We have been travel blogging and vlogging for the past 15 years, and we have had quite a few passports already. And over the years, we have also learned a lot about this most important travel document.
Question: When going out abroad, do you bring your passport with your or leave it in your hotel room? Which is the right move? And what are the common mistakes people make with their passports? In this article, we’ll tackle all of that, along with some practical tips.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! If your are traveling soon and still on the planning stage, you can also visit our The Poor Traveler Masterlist. Here, we compiled travel essentials, including immigration requirements and all our recommended hotels and tours. Just visit this page: TPT Masterlist. Then, scroll until you see the section about Taiwan. We also have a compilation for other destinations around the world.
1. Damaging your passport.
How can you tell if your passport is damaged or mutilated? If it gets a small crease, does that count as damaged already? According to DFA, a passport is considered damaged or mutilated if:
- The passport’s data page is unreadable, or any information is removed, erased, or covered.
- The passport chip is broken or no longer readable.
- The photo on the bio page is unclear, faded, or has dubious quality.
- Some pages are missing.
- The booklet’s hardcover is detached.
- The booklet’s binding has come undone.
- It has been soaked or submerged in water.
- Ink from stamps and visas has smudged or spread.
Earlier this year, a story about a traveler whose passport got a small tear and was denied boarding by the airline went viral. But according to the airline, they consulted the Indonesian authorities, who did not accept the passport, so the passenger was not allowed to board.
So make sure to take good care of your passport. And don’t just leave them lying around the house. If you have kids or even pets — dogs or cats, don’t place it somewhere they can easily reach.
But how else can we protect it? Is it okay to buy a passport sleeve?
2. Using passport sleeve.
Here’s a funny story — I actually got a passport sleeve from the DFA itself when I applied for my passport more than 15 years ago, back when they were still in the old DFA building. This was way before the ASEANA site opened.
But here’s the thing: using a passport sleeve is not advisable, especially the tight-fitting ones. Why? Here are two reasons:
- You’ll be asked to remove it during Immigration checks, both here in the Philippines and in other countries. They usually do this because they also need to inspect the passport.
- Repeatedly removing your passport sleeve makes your passport more prone to damage, especially if you’re in a rush. I know someone whose passport tore for pulling too hard while removing the sleeve. That’s when I realized that it’s really not a good idea.
To be clear, what we don’t recommend is the passport sleeve. What we actually use is a passport wallet or passport holder. So, what’s the difference?
A passport sleeve/cover is where you insert the front or back (or both) passport hard cover. If it’s too tight, it can be hard to take off. A passport wallet or holder, on the other hand, acts more like a container. You can slip your passport in and out easily. In addition, it keeps your passport safer if you accidentally drops it.
We also use small plastic envelopes for extra protection, especially in case of rain or accidental spills on my bag, at least hindi mababasa ang passport. I prefer clear ones, so I can easily check my passport inside.
I bought mine in Conan Town in Japan and has a Detective Conan design because I’m a big fan! But you can also find similar passport envelopes online!
3. Adding an unofficial stamp.
Did you know that adding a souvenir or tourism stamp to your passport is not a good idea? Although slapping unofficial stamps or stickers into your passport might feel like a cheeky travel memento, some immigration officers or check-in agents can see it as passport vandalism.
At one point, I became guilty of this. In Monaco and San Marino, I added unofficial stamps to my then-current passport. Thankfully, nothing bad happened to me. I covered them with official Philippine entry stickers. But there have been a lot of documented cases around the world wherein a traveler was not allowed to board the flight or to clear the immigration because of this. So save yourself from a lot of stress at the airport by keeping it pristine and just having official stamps.
If you really want souvenir stamps, add it on other paper or notebook or old expired passports. Don’t be like me!
4. Forgetting to sign the Signature Page.
Here’s something many people don’t notice: Page 3 of your passportis the Signature Page. It’s small and easy to miss or overlook. But yes, at the bottom of Page 3, there’s a line where you should sign. It even indicates, “Not valid unless signed.”
You might be thinking, “Come on, that’s not a big deal. I’ll sign it later if I forget.” But the problem is, what if you’re not the one holding your passport when you need it? There are complicated cases like this.
This actually happened to me when I was applying for a Japan visa. The Japanese embassy is very strict. They really require a signature. I was applying in Manila for a family member whose passport was unsigned and who was living in the province. That time, visa applications were still processed through travel agencies. The agency I went to refused to accept it because the passport was not signed. Of course, I couldn’t sign on behalf of that family member.
There are many similar cases like this, but they are easily avoidable. It’s a small but important detail, so make sure to sign your passport as soon as you get it to save yourself (or a family member) the hassle later on.
5. Adding stamps on Pages 4-5.
Another thing people often overlook: Page 4 and 5. Ideally, these pages shouldn’t be used for stamps or stickers that are not appropriate. Why? Because these pages are dedicated to limitations and amendments.
There are specific notes and stamps reserved for these pages. In fact, you’ll find the label on the page itself — Limitations, and then, Amendments. And even back when the Philippines still issued arrival stickers, airports had signs reminding travelers to place them only from Page 6 onwards.
We first shared this on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok. And when we posted about this, many people got worried because their passports had stamps or stickers on those pages. Some asked if their passports would be canceled or invalidated because of it. Probably not. In some cases, immigration officers themselves stamped those pages.
Actually, I also experienced this myself. An immigration officer once stamped Page 5 of my previous passport. So it’s not really a big issue, but for peace of mind, it’s best to avoid placing stamps or stickers on those pages unless they are meant for that purpose — limitation or amendment.
6. Not checking the expiry date.
You’d be surprised how many travelers forget this part. Some countries, including the Philippines, require your passport to be valid for at least six months. Even if it technically hasn’t expired, you can still be denied boarding.
Again, this rule does not apply only in the Philippines. But what is the purpose of this rule?
According to VFS Global, this policy is in place to minimize the risk of travelers overstaying visas or if an emergency extension becomes necessary. It’s like a buffer. So always check the expiry date of your passport before you book your flights.
And make sure also that you have enough blank pages when traveling and applying for a visa! Some embassies require at least two blank pages. If you are running out of pages, it’s best to renew your passport.
7. Not having a backup copy.
You should always have a backup copy — a digital version is fine. If your passport gets lost or stolen, having no copy makes it a lot harder for embassies and consulates to issue a replacement.
Between embassy appointments, paperwork, and the emotional trauma of losing the most important document in your bag, the last thing you want is extra complications. So do yourself a favor: snap a clear photo of your passport’s data page, store it in your email or cloud drive, and maybe print one to keep in your luggage. You’ll hope you never need it, but you’ll thank yourself if you ever do.
8. Leaving your passport at the hotel.
Or not? Remember earlier, we asked: When going out abroad, do you bring your passport with your or leave it in your hotel room?
And when you search online, you’ll get very conflicting answers as there are pros and cons to both sides. Some say you should leave your passport at the hotel because there’s a higher risk of losing it if you bring it with you. Others recommend having it with you at all times in case you need it. So, what’s really the best course of action?
We think it depends on the country. Having said that, it’s really important to research the policy of the country you’re visiting, just to be safe.
Note that many countries require you to have your passport with you when you go out. Like in Japan, for example. That’s the law, so you need to follow it. In our case, we often get randomly checked, even when we’re just casually walking around. It happened to us in Hong Kong, and also in Greece. I don’t know why — maybe we look like we’re up to no good. Hahaha.
So for us, we prefer to bring our passports to avoid issues, just in case. We invested in a sturdy body bag and, as we discussed previously, keep our passports in a clear envelope for extra protection.
Yes, we carry our passport most of the time. I say “most” because, to be honest, there are instances that it makes much more sense to leave it behind. Example, if we’re doing water activities for that day and I know I’ll be leaving my stuff unattended at some point, I won’t bring my passport. But those times are rare. So more often than not, we really do bring our passports with us.
We can’t find any official recommendation from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) about this, but personally, we’d rather have our passports with us. Also, if you happen to go shopping, at least you can avail of the tax-free perks.
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