Traveler trend of wrapping passports in foil

A social media trend on platforms such as TikTok and Reddit has emerged where travelers wrap their biometric passports in aluminum foil. This practice is intended to prevent criminals from using contactless technology to skim sensitive personal data, such as fingerprints, digital photographs, and biographical details, from the embedded RFID chips.

Security experts and authorities, including the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), have characterized the measure as “superfluous and useless.” Officials note that the risk of unauthorized scanning is extremely low because the RFID chips have a very short range, requiring a reader to be in “immediate, physical proximity” to the document to function.

In a recent clarification, the BSI emphasized that built-in security mechanisms already protect personal data. Modern passports and identity cards utilize Password Authenticated Connection Establishment (PACE) to prevent remote reading without direct access. While older documents may use Basic Access Control (BAC) for compatibility, both systems are designed to prevent data from being skimmed through items like clothing pockets. For travelers seeking additional peace of mind, the BSI suggests using specialized RFID protection sleeves rather than aluminum foil.

Additionally, authorities have pointed out that the practice causes unnecessary delays at border controls, as travelers must unwrap the foil to present their documents for inspection.