laminating documents

[goo]

has anyone run into issues using a laminated document? I am thinking of laminating my V5 registration document as it is falling apart.

[backofbeyond]

For a trip I did some years ago I just had mine copied. There are places that'll do it onto similar quality paper, double sided, no margins etc. I think I paid around £10 - although they wanted to know why. Once you're out of the UK it'll be accepted as the real thing and it's cheaper than the £25 the DVLA want for a new one.

[markharf]

Using copies wherever possible is good--it helps preserve the originals, which will otherwise fall apart, decompose, and return to original, randomly-dispersed molecules. But you need to carry originals as well, because sooner or later someone will not accept your color photocopies, since they lack all sorts of sophisticated anti-copying features. Stuff the originals in a ziplock bag or two and bury them deep in your baggage.

Instead of laminating, I take both originals and copies of all documents except my passport and paint them with Mapseal, which is a transparent, water-based coating. It dries quickly and makes paper documents reasonably waterproof and indestructible. Since I still use paper maps, I coat them as well--a map takes five or ten minutes, while a bike registration takes all of 15 seconds per side. Beware of water-soluble ink if you go this route.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark