Originally Posted by
Badenoch
In foreign countries mine is on my person at all times either in a pants pocket or in an ankle carrier when in dodgy areas. Photos of the passport are on my computer and BlackBerry and photo copies of the picture page are in my hotel safe and luggage.
There are people who are frightful of theft or loss and keep their passport in a hotel room safe and carry photocopies. I believe that is a mistake. The passport is the only internationally recognized form of ID and if you need it you generally really need it and a tattered and creased photocopy might just not do.
I'm not sure hard-and-fast rules are the best option.
In Bishkek, cops in the market tried to get my friend's passport off him while trying to usher him around a corner and out of sight.
He didn't have his passport on him, only a copy. He was fully prepared to tell them that his passport had been stolen and the embassy was replacing it, feel free to accompany him to the embassy to verify (which, of course, they weren't going to do).
I use budget lodgings and I have never trusted hotel safes. If there is a bulky old-style TV set, I have unscrewed the back and stuck my passport/extra cash/cards in there.