[cjlee25]

covers definitely look cool, but i have to agree. passports have to be turned in when they expire. i travel for work and have had to put new pages in to extend my passport. would just be too bulky. but do have to admit the smythson ones look pretty sweet

 

[Penang Lawyer]

Never used one can't see any sense to them. Always carried mine in the inside pocket of my jacket and none of mine ever showed and signs of wear.

 

[rip]

This is basically a thin leather fold that protects the passport, which is made of a cardboard that looks like it wouldn't last ten years of steady use as a form of identification.

Passports are deceptively durable; my current one is in its 9th year, almost through its 2nd set of additional pages (you can imagine how many passport controls it's been through) and it's holding up fine. As far as not wanting to appear American, trust me, very few people need to see your passport to know that... not just you, almost all Americans just look so, uh, American. Beside, the places other than passport controls for which you'll need your passport, such as hotels in most countries, etc., will probably simply "lose" your very expensive cover.

 

[trentblase]

Yeah, I think the covers are a waste of money, especially if you have to take them out for customs. If you travel so much that you're going to wear it out, then you'll probably fill it up before it expires. You should be able to get a replacement if it becomes worn. I'd invest that money in getting a nicer travel bag with an ideal pocket to hold the passport.

 

[eagle2250]

Excellent suggestion, Liberty Ship...certainly appropriate, in response to the information theft threat with which we are confronted these days!

 

[EmbraBhoy]

My parents got me one for my birthday a few years back, and it actually causes more damage as I must take the passport out of the wallet every time. It's the same with the Bi-fold wallet I bought for my ID while flying domestically; security regulations make is useless.

 

[PKJR]

My parents got me one for my birthday a few years back, and it actually causes more damage as I must take the passport out of the wallet every time. It's the same with the Bi-fold wallet I bought for my ID while flying domestically; security regulations make is useless.

I would agree, unfortunately, those things are not really practical in a real life.

 

[cge]

In ten years, if RFID passports are standard and readers are everywhere, passport covers may regain their usefulness, as barcodes will no longer need to be swiped through machines, and customs and immigration may well no longer require that passports be removed from covers. It's quite possible, actually, that they simply won't need to open the passports at all, but I expect it will take quite a few decades for them to realize this.

At the moment, however, passport covers aren't terribly useful. I've kept my recent RFID passport in my inside pocket, and haven't found that it gets terribly damaged. While it's embarrassingly nationalistic, and I do have a tendency to hide it from people (a passport is supposed to be an identification document, not a propaganda pamphlet!), I wouldn't worry about people identifying it. Passports aren't shown to many people, so if you're not identifiable as American, your passport isn't going to make it too obvious.

Besides, people who dislike Americans usually dislike typical Americans, and probably aren't going to change their opinion of you just because you have an American passport. Having an American passport doesn't make you that sort of "American."

 

[Miket61]

Having an American passport doesn't make you that sort of "American."

No, but if they've already judged you as awful, knowing your nationality will aid them in making assumptions about exactly how awful you are.

 

[dport86]

Had a great vintage green Rolex one but agree with all the posters above--you just have to take it out anyway. I've become a fan of the big travel wallets that are big enough to take your tickets, ticket stubs, frequent flyer cards (and display the one you need to get on the plane early/get into the lounge), photos and itinerary. Had a vintage one in English Morocco that lasted for years and was super-trad. When that wore out I went with Hartmann because they are tough, made in the US and offer great service. For long round the world trips it carries everything I need and I drop it in the outside pocket of my carry-on.

 

[Musick]

Passports are deceptively durable; my current one is in its 9th year, almost through its 2nd set of additional pages (you can imagine how many passport controls it's been through) and it's holding up fine. As far as not wanting to appear American, trust me, very few people need to see your passport to know that... not just you, almost all Americans just look so, uh, American. Beside, the places other than passport controls for which you'll need your passport, such as hotels in most countries, etc., will probably simply "lose" your very expensive cover.

Quoted for truth.

Carry your passport naked and be more concerned with your manner of dress and how you carry yourself.

Ive been to 28 countries in the past 5 years including some "iffy" areas (by American standards anyway...not mine) and present my passport (unashamed mind you) 'naked'.

Mine has been carried plain in a pocket, and while showing some "patina", never have I encountered any issues/delays/harassement because of the issuing country (USA in my case).

 

[jst]

+1. I am thinking about buying this protective cover fro my chip passport. But they ask rather high price for shipping to Europe.

In fact any piece of aluminium food foil does the same service.

 

[Naive. Jr.]

Another reason why a passport cover might be desirable

I would think that a passport cover would also serve as a means to prevent loss. None of the above posters seems concern with possible loss.

 

[Orsini]

I would think that a passport cover would also serve as a means to prevent loss...

Please tell us, how so will a cover tend to prevent loss?

 

[Naive. Jr.]

Why a cover is necessary as part of a means to prevent loss

I imagine a passport cover which might be attached somehow, for example, by a neck chain like an identity badge or whatever. The reason why the passcover cover is necessary is because without it I don't see how the passport could be attached without such a cover.

 

[Earl of Ormonde]

I imagine a passport cover which might be attached somehow, for example, by a neck chain like an identity badge or whatever. The reason why the passcover cover is necessary is because without it I don't see how the passport could be attached without such a cover.

What these chaps are talking about isn't for security purposes. It's basically a leather book cover that you put on your passport, just like the cover you put on paperback novel.

The only time I used one was on my old large dark blue cardboard cover UK passport when I was in the RAF, to physically protect it from the elements and travel fatigue!

Nowadays with plastic covers & with the border authorities needing to scan passport covers into quite a narrow gap, a leather cover is both unnecessary & just gets in the way.
That said, I've never seen a cover that is small enough for modern EU style passports.

The black leather covers, specifically designed for the old very dark blue UK passports, were however very snazzy because they had the gold British coat of arms on the front, as did the passport, and two cutouts to reveal in turn the two cutouts on the passport cover containing passport number and name.

Very nice.

Old British passport, the leather cover was exactly the same https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3481508410_c7cbebd8f2.jpg

 

[Orsini]

I imagine a passport cover which might be attached somehow, for example, by a neck chain like an identity badge or whatever. The reason why the passcover cover is necessary is because without it I don't see how the passport could be attached without such a cover.

I see. Thank you for clarifying that.

 

[Naive. Jr.]

How to avoid stupid mistakes

Loss of a passport or a key is very unpleasant, and I'm always interested in learning how to organise myself to prevent such loss.

 

[Earl of Ormonde]

Voila! Leather passport covers for all countries!
And I just thought of something, imagine you're going to a country known to be hostile to yours, you could put a different cover on your
passport....oh what a wheeze that would be! :icon_smile_big: Like it says in that Telegrpah article:
"WE LOVE The passport covers which come in dozens of nationalities (you could do a Jason Bourne and have several)"

https://images.google.se/imgres?imgurl=https://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01442/passport-460_1442272c.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelaccessories/5816490/William-and-Son-Good-buy-guide.html&usg=__jgUL8aU40wBNBcr9NTprRh5oTpI=&h=288&w=460&sz=15&hl=sv&start=16&sig2=2mBVnawYYxKapIEN_Cjw6w&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=RbTOVGh79PwWZM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbritish%2Bpassport%2Bcovers%2Bleather%26hl%3Dsv%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1&ei=uml1S8XIKZD4-Qa12KSdBg

 

[sowilson]

Loss of a passport or a key is very unpleasant, and I'm always interested in learning how to organise myself to prevent such loss.

Use a neck wallet for your passport and then put under your shirt (you will not loose your passport). As for passport covers, they just get in the way and are useless if you travel a lot.