Looking to do some international travel soon? Perhaps you’ve made the most of one of the recent sales held by Australian airlines? One of the most common problems you’ll face is where to securely store your passport while travelling.

Keep it on you

The easiest option in most cases is to keep your passport and other valuables on you in person, at all times. However, this may not be possible if you’re undertaking activities or water sports.

Keep in mind that in some countries such as China, you are expected to have your identification on you at all times. So this may be the only option for you.

How do you secure your passport while on you?

If you do decide to keep your passport on you, ensure it’s secure and away from thieving hands. Pick-pockets are a constant threat in many tourist destinations, so take precautions such as:

  • If available, zip your valuables in internal pockets within your clothing

  • Make use of a secure fanny bag, running belt or other anti-theft bag that can’t be slashed off you

  • If using a bag, put a tracking device such as an AirTag inside so you can track your bag if possible

  • Use a travel neck wallet to store your passport under multiple layers of clothing, making it difficult to steal

  • Make sure you position your passport to the front of your body, so you can keep a closer eye on it while out

  • If possible, use an RFID-blocking passport bag or wallet to avoid would-be thieves stealing data from your passport or credit cards

Hotel safe

The second-best option is to leave your passport and other valuables at the hotel. Most hotels offer a safe either in-room or at reception for this exact purpose.

While many argue about the safety of a hotel safe, the reality is that short of having your passport on you it’s the next best option.

The likelihood of someone breaking into your room, cracking your safe and leaving is reasonably low, although of course this varies depending on when and where you’re staying.

Just remember to collect your passport and other valuables again before leaving your room. A common tip is to leave something essential (eg. a shoe you’re planning to wear to the airport) in the safe too. This acts as a reminder to collect your items before leaving.

In your locked luggage

This is less secure than leaving your valuables in a hotel safe, but if no other option is available than locking them in your bags can be an option.

Look for a location to hide your luggage in your room. Just don’t forget to retrieve it again before leaving. Setting a reminder on your phone, or putting an essential item (eg. a shoe) in the bag can help with this.

If possible, make sure you have an AirTag or other Bluetooth-enabled tracking device in the bag. While any would-be thief will likely dispose of your bag quickly after stealing it - if you notice it’s missing in time you may still be able to track it down with authorities.