Also, scan high-res color copies of the front and back of all original documents including health certificates and so forth. Email them to yourself and then file them away until you lose some of them in Africa. Then just download and print. Do the same with your passport photos--printing them later for additional visas pics is cheaper than local photo stores.

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EARTH RIDE!
Understanding the world through adventure travel.
www.strikingviking.net

I don't want to seem to contradict the StrikingViking over his hard-earned wisdom, but the IDP is a bit tough to reproduce - several pages big with umpteen different languages - cardboard cover and all. Not the same as a laminated drivers license from one's home country, easy to produce.

Since you're already in Mexico, heading for the US, don't bother with the IDP. I was never asked for one in Mexico (they gets lots of Gringo's passing through on plain old DL's clueless as to an IDP), and probably most cops in the US have no clue what an IDP is. Same for Canada if you're headed that way.

In the US and Canada though, they have a good idea what a real driver license is, so don't try to palm off a copy. Besides, they never confiscate it - only the courts can suspend them, and hopefully you won't get that far in your legal difficulties in the U.S. (certainly short of Guantanamo!)

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

SCAN AND COPY EVERYTHING.

Yeah. I never give an original of anything (except a passport at immigration) to any government or military personnel. I've got a dozen copies of my drivers license laminated and ready to go. Pleased to give it to an officer who wants to take it to the "station". Same goes for Title, Registration and more.

I've got a couple copies of the international drivers license. But not once has anyone asked for it. I've got a laminated copy of the important page and if I'm asked for it, that's what I'll give. Most of these officers don't know what one looks like anyway...

be safe, support your local copy store and enjoy the ride!

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Allan - WorldRider
2005 - Adventure & Discovery - 2008 http://www.worldrider.com

If you have done something, and sometimes nothing, that is the procedure, to take your license. You go and pay the fines and then go to the police and reclaim your license. That is how it works here since no-one would ever pay fines if they let them keep their license.

Since I live down here, if they want my license they can have it. If it's an "expensive" fine like speeding, then I order a new license from the embassy.
Don't go around with poor made licenses, yepp most cops down here don't have a clue, but if you run into one who does have some clues and he's in a bad mood be sure to go the central offices for at least a strict lecture.

So, GOOD copies, preferably made in the correct machines which produces near identical licenses are recommended.

They do have one REALLY STUPID traffic law, you can't change lanes in roundabouts. So don't do that!

And be nice to the poor coppers, a tip that has worked great for me: Get off your bike/Out of car, and stand in front of it. In a nice manner, tell the "señor oficial" to stand in front of the bike as well as it might be very dangerous to stand with the back to the passing vehicles. This "concern" usually softens them up and might get you out of a ticket. When just checking your papers they usually stop checking and send you on your merry way.
I guess they see you as one of the good guys when you do this so it's worth a shot pointing out this risk.

Cheers!