I just wanted to throw a question out there for all those who've traveled for longer periods of time. What ID's do you guys carry around with you? Do you carry your passport with you? Do you carry your Spain ID only or both the (for example) NY Drivers License also? I'm just trying to get a sense of what you guys carry around with you and how you keep the important stuff safe.
Thanks!
"He who hath not a dram of folly in his mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter in his composition".
Posts: 334 | Location: New York, USA | Registered: 06 June 2003
Hey! I never carry my passport unless I know I need it that day, I carry a photocopy folded in my wallet. I do carry my Massachusetts ID because I dont have a spanish ID, but once I get one, I would probably still carry both. If you do carry your passport, have a photocopy in a safe place at home, because I have heard that it is easier for the embassy to issue you a new one if you had a copy of the old one, it's faster. And, most states have websites where you can renew a lost or stolen license and have it mailed to you for a small fee.
Another idea that I do, I keep one extra credit card that I dont use at home in a safe place, so that if I am pickpocketed, I will still have another credit card to use to fall back on while I am waiting for replacements. You can also keep a few travelers checks around somewhere for the same reason instead of a credit card.
Posts: 541 | Location: Madrid (but from Boston) | Registered: 16 December 2002
You can also make up your own I.D. card for some library or university, the right paper, a photo, a stamp, some sqiggely signatures and laminated are enough to satisfy most I.D. seeking geeks (except Guardia Civil) I used to use a bus pass, except I didn't call it that.
Posts: 222 | Location: madrid,spain | Registered: 21 July 2002
I always carry my ID with me, but never the passport, because it's too big and it's harder and more expensive to get a new one, if it's stolen. The credit card I only take with me, if I want to go shopping. So it can't be stolen and you can't go shopping everyday (that's better for the bank account). And the ec-card (Maestro card) I always leave at home, because I only need it to get money from the bank. Hope that helps
Posts: 80 | Location: Madrid (original Munich) | Registered: 15 January 2003
I have credit cards but I don't use them, just the debit/credit. I plan on carrying that and a copy of the passport plus my NY drivers license. I'll keep the passport and a copy at home with a backup credit card and debit card. thanks guys!
"He who hath not a dram of folly in his mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter in his composition".
Posts: 334 | Location: New York, USA | Registered: 06 June 2003
I have colour photcopies of my residencia and driving licence which I have laminated and both have been accepted as ID, and by the police when I got caught speeding!! These are all I carry with me.
________________________________________ Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
The "ec card" is the "eurocheque card". Maybe that's a typical european thing. We all have it here. It's pretty cool. You get it from your bank and you can pay with it all over Europe and you can get money from nearly every bank, who has the "maestro" sign. And it doesn�t cost a yearly fee like the credit card.
Posts: 80 | Location: Madrid (original Munich) | Registered: 15 January 2003
