[Noisebridge-discuss] Best strategy and currency for foreign travel..

[karen marcelo]

agree with jake on carrying 2 diff. passports simultaneously especially since (at least with israel anyway) they're pretty understanding if you let them know you are going to be going to arab countries too.  they're ok with your passport having stamps from muslim countries but not the other way around.

i've gone to israel via dubai and israel is pretty understanding if you tell them you want them to not stamp your passport -they will do it on a separate piece of paper which you then keep with you (even within israel like when you go to the palestinian parts).  but you have to make sure to tell them you dont want your passport stamped otherwise they will and you're screwed if you want to go to muslim countries later -even the ones like indonesia!


On Jan 25, 2010, at 8:13 AM, Jacob Appelbaum wrote:

> Mikael Vejdemo-Johansson wrote:
>> On Jan 25, 2010, at 7:43 AM, Jacob Appelbaum wrote:
>>> If you're going to be gone for quite some time and you have complex
>>> border crossing plans, I suggest a second passport. Normal US Citizens
>>> are permitted two passports that are valid at the same time. One will be
>>> valid for ten years, the other for two years. If you need help with
>>> this, let me know. If you happen to be a citizen of the Federal Republic
>>> of Germany, it's possible to have up to four passports at one time.
>>> Sometimes having more than one passport is a serious problem, other
>>> times it's a really good idea.
>> 
>> 
>> My host father when I studied abroad in Germany would be traveling both
>> to Israel and to Egypt, Syria and Lebanon regularly. He kept two
>> different passports specifically for this - as having stamps from one
>> side of Israel / Arab countries would make border crossing into the
>> other category deeply obnoxious.
>> 
> 
> This is a common practice for the MENA region of the world. It is also
> incredibly dangerous depending on your travel plans.
> 
> I was recently held in Lebanon by the military in the Beirut airport
> because they suspected that I had been to Israel. I had been in Jordan,
> Egypt and Qatar but certainly not Israel. However, they suspected just
> this kind of passport switch-a-roo because of the duration of my stay in
> Jordan. I was subjected to lengthy questioning, detainment, many
> searches, serious threats, serious accusations and more.
> 
> Remember that some of these countries are actively at war with each
> other and they don't take lightly to this kind of trickery. You have to
> be smart or you'll get into serious trouble. Sometimes you'll get into
> serious trouble anyway, it's the luck of the draw.
> 
> So while I suggested having two or more passports, I wouldn't actually
> suggest carrying them at the same time with conflicting stamps. At least
> not without some careful thought to your personal threat model.
> 
> Remember, it's not the stamps you have in your passport that matter.
> It's the stamps that you don't. Avoid being marked and you'll avoid
> being hassled in many cases.
> 
> Best,
> Jake
> 
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