Important question regarding our passports.

[UltraNEO*]

Hey people..

[edit] To save repeating myself, I've added some info cause some people here ain't reading the thread and posting the same answers[/edit]

I want to know something, it's been bugging me for ages... and I'm sure others who travel alot might find it useful too!! Now, I'm not sure am I in any danger but I think recently someone obtained a photocopy of my passport, without my consent as the embarking and disembarking card has been torn out.

Facts: I know I didn't lose it, the last hotel I checked into took copies of the passport & gaijin card. On it's return the clerk pointed out the pages he'd photocopied. Since then I've moved to another location and my passport hasn't left the pouch it's kept in. However, a couple of days ago I've notice some oddities, things in my rooms we're shuffled about and since this ain't no hotel room, I know it ain't room service.

So a question for you folks.

I know our passports are often surrendered to companies in exchange for services and usually those said companies are oblige not to misuse it. I'm talking what IF it falls into the wrong hands? I'm not talking about identity thief, that's the last thing on my mind, since my passport contains a biometric chip.

So hypothetically speaking...

If you have a photocopy of someone else's passport (in this case, mine).. And you was a conniving individual who'd wanna do harm, cause you have an warped mind. What could you do with an original disembarking card and a photocopy of the matching passport?

Could I for instance get banned from a country?
Make entry/exit to a country more complicated? (i'm a foreigner in a country)

Or is there nothing to worry about, cause it's just a photocopy?

 

[Padraic]

I'm also a foreigner and can tell you that in Egypt if you're a foreigner you have to give up your passport for almost everything. To get a SIM card, rent a hotel room, rent a flat, have basic utilities hooked up, etc all require copies of your passport. I don't like it, but that's the way it is. What can they do with it? Dunno...

 

[UltraNEO*]

I'm also a foreigner and can tell you that in Egypt if you're a foreigner you have to give up your passport for almost everything. To get a SIM card, rent a hotel room, rent a flat, have basic utilities hooked up, etc all require copies of your passport. I don't like it, but that's the way it is. What can they do with it? Dunno...

Difference here, is you've given them your consent, in-return you've obtained some service.
As for me, someone stole a copy without my consent.. As far as I can see, they're not belonging to a company or financial institute. They are just some person.. I'm asking cause I'm worried they do something with immigration, some authority.

For the record, Yet I've don't nothing illegal.

 

[bartelby]

Difference here, is you've given them your consent, in-return you've obtained some service.
As for me, someone stole a copy without my consent..
They're not belonging to a company or financial institute. They are just some person.

I'm not sure whether anywhere would accept a photocopy of a passport as proof of id. Places may ask for your passport that they then copy, as you obviously know...

 

[She]

did they copy only your biographic page? or did they copy your visa too?

strange they'd want a copy of your passport because if you're a foreigner living in Japan you should have a gaijin card that is used for ID purposes

 

[arkitect]

I think recently someone obtained a photocopy of my passport.

Why do you think that?
What makes you believe someone has copied your passport?

 

[UltraNEO*]

did they copy only your biographic page? or did they copy your visa too?

strange they'd want a copy of your passport because if you're a foreigner living in Japan you should have a gaijin card that is used for ID purposes

Yep... I know..
I have a "外国人登録カード" so my passport stays home..
along with my traveller checks and stuff.

Why do you think that?
What makes you believe someone has copied your passport?

Because it's been moved, some attached paper work is missing..
and I'm not sure how I should go about resolving the problem.

I'm not sure whether anywhere would accept a photocopy of a passport as proof of id. Places may ask for your passport that they then copy, as you obviously know...

So what your saying, i shouldn't worry nor lose any sleep over it?

 

[xboxer75010]

Yep... I know..
I have a "外国人登録カード" so my passport stays home..
along with my traveller checks and stuff.



Because it's been moved, some attached paper work is missing..
and I'm not sure how I should go about resolving the problem.

That is strange, maybe contact your local embassy were you are at they might be able to offer some assistance.

 

[UltraNEO*]

That is strange, maybe contact your local embassy were you are at they might be able to offer some assistance.

Oh man.. my embassy is far far far way in bleedin' Tokyo!

 

[She]

Where did you keep the paperwork? Home? Work?

 

[Peterkro]

It's possible for someone to use the details from your passport and a fake to create a clone which would pass most checks. However since you possess the original I doubt it will cause you any trouble.

 

[Eraserhead]

It's possible for someone to use the details from your passport and a fake to create a clone which would pass most checks. However since you possess the original I doubt it will cause you any trouble.

Given how many people have a copy of my passport I doubt that its a big issue.

 

[Peterkro]

Given how many people have a copy of my passport I doubt that its a big issue.

No, you are right, it's just that if you are going to use a false passport you may as well make a fake of a existing passport because when checked it will come back as referring to a legitimate one. I suspect I read to many crime fiction novels.( the problem of course is that eventually someone will notice it's being used in two places at once)

 

[UltraNEO*]

Where did you keep the paperwork? Home? Work?

Sorry, didn't you read my previous post?

It's possible for someone to use the details from your passport and a fake to create a clone which would pass most checks. However since you possess the original I doubt it will cause you any trouble.

I'm not worried about the checks, I have a electronic passport with a chip. I'm more worried what one could do with the the photocopy should someone wanted to cause me problems for future visits ect...

No, you are right, it's just that if you are going to use a false passport you may as well make a fake of a existing passport because when checked it will come back as referring to a legitimate one. I suspect I read to many crime fiction novels.

I'm actually thinking of cancelling it and have a new one made while I'm here. Though I'm not sure how I'd cancel it or is the hassle really worth it. Hence, thought I'd ask some folks a question and see. I can't report it lost or stolen.. it's still here.

At least in the UK, passport numbers changes with each new issue (not sure about other countries). So that would make any fakes invalid...

 

[She]

Sorry, didn't you read my previous post?

You said your passport is at home.. does that mean someone broke in, stole your passport, made a photocopy then returned your passport? Sounds kind of strange.. are you sure the missing paperwork hasn't been misplaced by a spouse/girlfriend?

 

[UltraNEO*]

You said your passport is at home.. does that mean someone broke in, stole your passport, made a photocopy then returned your passport? Sounds kind of strange.. are you sure the missing paperwork hasn't been misplaced by a spouse/girlfriend?

Oh i see.. I'm in a shared house, staying with a load of strangers. And yep.. the paperwork i'm speaking about is physically stapled to the passport inlay where the stamp is, anyone visiting Japan will know what I'm talking about.

 

[Eraserhead]

Oh i see.. I'm in a shared house, staying with a load of strangers. And yep.. the paperwork i'm speaking about is physically stapled to the passport inlay where the stamp is, anyone visiting Japan will know what I'm talking about.

Ah I see, if your passport is missing something that was stapled in you may well need to go to the police or something to get a replacement.

I had to do that in Chile when I damaged mine.

 

[She]

Oh i see.. I'm in a shared house, staying with a load of strangers. And yep.. the paperwork i'm speaking about is physically stapled to the passport inlay where the stamp is, anyone visiting Japan will know what I'm talking about.

I know what you are talking about, it's the retained portion of the embarkation/disembarkation card you filled out when you entered the country and it's to be relinquished when you leave the country and hand back your gaijin card.

If you are really concerned, get the passport replaced and a lock on your door (or find somewhere else to live where ppl won't be going through your stuff)

 

[trule]

Because it's been moved, some attached paper work is missing..
and I'm not sure how I should go about resolving the problem.

Are you sure its still your passport and not a copy? I assume you have a biometric passport, they are quite secure.

There is not much anyone can do with a copy of a passport, the information written on it is pretty useless, some of the data is specific but still not much use.

 

[UltraNEO*]

Are you sure its still your passport and not a copy? I assume you have a biometric passport, they are quite secure.

There is not much anyone can do with a copy of a passport, the information written on it is pretty useless, some of the data is specific but still not much use.

I know mine ain't a copy, my signiture is there plus it's a biometric passport.

Umm.. Your assuming someone copies it, creates a counterfeit or a forgery. I'm thinking more longs the lines of third-party submission to governments/boarder control officials whom ain't my own. Being banded from a country cause someone has a chip on their shoulder regarding my race, skin-colour and other demeaning things.

I know what you are talking about, it's the retained portion of the embarkation/disembarkation card you filled out when you entered the country and it's to be relinquished when you leave the country and hand back your gaijin card.

If you are really concerned, get the passport replaced and a lock on your door (or find somewhere else to live where ppl won't be going through your stuff)

Yeah.. that thing, It's kinda slipped my mind as to what it's called
Can i get it replace without it being lost or stolen though?

 

[iPhoneNYC]

When one travels you surrender your passport for all sorts of things from hotels to rental cars. Some hotels keep the passport overnight. If there were funky things one could do you would hear about it all the time.

 

[Signal-11]

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

With your biometric passport, there's not a lot of ways someone will be able to pass themselves as you. As for the arrival/departure card (I assume this is what you're talking about), you can just get a new one at passport control on your way out. People lose these all the time.

I think over the past few years, I've probably given away 30-40 copies of my passports and visas on 4 continents. So far, no trouble.

 

[UltraNEO*]

When one travels you surrender your passport for all sorts of things from hotels to rental cars. Some hotels keep the passport overnight. If there were funky things one could do you would hear about it all the time.

I'd imagine funky things do happen, but it's all hush hush. Hence, in many countries new passport contain a chip with biometric data stored on it.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

With your biometric passport, there's not a lot of ways someone will be able to pass themselves as you. As for the arrival/departure card (I assume this is what you're talking about), you can just get a new one at passport control on your way out. People lose these all the time.

I think over the past few years, I've probably given away 30-40 copies of my passports and visas on 4 continents. So far, no trouble.

That's cause you ain't met anyone conniving enough.

 

[Signal-11]

That's cause you ain't met anyone conniving enough.

Trust me bro, on the African continent, especially in Nigeria, there's plenty of conniving enough.

Don't lose any sleep over this. By the very fact that you're posting this on a public forum, you've left enough of a 'paper trail' to clear yourself of any wrongdoing.

 

[UltraNEO*]

Trust me bro, on the African continent, especially in Nigeria, there's plenty of conniving enough.

Don't lose any sleep over this. By the very fact that you're posting this on a public forum, you've left enough of a 'paper trail' to clear yourself of any wrongdoing.

Hope so...


Anyway, thanks to everyone who commented, I feel somewhat revealed though I'll still contact the local British Embassy just to confirm and get some peace of mind. I hate to think this is my last visit in this beautiful country.