Learn to value your passport

UK travellers are persistently undervaluing the importance of their passport, says leading online travel insurance specialist, Essentialtravel.co.uk which claims the value of a passport is far more than the £72 it costs to replace it.

Whilst 62,364 passports were lost and stolen in the UK in 1999, this total has increased year on year and stood at 290,996 in 2006. In a world in which identity theft is now endemic, this constitutes a serious problem according to Essential Travel, particularly when the identity theft is now often linked to the issue of immigration.

Essential Travel says there is a rampant black market for forged and altered passports in many countries. Stealing and modifying passports is a common technique and stealing a person’s identity, just to enter another country illegally, is on the increase, however much it may smack of The Day of the Jackal.

The majority of lost and stolen passports go missing whilst the holder is abroad, creating a huge problem. Whilst a temporary passport may be issued, the holder could still be delayed for a few days, experiencing additional costs for accommodation and frustrations in terms of not finding a flight home.

This aspect of travel insurance protection is often overlooked, but cannot be ignored. One holidaymaker who had her passport stolen on a day trip from Turkey to a Greek Island, was left alone on the island for over a week, whilst a new passport was issued. She then had to wait three days for a flight. Her estimation of the additional cost involved came to £800.* Such costs could have been reduced by action taken prior to travelling, to help minimise the risks.

Essential Travel’s Stuart Bensusan says: "Any passport holder should note down the number and issue date of their passport and keep those details in a safe place. They should also take two copies of the page in the passport that carries their photo, leaving one lodged safely with a friend or family member, and one packed for travel in a separate place from the passport itself.

"Many unnecessary delays in issuing a temporary passport occur because the authorities do not have the details of the lost or stolen document. Taking another form of photo ID is also advisable. As well as exercising duty of care, travellers can buy a travel insurance policy to cover loss or theft of their passport, reducing or covering any additional costs they may experience through this situation."

Whilst abroad, every effort should be made to protect the passport, says Essential Travel. Best advice is to carry it unseen, in a body belt worn underneath clothing. Carrying it in a bulging, visible bum bag with all other valuables is just asking for trouble.

In hotels, passports can be kept in a security deposit box, though in some countries this too may be placing details at risk. In a survey conducted by Capital One, in August 2007, only 45% of respondents said they used hotel security deposit boxes: 34% kept their passport on them at all times.

If the hotel requests they keep the passport, to note down details for their local police, stay with them whilst they do so and take the passport away afterwards. If they will not allow this, request they do not leave the passport out on show in the room’s pigeon-hole, or in your room.

If you do lose your passport whilst abroad, the loss or theft needs to be reported to the local police and to the country’s British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. The overseas government officials can then assist with the issuing of a temporary or full passport, for further/return travel.

Ironically, identity theft is also causing more of us to carry our passport with us when travelling in the UK, whether to satisfy ID checks at the bank, or to enable us to board an airline bound for a UK destination. Where a passport is lost or stolen in the UK, the theft should be reported to both the police and the UK Passport Office. Form LSO1 needs to be completed and supported by a new passport application form, as well as support documents and the relevant fee. This is typically £72, as a Premium Service cannot be used in the case of a lost or stolen passport.

"The true value of a passport is almost incomprehensible for any British Citizen not living in a country where escape to the UK is a dream come true", says Stuart Bensusan. "Selling on passport details to the black market can be a lucrative business, even if the thief does not want to use the passport themselves. This makes a passport a jewel that needs to be protected both at home and abroad."

Checking your passport’s details is also vital. Many countries will not allow a traveller to enter their borders unless they have at least six months left to run on their passport following their scheduled date of return. Travel insurance would not cover a person unable to complete their trip because they neglected to check their own passport’s validity.

Every country has its own rules on passports and visas, so it is the traveller’s responsibility to wise up on these, as sometimes they can be quirky and unexpected. South African immigration often turn people back if they have fewer than two blank pages left in their passport. Entry into Cyprus may prove difficult if a passport already has a Northern Cyprus stamp within it – a situation that can also arise in relation to Israel and the Middle East.

Stuart Bensusan concludes: "We can only hope to stem the trend in relation to passport-related crime if we start to attach a greater value to our passport. This means keeping it safe, noting its contents and not leaving it in places where others can have easy access to its details. If we don’t do this, we could well find ourselves with an unwelcome double, causing us further stress and heartache later.”

This very situation occurred when BBC Sports Kofi Sekyere found himself thrown into prison in Slovenia because someone had used details from his stolen passport to commit a 450,000 Euro fraud in Germany. His passport was stolen in the UK.**

Details of Essential Travel’s policies, which can include passport cover of up to £300, can be found at Essentialtravel.co.uk. Further advice on passports is available from Passport.gov.uk.

*According to a story that appeared in the Ilkley Gazette (archive.ilkleygazette.co.uk)

**http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk