Should you carry your passport with you in New York?

Your passport is the most important document for your New York trip

• You need your passport to fly to New York—it’s essential. Along with a credit card, it’s the most important thing to bring. Lose it or have it stolen, and you’ll face serious administrative headaches.
• You think it only happens to others? Let me tell you about Ariane, a regular on the New York forum (I’ve changed her name to protect her privacy). During her stay in New York, Ariane joined a guided tour. As she stepped out of a taxi heading to the meeting point on Fifth Avenue, her passport slipped from her pocket and disappeared. She ended up spending half a day at the consulate reporting the loss and waiting for a travel document to get home. New York has many consulates, but it’s a frustrating detour when you should be enjoying your trip.

What to do with your passport in New York

• The safest option is to leave your passport in your hotel room’s safe and don’t touch it for the rest of your stay. This is my top choice—just remember to grab it when you leave! I know someone who realized in the taxi that they’d left their passport locked in the room safe.
• Another option: tuck your passport between two t-shirts at the bottom of your suitcase and lock the suitcase when you leave your room. This works very well too. I’ve used this method many times, especially in rooms without a safe.

How to prove your identity without your passport

• If you leave your passport in your room, how will you prove your identity if police stop you? Bring your national ID card with you. While an ID card won’t get you on a flight to New York, it’s accepted as proof of identity locally, including by police.
• Your ID card can also serve as a deposit when you rent an audioguide at New York museums.
• Bonus: if you lose your ID card, you can still board your flight home.