Protecting your (my) passport from liquid damage | Hacker News Reader

Protecting your (my) passport from liquid damage

blog.jgc.org

17 pointsjgrahamc26 comments

Ziploc bag works well for water proofing anything. I like using them "in reverse" as containers for things that could leak but I too was fond of putting my passport in one when I used to backpack.

Nowadays I have a Pioneer passport wallet which is both slim and waterproof but it’s mostly for the convenience of being able to keep everything together in a coat pocket.

Everything except, ironically, food.

We forbid them from our camp cooler because of the high risk of them tainting the icewater, when they get jostled by careless hands.

Have you tried the bags with slider closure? They don't open accidentally as easily. I've been using them for organizing miscellaneous small things in storage.

> The kind folks at SÜLgear pointed out that the waterproof liner was simply a 4" x 6", 4 mil ziploc bag (or, for those of the metric persuasion, 102 x 152mm).

Waterproof liner: £0.04.

Branded bag minus liner cost: £27.95.

make sure to set a weekly reminder to unbag and shake out your passport, so you don't get mold (as what happens to paper when stored in airtight containers)

Probably not applicable to what passports are made from, but can't hurt

If you're going to store your passport (or anything) in a zip-lock bag for a long period, maybe just sprinkle in some baking soda? Mould doesn't like dry, alkaline conditions.

With this many steps might be just easier to not put the passport in water then weekly maintenance jobs :)

A white powder residue found on your passport by security just might result in a delay.

I carry yeast, flour, and oil with me to the airport to demonstrate proving if necessary. On the off-chance that the white powder is not in fact baking powder - after a trip to South America for example - I use self-raising flour (harina leudante) cleverly switched into a plain flour packet.

If you’re setting a weekly reminder, then every 4th week you should wipe down the outside cover and inner card with a spritz of vinegar (better than windex) and then air dry for a few hours.

(I’m not seriously suggesting this)

No! Not all passports have the thick inner cover US ones have.

So you're suggesting putting the passport into some sort of protective package before wiping it down? :D

Yuck! Save one of those little packs of silica gel used to keep food dry and use that instead? Looks more legit than some random white powder.

I swear, officer. It's just baking soda!

"Looks" more legit, and is far more woo-woo.

Those little packs are completely useless if they've been exposed to open air for a few hours. I swear, 99% of the population think those packets reverse the laws of thermodynamics somehow, pumping an infinite amount of water without work.

I'll go with the chemically-valid, physics-valid, non-random white powder.

Well then store them in an airtight container? Better than just tossing them.

Bake them first, 120°C (250°F) for a few hours. They're reusable if the water is baked out.

Not much better. They're tiny and ecologically rather bland.

Is it a joke submission? TL;DR - the author put his passport in a plastic bag, now water doesn't get in.

I blog all sorts of random stuff. I am a little surprised this is on the front page, but that's life sometimes. If you'd prefer something a little more hardcore from my blog there's always this: https://blog.jgc.org/2024/09/cracking-old-zip-file-to-help-o...

You may laugh, but I was refused boarding a few months ago due to my passport being water damaged.

I now rave to people about putting their passports in a waterproof baggie - just like this guy. I bought a multipack from Amazon for family and friends - and even gave a couple away to people I was chatting to at the airport! :)

You don’t realise how important it is until it’s too late.

This is what I bought, FYI: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S8VY3F9

The demographic that frequents this website consists primarily of high-value individuals - people whose intellectual capital, financial assets, and global optionality set them apart from the general populace. For such individuals, maintaining a valid passport at all times isn't merely a matter of administrative diligence; it's a fundamental component of personal risk management.

Unlike the average layperson, whose life is geographically and economically constrained, the typical HackerNews reader operates in a global context: founders, investors, technologists, and independent thinkers whose livelihoods and safety may depend on their ability to relocate swiftly in response to geopolitical or societal instability. To them, "having an escape plan" isn't paranoia; it’s prudence.

When societal upheaval strikes, the median citizen might be refreshing their social feed for updates, while the high-agency HN reader is already scanning for visa-free entry options and considering which jurisdiction best aligns with their long-term values, tax strategy, and lifestyle design. In such circles, a valid passport (with no water damage) is not just a document - it's a symbol of mobility, sovereignty, and the quiet privilege of always having a Plan B.

AI slop

What? No. This is the writing style of high-value individuals.

Jokes aside, "high-profile engineer doing ordinary things" is actually an interesting genre, I've just missed the context initially.

As soon as OP referenced the ISO standard, I thought they would design and print some over the top over engineered portable container, I was fairly disappointed. But still an okay read, on a boring metro ride.

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