How to Protect Your RFID Enabled Passport Baltimore MD

Since 2006, the United States has started issuing passports with an RFID chip in them. European and select other countries had them longer. The problem is that your personal data can get read from your passport at a distance, without anyone ever opening, touching, or even coming close to your passport.

Local Companies

Brewton Travel
443 224-2152
809 Glen Allen Dr
Baltimore, MD
Southwest Airlines Co.
(716) 699-6169
PO Box 46007
Baltimore, MD
Southwest Airlines
(410) 691-2717
PO Box 46007
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore Washington International Airport
(410) 859-7028
P.O. Box 8766
BWI Airport, MD
CruiseOne
(410) 582-9112
431 Gatewood Court
Glen Burnie, MD
Harvest Travel
410-884-9900 1-877-642-7837 301-596-5277
8765 Centre Park Dr
Columbia, MD
Executive Travel Agency
(410) 488-4330
5011 Hamilton Ave
Baltimore, MD
Gogo Tours Inc
(410) 466-9000
1501 Sulgrave Ave Ste 302
Baltimore, MD
Dts Midway Vacations
(410) 298-8779
7501 Liberty Rd
Baltimore, MD
Terra Nova Ventures
(410) 327-3262
1817 Thames St
Baltimore, MD

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Steps

  1. Determine if your passport has an RFID chip in it. If on the cover there is a rectangle with a circle and a line through it, then it definitely contains an RFID chip and can be read from a distance.
  2. Decide if you want to merely be passively cautious, actively protect your data, or permanently disable the RFID chip in your passport.
  3. If you want to be cautious:
    • The passport cover will provide some shielding to the RFID chip inside. However, it does no good if it is open.
    • If you carry your passport around loosely in your purse, make sure you store it so that it is closed. Even a slightly opened passport increases the ability to have its chip read.
    • When carrying your passport in your pocket, make sure it is closed
  4. If you want to actively protect our data:
    • Get a shielded case for your passport and use it actively whenever you travel with your passport
    • Alternatively, you can wrap your passport in aluminum foil. This works just fine, but is not convenient and quite unsightly
  5. If you want to disable it permanently:
    • Microwave your passport for a couple seconds - this will fry the chip.
    • If you can determine exactly where the chip is, a sharp blow of a hammer will disable it

Tips

  • RFID Shielding Products:
  • http://www.emvelope.com/products/show/7
  • http://www.rfid-shield.com/
  • http://www.magellans.com/store/New_Products___Fall_2008___Travel_EssentialsLB192?Args=
  • http://www.passport-stronghold.com/products.html

Warnings

  • Physically damaging your passport is probably against the law of the country that issued it. While it will be close to impossible to determine whether or not you intentionally defaced your passport, you should bear this in mind.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Protect Your RFID Enabled Passport. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Featured Local Company

Brewton Travel

443 224-2152
809 Glen Allen Dr
Baltimore, MD

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