Passport all the time

ray

Hello everybody,

I wonder, being in many parts of the world, i never had to have my passport on me all the time, a proof of ID was enough (eg. anything official with my picture on it, in my case my International driverslisence), because i'm going to drive arround in my own car.

So, if i have a fotocopy from my passport should'nt that be enough??

I don't see people going to the beach, or shopping on the Anjuna fleecemarket having their passport all the time ??

After all, we are not going to the pre-Berlin wall USSR, but to India the biggest Democracy in the world ??

Or am i wrong ??

Jorge Reverter

Hi Ray,

I never go with my passport in India (of course i keep it). I have always several photocopies of the main page of the passport and the visa, and even to book the hotels I never give them my passport, only the photocopies (I've never got any problem, even to change money).

Jorge

aghori

I was asked for passport only in some hotels and in airports. And I didn't carry it with me everywhere, only when I was moving from city to city.
Actually I know one guy who work in Chennai, he said Indians understand better driving lisence then a foreign passport. For example in my case, Indians often looked on my American visa instead of main page, and I had to correct that it is not that. Besides as you probably know not all Indians have passport, but they have many other ID cards.

Yetijuice

I have gone on 3 week treks from Manali to the upper Parvati Valley and to Barabhangal with only photocopies of my passport. I left my passport at a hotel in Manali. Upon completion of my Barabhangal trek at Billing/Bir I was able to cash traveler cheques in McLeod Ganj with a photocopy of my passport.

Yes, for treks from Manali to Zanskar and Ladakh I did carry my passport with me.

I recall reading in the newspapers prior to a vist to Delhi by foreign heads of state that all foreigners in Delhi would be required to carry their passports with them or be subject to arrest. These notices were put in the newspapers two days prior to the dignitaries arrival and repeated each day. That was plenty of advance warning.

phobal

Always always keep it on your person. Not because you NEED it, but because you don't want it stolen. Furthermore, a passport is an undeniable proof of identity, and who knows when you may need it? Say you get hit by a bus and get sent into a coma for weeks? I always kept it in my touristy pouch thing that goes around my neck. Of course, taking it to the beach instead of leaving it in a safety deposit box, hidden, or with the innkeeper is sort of counter-productive now, isn't it? Photocopies are a good idea.

Avnish

I carried my passport around all the time, even to the beach

But as phobal said, mainly so that it won't get stolen or anything like that. I never really needed it for any official business like hotels etc. (had a local address that was used ), except when changing currency.

If you feel ok about leaving it in the hotel etc. they go with it, just as long as you have copies (certified?) as a backup to the worst case scenario ...

Hope this helps.

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