Has your passport ever been stolen?

[wassup4565]

Lots of discussion on several threads about whether to lock your passport in your cabin safe while ashore, or whether to take it with you in foreign ports.

 

This is not a thread to speculate about whether you think your passport COULD be stolen.

 

Just answer the question: Has your passport ever actually been stolen?

[Ashland]

Yikes..no, thank goodness...and the reason I always leave it in the cabin safe except when we were required to bring it with us in SPG Russia...

[Laughing Angel]

No, it has not.

[dorisis]

Have had passports since 1968 and never had one lost or stolen.

[14Terry]

Nope

 

 

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[fishywood]

Not me but my girlfriend has. Left her purse on the luggage cart while she was grabbing her bag off the airport carousel. Took nearly three weeks for the US Embassy to issue temporary one so she could fly home (was visiting her native country). We both now carry our passports in a neck pouch tucked under our shirts.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Neither of us have had our passports stolen -- yet

[sparks1093]

Not me but my girlfriend has. Left her purse on the luggage cart while she was grabbing her bag off the airport carousel. Took nearly three weeks for the US Embassy to issue temporary one so she could fly home (was visiting her native country). We both now carry our passports in a neck pouch tucked under our shirts.

 

Did they ever say why it took so long? That is unconscionable.

Edited January 30, 2014 by sparks1093

[paul929207]

Neither of ours has been stolen

[cruisemom42]

Mine has not but I have been with a colleague (actually with me) who had his stolen in Rome at the main train station in the morning. He was able to get a replacement that same day.

 

On a different business trip, there were a group of us from the US visiting Barcelona and as part of our meeting, a walking tour of the city had been set up. Despite warnings to leave billfolds, passports, etc. at the hotel, several in our group had their wallets stolen out of back (and FRONT) pockets, as well as one person who had their passport taken. I believe the passport was replaced the next day (but to be fair, the theft occurred mid-afternoon).

 

I never carry my passport unless mandated to do so and if I do carry it, it is in a secret pouch secured inside my clothing.

[Hlitner]

Nope, because we take extraordinary precautions to always keep our Passports in a safe place (whether it be a hotel safe or on our person). But we did see two cruise passengers (a NYC Policeman and his wife) have their Passports stolen (last year) on a beach in Tel Aviv, Israel. This couple decided to take a quick dip in the sea and left their valuables (including Passports) on the beach after asking a nearby couple (also from the cruise ship) to please watch their stuff. They were in the water about 10 min and when they returned all their valuables were gone and their "watchers" said they did not see a thing.

 

I turned out to be a real mess (spoiled 2 days of their cruise and cost them some money) but they were able to get replacement Passports in 2 days while the ship was overnighting in Haifa.

 

Hank

Edited January 30, 2014 by Hlitner

[hansolosmom]

Not mine, but a friends was - he had it in the front pocket of his backpack, so it was an easy pull. It happened in Paris.

 

Also in Paris, 2 men tried to grab my husband's suitcase while getting off a subway train. It had all his papers inside of it.

[sail7seas]

Thankfully, we've never had passports lost or stolen. We try to take all reasonable precautions but know it can happen to most any of us no matter how careful.

 

Years ago, when touring in Europe, I often wore long full skirts. I sewed zipper pockets at the hem of a few slips and would carry my passport zipped into that pocket. That was about as safe as I could secure it particularly through airports etc

[dwjoe]

No.

[navybankerteacher]

No. But table mates on an October 2012 trans-Atlantic from Rome had been travelling in Italy before the cruise. Two days before embarkation they had their small suitcase grabbed in the Milan railway station - it held EVERYTHING trave-related: passports, cruise documents, even the ignition key for their car which they had left at a friend's house near the airport they would fly to after disembarking in Galveston. They were able to have a son email them copies of cruise docs from their home computer "travel file", they spent a day at the US consulate in Milan getting new passports (luckily it wasn't a weekend) and got to Rome late the night before embarking. They spent much of the cruise decompressing and trying to figure some way of getting a replacement ignition key obtained by their son from the dealer and FedExed to the hotel they were going to stay at in Galveston.

 

I never heard the end of their story - but am now more careful than ever.

[ducklite]

Nope. Passport rides in a waist belt under my clothing where someone would have to take off my pants or skirt to get to it.

 

I did damage my passport by washing it once. Fortunately I was home with no international travel planned. I won't make that expensive mistake again.

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

Edited January 30, 2014 by ducklite

[greatam]

Not me but one of my employees and one of my customers who were together for a food show in SE Asia (Thailand) had their computer cases stolen. And those two idiots had their passports in their computer bags.

 

My employee had never been overseas. I REPEATEDLY told him NOT to take his passport with him anyplace. Leave it in the hotel safe or safe deposit box at the hotel front desk. They were going back and forth between the Sheraton Royal Orchid and the Peninsula hotel on the water taxi for the food show. Both of them had their computer bags with them. When they got to the Pen dock, someone grabbed both bags and off the water taxi they went. These guys were just SHOCKED (knowing them, they probably just stood there in amazement). They were very, very worried about their computers. Then I asked what else was in their bags. They both said their passports and misc. paperwork. I was SHOCKED that they were idiots enough to have their passports with them.

 

It took two days to get them passports. Thank goodness, we had copies of our employee's passport which eased the process. They did EVERYTHING wrong on that trip they possibly could have, including getting drunk in a sleazy bar. Last time for that employee to go overseas until he "grows up a little bit".

 

Did you know NON CHIPPED US passports go as high as $40,000 on the black markets in Mexico and the Middle East? And there are rings in the Caribbean and Mexico that prey on tourists JUST for the passports. While the end user may pay $40,000, the thieves only get a small fraction of the money but to them $1000 is a FORTUNE.

 

Chipped passports solved some of the theft problems but I am sure one of the many, many very sophisticated worldwide hackers has figured out a way around those chips.

[YubaSutter]

Lots of discussion on several threads about whether to lock your passport in your cabin safe while ashore, or whether to take it with you in foreign ports.

 

This is not a thread to speculate about whether you think your passport COULD be stolen.

 

Just answer the question: Has your passport ever actually been stolen?

 

Yes, on a train in Europe over 20 years ago. Luckily it was my last stop before going home. Was a bit of a hassle getting the necessary documents to fly home.

[GlasgowGuy]

I've never had mine stolen but my partner and I did have a few pickpocket attempts while in Barcelona. While on a cruise we leave our passports in the safe and carry photocopies of our passports with us. All cash, cards etc are tucked away safely in a wallet secured to our waistbands which also has a strap that goes around your neck.

 

If you need to carry it with you be very diligent and beware of anyone getting too close, especially on public transport.

[SwissDave]

No, because it is always locked in either the hotel or cruise ship safe. Only time it is on me is if the country being visited requires passport to be physically with me in case of police checks, otherwise other government issued ID is sufficient.

[Shmoo here]

Yes, although not on a cruise. And it was my fault. Taking a taxi from train station to hotel in Munich, I left my purse sitting on the floor of the taxi when we got out. When we realized it, we contacted the taxi company - of course, no purse.

 

Thankfully, Munich has an embassy. And I was traveling with my mother (who still had her passport), so she could vouch for me. It took 2 days to get the new passport.

 

We were already going to be in Munich for 3 days, so really not much effect on the trip overall.

 

On cruises, except for those ports that the cruiseline tells us that we will need our actual passport off the ship, we leave the passports in the safe, and carry ship's card, driver's license, and copy of info page from passport.

[boogs]

I haven't had mine stolen - I never take it with me unless required, preferring to leave it secured in a room or hotel safe. While traveling with another couple a few years ago, we were climbing up a long narrow flight of steps in Talin, Estonia. Our wives were a few people ahead of us. Two young men quickly passed me and I got suspicious since they seemed in a hurry, so I yelled out "Watch out for two pickpockets approaching you!" The men instantly turned around and ran back down the steps. Not sure if we avoided an attack, but it sure seemed like it. You need to be vigilant at all times.

 

Both my buddy and I bought a pair of pants designed to make it very difficult for a pickpocket to get into the pockets. They are called P_Cubed Travel Pants by Clothing Arts. All the pockets are zippered, with a button down flap covering the zipper. http://www.clothingarts.com/ They are available in shorts, casual and business styles.

 

 

 

The wives bought travel purses from PacSafe that have mesh wire woven into the fabric, and with a steel cable inside the strap, both designed to prevent a thief from cutting them open. The zippers can also be secured closed. http://pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&activity_id=44

 

Edited January 30, 2014 by boogs

[kcwingwalker]

Never have had my passport stolen and no one in my family has.

[14Terry]

Ours have never been stolen.

 

 

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[NMLady]

Lots of discussion on several threads about whether to lock your passport in your cabin safe while ashore, or whether to take it with you in foreign ports.

 

This is not a thread to speculate about whether you think your passport COULD be stolen.

 

Just answer the question: Has your passport ever actually been stolen?

 

Never had it stolen because I always leave it in the safe.