Carrying a copy of my passport in Romania

Question

From what I gather from the following review "Miscellaneous" Bucharest Warnings Or Dangers Tip by Romanian_Bat the police might stop me and ask for my passport randomly. I'm a bit worried about carrying my passport everywhere in case I lose it or it gets stolen. The review mentions carrying a copy but doesn't give any further details.

I am from the UK, but I might not look like a typical person from the UK, I'm concerned that people will mistake me for a gypsie and I'm worried about what might happen if a police officer asks for id and I dont have it with me.

Can I carry a copy of my passport on the street in Bucharest instead of the real thing? Is there anything in particular that I need to make sure of when doing this?

Answer 1

I was in Bucharest recently. It's a safe, pleasant city - and very tourist friendly.

I felt perfectly safe carrying my passport around in a buttoned down pocket. If you're nervous about losing it, I can suggest the following:

• When you check into your hotel, the front desk will make a photocopy of your passport. Ask them for an extra copy and take that as your "ID".
• If you have a driving licence, carry that with you and leave your passport in the hotel safe.
• Don't worry about it. I didn't see any police asking tourists for ID. If you do get asked, politely explain that it's back at your hotel.

Answer 2

I am a US citizen who spends two 90 day periods a year in Romania (3 months in US, 3 months in Romania, rinse, lather, repeat).

Never once have I been stopped, questioned or otherwise asked to see my passport by any law enforcement authorities other than the customs guards upon entry or exit to the country.

That being said, you should always carry some form of identification. A driver's license is more than adequate for identification purposes. Leave your passport in a safe place and only take it out when you are crossing the border or exchanging currency.