Should You Wrap Your Passport in Aluminum Foil? Experts Weigh In

An unusual travel trend has emerged involving passports.

Some travelers are wrapping their passports in aluminum foil in an effort to protect themselves from digital data theft.

The practice stems from concerns that criminals or other malicious individuals could steal sensitive information from the passport wirelessly as they pass by.

According to Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the contactless chip embedded in passports enables fast and fraud-resistant identity checks at border crossings.

In addition to a digital passport photo, the chip stores personal information such as the holder’s name, place of birth, sex, eye color, height and place of residence, as well as the two fingerprints collected when the passport is issued.

But is it actually possible for this data to be accessed without authorization? After all, the chip’s transmission range is extremely short.

Experts are clear on this point: Under normal travel conditions, the risk of unauthorized access is extremely low. Much like contactless payments, a reader needs to be very close to the document—almost close enough to touch the passport.

Although aluminum foil can create a temporary barrier against radio waves, experts largely consider the practice unnecessary and ineffective.

What’s more, repeatedly wrapping and unwrapping passports in foil during border checks can cause unnecessary delays.

Source: Euronews