When traveling to other countries, it is a good idea to purchase a passport pouch that allows you to carry a passport safely and securely on your body. There are several different designs available on the market, including neck- and belt-style pouches. By wearing a passport pouch, you can avoid the very significant hassle of having to replace a stolen passport while in a foreign country. Another advantage to owning one of these pouches is that it can be used for the secure, hands-free carrying of identification and other items at other times.
Tourists are often the targets of thieves, in part because travelers often carry foreign passports that can be sold on the black market or used in identity theft scams. For this reason, there are many different types of passport carriers on the market. One type is attached to a belt that can be worn around the waist underclothing, while the other is suspended from a cord and is to be worn around the neck.
Your choice of passport pouch should generally be made according to your own personal preferences. The belt-style pouch may be a good option for those who are uncomfortable with the cord around their neck or who are concerned about a pouch showing from underneath a blouse or shirt, while a neck pouch may make your cash and passport slightly more accessible while you are traveling. You may wish to look for a passport pouch that has more than one section so that you can organize your funds and travel documents for easy access. Another thing to consider is whether you plan to use the passport pouch for purposes other than travel, such as a way to carry items while you work out or engage in other activities in which you want to keep both hands free.
It should be noted that thieves are well aware of the existence of passport pouches, and a particularly aggressive thief who has no problem with physically assaulting his or her victims will probably check around your neck or waist for a pouch if you are chosen for theft. What a passport pouch does do, however, is make it far less easy for less violent thieves to snatch your passport from you and can help prevent a situation in which you accidentally drop your passport or leave it behind somewhere. It can also be helpful when traveling to carry money and identification in separate places so that if some of your funds are lost or stolen you still have other resources while traveling.