Where to keep your passport and cards while travelling
Separate daily essentials from backups, and check local document requirements before leaving the passport at your accommodation.
Keep your passport and your backup payment card from becoming one easy-to-lose bundle. The aim is simple: if a bag or wallet goes missing, you should still have a way to identify yourself, pay for essentials and get help.
There is no single answer to whether the passport belongs in a hotel safe or on your person. Local identification rules, the day's journey and the security of the accommodation all matter. Check the destination's official entry and safety guidance before relying on a photocopy.
On travel days
Keep the passport in a closed, accessible compartment that stays with you. Avoid packing it in luggage you may be asked to check or leave in a bus hold. Return it to the same place after a document check instead of slipping it into whichever pocket is nearest.
Use a separate pocket for tickets and small spending money. That reduces the number of times you need to open the compartment containing everything important.
At the accommodation
Check how the safe works before leaving valuables inside. If there is no secure storage, reassess what you carry and how you keep it close. Do not leave documents visible beside an open window or in an unlocked shared room.
The FCDO travel checklist recommends keeping copies of important documents. A copy can help with replacement, but it does not automatically replace the original at a border or identity check.
Store digital copies somewhere protected by a strong login, and make sure you can access them if your main phone is lost. Avoid sending passport scans to unsolicited messages claiming to be from a hotel.
Keep a usable backup
A second card is most useful when it is stored separately and you know its PIN and overseas terms. Record the bank's official lost-card contact details independently of your wallet.
If the passport disappears, contact the issuing country's consular service about replacement or emergency travel documents. Do not book a new route until you know which countries will accept the replacement document. See what to do after a loss for the immediate steps.