GoRoundTheWorld.com - RTW Travel - Before Departure

Important Documents, Account Numbers, and Passwords

It is vital to have access to important documents, account numbers, passwords, and other information at all times. It is also important to have a backup plan in case such access is compromised for whatever reason.

Important documents include your passport; birth, immunization, and other vital health records; bank and credit card account information; emergency contact information; copies of receipts for travelers’ cheques; copies of medical prescriptions or other orders; copies of your will and/or advance directives; and copies of your RTW air, train, and other tickets.

Important account numbers include all bank account numbers, government or social benefit account numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, and the like.

Passwords need to be securely stored in a separate place from the information they relate to.

To ensure you will have access to important documents, account numbers, and passwords, follow these steps:

Make two copies of and scan all important documents. Give one set of copies to a trusted friend or relative and pack the other set of copies in your bag.

Email copies of the scanned documents to yourself using a secure online email service such as Yahoo!, Gmail, or AOL mail. Put those emails in a separate folder within your email account. If you want to be especially secure about those documents, establish a new online email account for sensitive information that only you and your trusted friend or relative know.

Email a listing of important account numbers to yourself at the same address as the one you sent the documents to.

Email passwords in some sort of encrypted format that only you understand to a separate email account; that is, to a different email account than the one to which you emailed the scanned documents above. The objective is to have all of the information you need when you need it, but to have it segregated in case one of your accounts is compromised.

By following the above suggestions, you will have copies of the documents you may need along the way, and, should you lose those copies, you will be able to retrieve them using any computer terminal with access to the internet.