How has a copy of a passport helped?

[macruisefan]

I was reading the exhaustive thread about taking passports into port or not. And I have come to the clear cut conclusion that there will never be consensus on this issue. But, as someone who always takes his passport, I am curious about something. To those of you that have taken a copy (black & white, color, laminated, whatever) of your passport ashore: When and how has that been useful? I'd like to hear of some experiences when the copy of the passport was somehow helpful. Was it any more or less beneficial than having some other form of ID? Say a Driver License?

 

Not looking for another thread with endless debate. I'm sincerely looking for reports episodes when this apparent widespread practice has been beneficial.

 

Thanks!

[KarinaGW]

Fortunately, it has never yet been an issue for me. I only take a copy for the same reasons expressed in the thread...getting it lost or stolen would be bad.

 

My theory is that having the copy gives quick and easy access to your passport number if it should come up. With that info, I would think it would be easier for the american consulate or whoever to look you up and help you out.

 

I will be interested in seeing what responses you get.

[JaneStarr]

I was reading the exhaustive thread about taking passports into port or not. And I have come to the clear cut conclusion that there will never be consensus on this issue. But, as someone who always takes his passport, I am curious about something. To those of you that have taken a copy (black & white, color, laminated, whatever) of your passport ashore: When and how has that been useful? I'd like to hear of some experiences when the copy of the passport was somehow helpful. Was it any more or less beneficial than having some other form of ID? Say a Driver License?

 

Not looking for another thread with endless debate. I'm sincerely looking for reports episodes when this apparent widespread practice has been beneficial.

 

Thanks!

We used it to get the VAT rebate form in a shop while in Strasbourg, France. They required the passport # for the store to give us the form.

Jane

[daleb85]

Our color copy got us through a check point that had been known to "ransom"

passports. Maybe we were just lucky.

[mediator]

Fortunately, it has never yet been an issue for me. I only take a copy for the same reasons expressed in the thread...getting it lost or stolen would be bad.

 

My theory is that having the copy gives quick and easy access to your passport number if it should come up. With that info, I would think it would be easier for the american consulate or whoever to look you up and help you out.

 

I will be interested in seeing what responses you get.

 

 

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.

[kingsgirl]

Our color copy got us through a check point that had been known to "ransom"

passports. Maybe we were just lucky.

 

More details please?

[SLCfirsttimer]

 

My theory is that having the copy gives quick and easy access to your passport number if it should come up. With that info, I would think it would be easier for the american consulate or whoever to look you up and help you out.

 

 

A college roommate had her's stolen in Barcelona many years ago and getting a replacement was a bit easier by having a copy when she arrived at the Embassy.

 

Also, on the US State Department website, it states "Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a photocopy of your passport’s information page to make replacement of your passport easier in the event it is lost or stolen."

 

I do not have any experience with being able to use the copy for other purposes, but my understanding is the expediting of a replacement is the primarily cited reason for having a copy.

[Raenstoirm]

 

I do not have any experience with being able to use the copy for other purposes, but my understanding is the expediting of a replacement is the primarily cited reason for having a copy.

 

That was always my thought. If we miss the boat for some reason we can "prove" we are Americans and dont have to go through a lengthy song and dance to get a new passport so we can get home.

[time4u2go]

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.

 

Unless your phone gets lost/stolen too. :rolleyes:

[Iamthesea]

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

[time4u2go]

Another suggestion some have had is to scan your passport and email the image to yourself. Then if you are stranded somewhere, you can presumably use a computer to access the email.

[DebJ14]

We used it to get the VAT rebate form in a shop while in Strasbourg, France. They required the passport # for the store to give us the form.

Jane

 

They also started doing a VAT type rebate in Cozumel and you had to have either your passport or a copy of the info page to be able to sign up for the rebate. Got it refunded to my credit card about 6 weeks after we were there.

[DebJ14]

We have e-mailed copies of our passports to ourselves and to family members so that if we ever get in a pinch and need to have a passport replaced we can access them. I usually take my laptop and the passport copies are saved on that computer in the document file so I just need to turn it on and open the file in addition to being saved in the e-mails.

[necruiser215]

With a copy of your passport, you cna usually get a replacement within 24-48 hours in most countries. much faster than without.

[macruisefan]

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?

[wowprincess]

If you only have the number and no picture Id how do they know it's you?

[macruisefan]

If you only have the number and no picture Id how do they know it's you?

 

Well, that's a whole different discussion. I assume no one in their right mind would go into a port without photo ID.

[SLCfirsttimer]

Another suggestion some have had is to scan your passport and email the image to yourself. Then if you are stranded somewhere, you can presumably use a computer to access the email.

 

Along with this, there are several services that allow you to save a file to the cloud and access it anywhere you have an internet connection. I use hotmail and they offer skydrive for free that allows for this. I think both it and the email option work equally well.

[Coralc]

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?

 

No one is stopping you from carrying your passport with you in port. Many of us just choose not to. Most of the time we just take our passport card onshore with us. It has the same chip in it as our passport does (and our passport number). :)

[Moeve]

These copies are acutally mean't for something else.... In the event you loose the passport and need to get a quick replacement at an embassy you have all the details of the lost passport at hand they might need to issue you a new one and cancel the old one so that it redflags on use. The same applies to the police report you will need to place in the event it is stolen.

[joysav]

Along with this, there are several services that allow you to save a file to the cloud and access it anywhere you have an internet connection. I use hotmail and they offer skydrive for free that allows for this. I think both it and the email option work equally well.

Thats the way to go.

 

And you must use WEB Based EMail not Pop

 

And also unzipped

 

Also use reasonable sized images preferably in .JPG

 

You might have to use a very simple setup with only a Web Browser on it , in a worse case scenario.

.

[drarill]

Unless your phone gets lost/stolen too. :rolleyes:

 

True!!! We scan our passports and send the copy to our email. In case the passport and the smart phone is stolen, we just need a computer to get a copy of our passport.

To the original OP, having a photocopy or a picture of your passport is really convenient in Europe. To get the VAT return. :)

[trojan3000]

Four of us went ashore in Canada as we came back to the ship we handed in our passports and were waved through our friends handed in copies of their passports and were stopped. They were told that the copies were not legal documents and that they could be forged easily if they tried to use them again they would be denied boarding

[necruiser215]

Four of us went ashore in Canada as we came back to the ship we handed in our passports and were waved through our friends handed in copies of their passports and were stopped. They were told that the copies were not legal documents and that they could be forged easily if they tried to use them again they would be denied boarding

 

Correct. They ar enot meant to be used in place of a passport when told a passport is needed, but to aid in getting a replacement passport.

[Big_G]

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.