeez

[Melozone]

Do not do what I did to my sons passport a number of years ago. I was scanning into my laptop, and he was the last of three to be done. Guess where his passport remained while we were at embarkation. Yep, in the scanner at home. Jeez

lol! I did the same thing with my SD card for my camera...woops!

[SLCfirsttimer]

Do not do what I did to my sons passport a number of years ago. I was scanning into my laptop, and he was the last of three to be done. Guess where his passport remained while we were at embarkation. Yep, in the scanner at home. Jeez

 

HA! I laugh because I had a very similar experience. I typically keep mine if my safe, so when I was doing the online check in that is where I looked. Could not find it there, nor in my dresser, computer desk, suitcases, etc... Tore the house apart and was ready to fill out a lost report and request a new one. On a whim I lifted up the cover of my scanner and there it sat! :D

[estoyer]

We have used our passport (black and white copy) as photo ID at a few check points to get back in the secured port area.

 

Earl & Kathy

[brillohead]

I used my passport as my photo ID to get on the plane.... JUST so that I knew for a fact I didn't leave it at home! LOL

[JaneStarr]

That was my first thought as well....FWIW I do have a password on my phone....although not sure that would really stop a thief....

 

I am fairly new to iPhone....is there a way to password protect (again...does that really help) a particular photo or document?

 

I have a password on my iPhone, but I also keep a separate password on any secure documents. I save them as PDF's on my Mac and encrypt with password. You can email them to yourself to access on web-mail.

 

Not sure if any built-in or free iPhone apps can open password-protected PDFs. I use the PDF expert app. Can't remember if there is a free version that would work. I've been really happy with the paid one on my iPhone and iPad for work. Also like Quick Office for password-protected Word and Excel docs, but it wasn't a cheap app.

 

I know that iBooks can store pdfs. Not sure if it can handle passwords.

I just googled and found there's a free adobe PDF viewer app that offers viewing password-protected pdfs.

Jane