If you plan on traveling internationally, then a travel document holder is a necessity. Some people use their document holder to simply hold their passport, while others will get one that holds a myriad of related paperwork, IDs, card, and you can also find some that are concealable in case thievery and pick-pocketing is of concern.
Whether you’re going on adventure travel, or simple sight-seeing, you’re going to want something to carry and protect your passport, and other important documents. If you are a minimalist, at the very least you’re going to need something like a Samsonite Leather Passport Case which is essentially a leather sleeve for your passport. Though passports are made of high quality and tough materials, they can still get damaged unless protected. If you want to maintain the slim profile of your passport, but also carry your credit cards, you can find some leather travel document holders that are little more than the leather passport carrier with 3 or 4 slots for credit cards.
If you’re the type who likes to keep everything organized and in one place, a full travel document organizer might be for you. These are typically longer than your passport holders because they need to be long enough to accommodate your boarding passes. This boarding pass pocket will usually be on the outside for easy accessibility. Beyond that it’s going to have slots for your credit cards, usually a pen holder and pen, and various slots for additional notebooks, documentation and identification. Many travel adventure trips take place in countries that require certain shots and immunizations, so your travel document holder should have a slot for your immunization records as well.
Secure travel document holders can range from the minimalist to the expansive organizer. The one factor that differentiates this type of document holder is their ability to be concealed on the body. Some places in the world have a relatively high crime rate and incidence of pick-pocketing, so hiding your documents in an inaccessible place may be necessary. If you are traveling to a place with a high level of muggings, you may even want to get a fake travel document wallet to hand over, while your real documents are hidden away. The method of hiding these document holders varies. Some are wrapped around the upper leg, some are belted around the waist and under your shirt, while others are a one-shoulder sling type. They also make some that go around your neck, but this type is probably most easily recognized in a confrontational situation like a mugging. It will still deter pick-pocketers. The idea is to make things as inconspicuous and difficult to access as possible. Thieves are looking for an easy mark, and if they have to put forth extra effort, they will simply move on to the next potential victim.
Your personal style combined with the type of travel you’re doing will ultimately determine which type of travel document holder you’re going to need. If it’s a quick business trip, you might just need the passport protector, but if you’re backpacking through Guatemala, you might need a secure travel document organizer. Let your potential surroundings, situation and needs dictate your purchase.