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Should I bring passport on tours

Seattle, Washington
5 posts
Should I bring passport on tours

Hi all,

I'm leaving for Costa Rica this Saturday and I'm really excited. My question is, should I bring my passport with me on my tours? I'm doing a couple things, like ziplining and canyoning, where I'll be moving around a lot and don't want to somehow lose it. I was planning on bringing a copy of it on the tours just in case, and then carrying the real thing around the rest of the trip.

Thanks,

Tom

Chicago, Illinois
Destination Expert
for Costa Rica
15,231 posts
46 helpful votes
1. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

Sounds like a good plan to me. If you can, ask your 1st hotel or hostel if they will make a copy of the page with the entrance stamp as well to show you're legally in the country. Odds are very good you'll never need to show it while out on tours, but occasionally there are roadblocks where the police check passports.

Houston, Texas
Destination Expert
for Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos
12,527 posts
337 helpful votes
2. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

That's what we do - bring a Xerox copy along with us and leave the real thing in the safe back at the hotel. We've never been asked to show it when we're out and about though, just at hotel check in.

Grecia, Costa Rica
Destination Expert
for Province of Alajuela
8,804 posts
16 helpful votes
3. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

agree with the above and your plan. Get a copy of the passport, you need to have the entry stamp and ID page on the copy. This is all you need to carry on tours.

Baltimore, Maryland
527 posts
34 helpful votes
4. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

We just take a picture of ours and store them on our smart phones.

San Jose, Costa Rica
78,947 posts
46 helpful votes
5. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

Great idea the phone picture and or the paper copy…DO NOT take the passport…then if something happen with the passport…it will cost money and time…

roadadvisor

San Jose, Costa Rica
669 posts
6. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

The latest guidance given by the government to its police forces is that a paper (not cellphone image) copy of your Passport is acceptable identification. The copy must contain the entire "photo" page and the entire page with your entry stamp (it's not a visa). Everything should be legible. The hotels know exactly what is needed and how to make these copies. You definitely don't want to take your actual Passport on a tour where it can get lost or damaged.

You should always be within a reasonable distance (your hotel) of your actual Passport, and you should have your actual Passport with you if you are driving.

Seattle, Washington
5 posts
7. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

Thank you all. I already have a photo copy of my passport with the photo page but I will have my hotel make a copy of the entrance stamp as well.

Thanks!

Tom

Playa Guiones...
Destination Expert
for Nosara
3,687 posts
2 helpful votes
8. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

Good idea on the Smartphones, but those should also be left in the hotel safe for some of the tours, such as canyoning!

Edmonton Canada
1,101 posts
57 helpful votes
9. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

I put my copy in a Ziplock bag, so it won't get damaged. It is easy to get it wet in Costa Rica.

10. Re: Should I bring passport on tours

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