A Travel Item Necessity: RFID Blocking Passport Wallet

Spring break is almost here which made me think of vacation and the trips I declined to take. I decided to stay in Colorado for the summer. But if I have to travel, I would still need a RFID blocking passport wallet that blocks out virtually all RFID signals (between 10 MHz – 3 GHz) from passports and credit cards.

Why You Need a RFID Blocking Passport Wallet

Most passports and some credit cards have a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) microchip that contains your personal information. Thieves with a RFID scanner can get your personal information from your passports and credit cards without taking your wallet. If you have the chip symbol on your passport and a credit card that uses RFID, thieves can get the following information:

From your passport (your name, your digital photo, date of birth, date passport was issued, date your passport will expire)
From your credit card (your name, account number, issue date, and expiration date). Just because your credit card has a chip doesn’t mean that it uses RFID. At this time 3/2017, Chase cards with a chip do not have RFID technology. You may want to purchase a RFID blocking sleeve or this passport wallet if you are not sure which of your credit cards that have a chip use RFID. The key names to identify RFID credit cards are Visa PayWave, MasterCard PayPass, American Express ExpressPay and Discover Zip.

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I researched RFID blocking passport wallets and decided on the Pacsafe RFIDsafe W150 RFID blocking organizer*. It’s a perfect size because it’s not too big or too small. It fits all your essentials when traveling (it fit four passports, credit cards, money, driver’s license, and boarding passes). This wallet can probably fit more than four passports if you store them in the boarding passes/receipts section, but I couldn’t test it since I only have four.

FEATURES

Detachable strap that can be used as a wristlet or attach it to a key loop/ring inside your bag so your RFID blocking passport wallet always stays in your bag (no more fear of accidentally leaving your wallet on a counter or dropping it)
Six card slots (including a mesh slot for your driver’s license or form of identification) and an additional slot (that is deep and can fit two passports)
Zipper closure
Pen holder
Outside coin pocket that zips
3 sideway compartment slots (that fits two passports)
Internal organization for money and boarding passes/receipts
The dimensions (H x W x D) are : 5.1 x 6.7 x 0.6 in /13 x 17 x 1.5 cm and weighs 5.3 oz / 150 g

If you are using this RFID blocking passport wallet as a daily wallet, you can fit a phablet (a smartphone in between the size of a typical phone and a tablet) in a slim case, as well as your money, and credit cards. It’s great to bring when you don’t need to bring your entire purse and only need your essentials.

I chose the cranberry color because it’s easier to find the wallet in a bag. The color is dark enough to not see dirt. If you are worried about getting the passport wallet dirty or prefer a masculine design, I would recommend the black color or the Pacsafe RFIDsafe Z150 Anti-Theft RFID Blocking Compact Organizer*:

If you don’t like the size I picked you can try the following passport wallets:

I really enjoy the passport wallet I bought and am currently using it as a daily wallet. I stick my phablet in this wallet, zip it up, and take it on my short errands so I don’t have to bring my entire purse. I feel safer knowing that my contents are safe from thieves using a RFID scanner. Be safe where ever your travels take you.

If you don’t want to carry this RFID wallet, at least purchase a RFID sleeve for your passport. I always used this Pacsafe RFID passport sleeve before purchasing this wallet. I was able to fit two passports in one sleeve.

Check out my essential travel items you should take with you when traveling.