Make copies of all your important travel documents, including itinerary, passport, visas, credit cards (both sides) and reservation confirmations. Give these extras to a trusted friend or family member. In addition, exchange copies with your traveling companion and keep these in a separate area from the originals. If you lose the originals, you can access the duplicates from different sources. If you can scan these documents, store the files in a private file space, such as Box.net, which can be accessed from any Internet connection.
If you have a digital camera that you're taking with you, take a picture of all your travel documents and leave those pictures in the camera as extra insurance. This may be the only way you can keep copies of any forms that you fill out after you leave your home. Be sure that any views are close enough and of a high enough resolution to clearly reveal important numbers and text.
Register with the State Department, whose link is under Resources. Not only can you store general information such as your contacts and passport number, you can also include details about a specific trip. Use the comment fields to store any important information that is not explicitly required by the registration forms.
Always keep your travel documents with you, preferably hidden in a traveler's pouch kept around your neck or waist, or strapped to your ankle. To protect the originals from sweat or weather, store them in a plastic bag before putting them in the pouch. Many countries require that your passport be instantly available for inspection by local authorities. Don't be alarmed if an innkeeper asks to keep your passport for a few hours. He may be required by law to register any guests. He will return it to you when he is done.
If your documents are lost or stolen, contact the local U.S. embassy to replace your passport using information from your copies. Call your airline and credit card company to ensure that nobody uses your identification for unauthorized transactions. You'll typically find contact information on the itinerary and copies of the back of your credit card.
