Questions tagged [security]

The state of being free from danger or threat. Use with questions about things or money; when referring to people, use "safety" instead. When referring to airport security procedures, use "airport-security" instead.

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1 answer
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How is a threat to public order and/or national security determined for visa-free entry to a Schengen country?

If someone with a terrorism conviction from Canada, dating back more than 13 years, is attempting to travel for leisure to a Schengen-area country, what are the chances that they will be refused entry?...
legalbeaver's user avatar
28 votes
4 answers
5k views

Is it safe to become separated from your passport in a foreign country?

I'm an American citizen currently on a multinational trip through Asia. I'm in Malaysia now and the country I'm most interested in visiting is China. However, China has a particularly complicated visa ...
Kyle Delaney's user avatar
  • 1,235
3 votes
1 answer
309 views

Terminal 3 Heathrow - Bad facilities can I go into Terminal 2 first?

We are flying to America with Virgin (LHR T3) and wanted to have a big breakfast but the options are not great in Terminal 3. Is there any way we can check the bags in at T3, walk over to T2, go ...
Dave Fielding's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Doing laundry in European hostels

I will be staying in hostels while backpacking across Europe. Because adding extra luggage will be expensive, I will have to travel for a couple of weeks with only a small backpack. I have a couple of ...
Ryan Hendricks's user avatar
12 votes
0 answers
423 views

Requesting a copy of the US Secure Flight Overflight Table

I am currently facing a challenge with a client who is experiencing difficulties while attempting to fly out of Canada. I posted about it a few months ago here - Canadian citizen likely on a US no-fly ...
legalbeaver's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
105 views

India flight security checks

While booking a ticket for someone, I used her first name and husband's initials (Kalyani S) instead of her full name (Kalyani Chaudhary). Her Aadhar card and other documents provide her full name. ...
V RENGARAJAN's user avatar
35 votes
5 answers
10k views

Canadian citizen likely on a US no-fly list. How do they avoid US airspace? What are flights from Canada that don't trigger APIS requirements?

There are two questions that I have already found on the site that attempt to answer certain parts of my question (Canadian citizen, on US no-fly list. What can I do in order to be allowed on flights ...
legalbeaver's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
235 views

What parts of Warsaw, Poland have more risk of robberies?

Is there any public place or neighborhood in Warsaw city, Poland known for robberies, that I should avoid after sunset?
user366312's user avatar
  • 1,097
28 votes
3 answers
10k views

Is pickpocketing still a problem in Barcelona even though people don't carry cash anymore?

If you read travel websites about Barcelona they will often talk about it being the "pickpocket capital of Europe" or at least about how pickpockets are a major concern. However, in the last ...
User1's user avatar
  • 401
3 votes
0 answers
103 views

What is the current security situation in Chisinau, Moldova?

I'm planning on visiting Chișinău in the next month, mainly photographing architecture with a large DSLR during the day in the central part of town. Has the recent war in Ukraine changed the security ...
Robert Anton Reese's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Sealed Duty Free bag back through security at a different airport (not transfer)

I bought some whisky in Kuala Lumpur and have since travelled to Bogotá for a few days. Can I bring the sealed duty free bag with the whisky from KL back through security at Bogotá on my return ...
Mark Tennant's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
3k views

Are people allowed to keep cash in pocket when going through security?

They tell people to empty stuff into a tray, but what is the point of putting notes such as travel money in there?
moo's user avatar
  • 61
-6 votes
1 answer
345 views

How common is in-flight theft? [closed]

Reading American Airlines Passenger Steals $10K+ Inflight made me wonder how common in-flight theft is. However, I couldn't find any stats so far. Note: I'm looking for actual stats, and not opinions.
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
27 votes
5 answers
13k views

Why does the TSA frisk you after having you pass through the scanner?

Why does the TSA frisk you after you have gone through the body scanner? This has happened to me every time I fly and a few times the "frisk" was unannounced. The first time a TSA agent ...
Linda Reynolds's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
472 views

Is it really necessary to pay for another pay card when traveling to a different country? [closed]

I seriously am annoyed by the ~$6 my bank eats from my account every month to have the account in the first place and to get a VISA Debit card sent home every four years. I've read so many times here ...
Localtrotter's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why do hotels (apparently) require you to leave and then ask for your room key back at the reception when leaving/returning to the hotel? [duplicate]

I've never once been in an actual hotel, and definitely not as a paying guest, so I base this entirely on 50+ year old movies and TV series, as well as various remarks and books/stories. It appears as ...
Selene Gritts's user avatar
4 votes
6 answers
2k views

Is there anything wrong with this money/security plan to travel to "just about any country"? [closed]

If I were to go somewhere on vacation, I would do this after booking the flight ticket: Make damn sure that there is, and will be, enough money on my bank account. Inform my bank about which date ...
J. S.'s user avatar
  • 41
2 votes
2 answers
308 views

Will I be able to travel from Ireland to France if I'm negative for COVID-19 but don't have a vaccine?

I'm planning on travelling to Nice, France at the end of July/start of August. The vaccine roll-out by the Irish government is slow and although my family member who is 40 has gotten vaccinated, it ...
Eric Hernandez's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
874 views

Is it ever useful to allow access to phone data when connecting one's phone to an airplane USB plug?

If not, then why is the USB plug configured to ask to access data, which is typically the case?
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
810 views

Is it normal for GetTransfer.com carrier scheduled to taking me from Istanbul airport to ask me for fullname, nationality and passport number?

I have scheduled a transfer on GetTransfer.com from Istanbul's Ataturk airport to my hotel for two adults (me and my wife) and two infants under two years old and got the following message from the ...
Abdalla's user avatar
  • 189
25 votes
2 answers
2k views

What behind-the-scenes checks happen when passing through passport control at an airport?

What is supposed to happen when you arrive at passport control and you hand over your passport to a bored chap behind a sheet of perspex? Just before covid-19, I accidentally traveled the world on a ...
ConanTheGerbil's user avatar
-7 votes
3 answers
244 views

Are cruise ship harbors and airplane airports really this lax security-wise? [closed]

When traveling by commercial, low-cost airplane flights to a location, they frequently make a "stop in the middle" for some reason, forcing all the passengers to exit the plane, wait around at or near ...
Saikrishna Minehan's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
233 views

Is it really necessary to physically visit a given location in order to "truly get the place"? [closed]

I have many times heard people, usually well-traveled such, claim that I cannot possibly "get" a place until I've physically visited it and "experienced it with my own eyes". But is this really true? ...
Nevel Baranyi's user avatar
22 votes
8 answers
9k views

Where to store passport during day trip in foreign country [closed]

In the USA, what would be the best practice to keep my passport safe when I go e.g. to the beach for a day trip? I'm worried that I might easily lose it on the beach (Solo traveller). On the other ...
stephanmg's user avatar
  • 643
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

3 month old's hands swabbed at security?

Was passing through airport security (Canada) with my 3 month old when I was told we were selected for a "random" search. They swabbed both of our hands. When I objected to her hands being swabbed ...
user107683's user avatar
10 votes
5 answers
800 views

Traveling to a country known for mass surveillance. How can I protect my data/privacy?

In the next year I will likely go to China, USA and a couple other countries. Both China and the US are known to sometimes take your electronics when arriving and searching them, possibly even ...
Syzygy's user avatar
  • 312
1 vote
1 answer
92 views

Is there any index/statistics reflecting the likelihood to have items stolen in a given country?

The likelihood to have items stolen greatly differs between countries. For example, if I leave my phone somewhere unattended in a subway station for one hour, one would expect it to be stolen if it is ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
271 views

How much do Spanish dogs really bark?

I'm hoping to spend a few months in northern Spain and have just read a book about the Camino de Santiago in which the (Norwegian) author remarked that Spanish dogs bark "a lot" because they are for ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Will my brand new sealed laptop be opened for inspection in US airports?

I am getting mixed answers from the web.. I asked my parents to buy me a laptop while they are on a US trip. My mom told me if I would be okay with it being opened/unboxed for inspection in the ...
Carl Nathan Mier's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
680 views

Street smarts for "dangerous cities" in the US (Detroit, Gary, ...)

The term "street smarts" gets tossed around often when discussing cities which are notorious for criminal acrivity, but how can I actually be "street smart" when leaving a safe area (e.g. downtown)? ...
kratom_sandwich's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
6k views

Receptionist took a copy of my passport

This is my first visit in the UK. I'm from UE. A receptionist in a hostel I am staying took a picture of my passport (of the page with my picture and all my personal data). I understand that the ...
user2738748's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

What are the pros & cons of locking zipper pulls to a lock embedded in the suitcase?

Many suitcases now have a built-in lock (often TSA-compliant) that attaches to the far end of the zipper pulls as shown in the image below. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of ...
Itai's user avatar
  • 44.1k
9 votes
1 answer
852 views

Will connecting my wallet to my belt loop deter or attract pickpockets?

Coil Connector to Wallet A chain would be better, since it can't be surreptitiously cut or clipped, but it's too close to travel time to buy a chain or buy a money belt, so those are off the table ...
Dale's user avatar
  • 759
2 votes
0 answers
179 views

How early can you go through security in Gatwick if you've already checked in? [closed]

I am looking at booking a flight with a 15 hour layover in London, but it means flying into Stansted and self-transferring to Gatwick. This isn't a problem, but I am thinking it will be nice to stay ...
Cory 's user avatar
  • 21
8 votes
3 answers
6k views

What self-defense weapons are legal in London?

I've travelled London many times, and this is the first time I got robbed in broad daylight, in afternoon! Around four youth wearing masks brandished machetes, asked for my purse and everything in ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
141 views

Are there any data on the incidence of theft in airports' airside areas?

A number of posters on this forum have referred to airports' airside areas as 'safe' or 'secure'. It seems to me that the presence of security checks gives some passengers the impression that there is ...
Richard Beasley's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
66 views

Transfer in Pudong Airport to flight to Bangkok. Do I need to go through customs?

I am arriving at Shanghai Pudong airport (from the US) via China Eastern Airlines at 6 PM. Then I have another flight to Bangkok via Air China at 11 PM. Would I need to go through customs? I do have ...
user2020302032's user avatar
14 votes
3 answers
267 views

How to leave Beijing airport (PEK) by foot

I have 5 hours between daytime flights in Beijing Capital airport (terminal 3), and my challenge is to walk out of the airport to eat a bowl of soup at any small local restaurant outside the airport. ...
nic's user avatar
  • 9,259
3 votes
2 answers
676 views

Is it safe to show a biometric passport to a third party?

There is kind of a risk gaining an access to personal data or some way getting debts with a passport. Is there a chance someone can read biometric RFID data from an international passport, like ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
425 views

How should I behave during a bus robbery in South America?

Upon planning for a trip through Chile, Bolivia and Peru, I have encountered several personal accounts of (armed) robberies of overland buses between tourist destinations, especially in Bolivia and ...
DK2AX's user avatar
  • 2,812
3 votes
2 answers
270 views

Vietnam visa application online safety

There are several websites which offer to get Vietnam visa by applying online, they require sending passport and other personal data. How to know that selected website for visa issuing is reliable and ...
Justas's user avatar
  • 1,297
10 votes
2 answers
6k views

Is it safe to roam with girlfriend in India on February 14? [closed]

Many videos and news articles of the past says that couples who roam freely on Valentine's Day, are subjected to moral policing and the media will cover such incidents, which leads to public insult. ...
Hindu's user avatar
  • 223
7 votes
1 answer
844 views

How to maintain passwords when traveling?

I'm traveling out of the country and I don't want to bring my laptop, because I would then worry about it getting stolen or broken. I am bringing an old iPad so that I can check email and look up ...
Joshua Frank's user avatar
  • 2,147
4 votes
1 answer
6k views

Is a request for a passport number reasonable and safe?

I'm staying in an Airbnb in the Dominican Republic and the host--an Airbnb Superhost, with many good reviews--has asked the following: Please make sure to send me the full names and passport or ID ...
Joshua Frank's user avatar
  • 2,147
43 votes
16 answers
7k views

Preparing in case ATM/debit cards might go missing during a long trip

I've been pickpocketed twice and had debit cards swallowed by ATMs twice over the past decade or so. I've also had cards expire during a long trip. For my upcoming trip which I envision will last ...
hippietrail's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
449 views

Are hotel room safes tamper evident?

I know that hotel room safes have a master key and are not considered very secure. Let's suppose I'm not worried about theft, but about a person with the master key opening the safe, messing with its ...
user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
99 views

What about security and safety for your stuff while you travel? [closed]

What about security and safety for your stuff while you travel (money, credit cards, camera, laptop, e-reader/tablet, etc.)? Any tips would be really useful!
Amna Rajpoot's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
4k views

Bluetooth Headset - Do I have anything to worry about if I don't use it during the flight?

I know that questions about Bluetooth seem to be common-place, but my question is less about usage and more just carrying them on in my carry on. Therefore I hope this question does not get marked as ...
Mateusz J's user avatar
  • 103
2 votes
1 answer
3k views

Can I travel with BDSM items?

I've seen very little about this topic online and so have no idea if it's allowed for carry on hand-baggage. BDSM Items: Harness x2 Fluffy hand restraints Jock straps x2 Feather teaser Blind fold ...
Andy's user avatar
  • 121
21 votes
3 answers
2k views

How do I find flights that avoid US airspace?

Persons on the US no-fly list are not only unable to fly to the US (obviously), but to board a flight which might enter US airspace e.g. in an emergency. Is there any way or online resource to find ...
Sarah Boyd's user avatar

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