Passports held by hotel managers

In the times I've been to Europe I have never had to give my passport to the front desk at a hotel. I don't remember if I even had to show it or not.

I've been to Europe almost yearly since 2000 and the majority of hotels have kept my passport for at least several hours following check-in, overnight trains kept them overnight. I have been told that legally, they must report every guest registration to the police.

My experience has been that if I stay in a chain hotel they will want to look at the passport when I check-in but hand it back to me when they give me the key-card. When I stay at independent/family run hotels they will usually (but not always) hold on to my passport until I check-out as collateral against stiffing them. I've never had a problem with this practice.

I had my passport kept for a short time on my first trip to London about 25yrs ago. Since then, it has never happened. Sometimes, not always, they ask to see it but hand it back right away. Most of my trips have been to Paris, Amsterdam, Britain, & once to italy with a tour. I don't see this as anything to worry about, but if a hotel wanted to keep it, fine. I would tho, ask about their security. I always stay in small hotels.

I'm very curious how you could have travelled to Europe 14 times without experiencing this very common practice. Unless you've had the benefit of others managing these details for you.

Many countries to require hotels to record the passport information of their guests to report to the police. Tours and corporate travel may handle the matter for you so you might not have experienced what is otherwise a standard practice and nothing to worry about.

Smaller hotels may hold the passports overnight to do the paperwork when things are quiet. Increasingly, some do the basics right away and give the passport back to you.

It's a basic condition of staying in a hotel, though, so it's not a matter of "letting" them hold your passport. You could try being very polite and asking if they could make their report as soon as possible and let you return to pick up your passport.

I have never heard of a hotel "losing" someone's passport.

I am with Doug. We have traveled for over fifteen years and I cannot remember a time when I was not required to show the passport. Until recent years, keeping the passport over night was very common. Now it is returned with an hour or two or quicker. I think now they are copied or scan so the need to manually process the passport is reduced. But I do think that some travelers get overly hung up on keeping their passports. But will give a credit card to a waiter who disappears with it.

I'm wondering if it makes a difference where in Europe you are. In 2005 and 2008 combined, I stayed in 4 different hotels in Germany and 4 different hotels in Austria and was never asked to see my passport.

Diane - It's a matter of local law, so it could vary.

But, again, if you were on tour, the registration of your passport would likely have been taken care for you.

Traveling independently, this is a common experience.

I was asked for my passport all over the place, but they always just wrote down some stuff and gave it right back to me. I stayed at mostly smaller places, especially in Italy, and no one actually kept it. Maybe it depends on the hotel.

"Traveling independently, this is a common experience."

Not in Germany. I have spent almost 100 nights in Europe this decade, all in Germany. I stay mostly in small, family run places - Pensionen and Privatezimmer. NO ONE has every even looked at my passport, let alone keep it or take down information. I was not with any organized tour. But then, this has all been in Germany, and I have a German name and speak German (poorly), although they must know I am from the U.S. because I book in advance by email and give my city of residence in the U.S. I can't say what would be done in 4 or 5 star hotels.

I understand that in some places (Italy) it is required by law that they record passport information.

I guess we can assume it is the law in some places, but perhaps not others.

It was pointed out to me that the reason some hotel clerks just hand it back after a few minutes, and others ask to keep it a few hours, is simple. They are required to copy down your information, and fill out forms. When they are busy, say a bunch of people are checking in during a short period of time, it is easier to pile up the Passports and fill the forms all in at once when desk is quieter. Makes perfect sense to me.

I really think some people are far too paranoid about their passports. Get over it, the clerk is not trying to steal it... he or she NEEDS it.
What are some of you worried about..? YOu hand it over, then the clerk steals it and pretends you didn't give it to them,, yes, thats right, so then you call the police? And the desk clerk wants the police at the hotel?? Geesh..

Lee, Germany must be different then France, I know it is required for hotels etc. to register guests PP .

We had them take our passports (briefly, and at one place I sat with her while she filled out the papers) in Italy, but not in Germany.

I had to show identification at the Hilton in San Diego and the three Marriott Courtyards I stayed in the next three nights in Sacramento, Reno and San Jose. I have often had to show identification in Europe, but haven't had my passport held over night in years. Passports are a common identification from country to country. You need it most places today if you're using a credit card and as mentioned above other local laws require that hoteliers report who is staying in their establishments. Pam

Rick addresses this very well in his books (and on some of his shows) because he knows the practice freaks Americans out. So, before continuing, I wonder if you have a good travel guide for Europe and the countries on your itinerary? Consider this a good investment in your trip.

As a fellow American, I'm not unsympathetic to your discomfort, but that doesn't change the fact you should not try to find America in Eurpoe. Their laws are different. So, if you would NEVER let your passport be held by your hotel for an extended period, then there are some countries you simply cannot visit. period.

With that said, there are some things you can do to mitigate the discomfort. 1) In a small, family run pensione the owner will often fill out the form at the same time that you pay the bill, thereby taking care of it on the spot and hand your passport back to you. This is less likely in a larger establishment. Hmm. I guess my experience is different than Michael's so I guess there are no guarantees 2) Rick suggests dropping by the reception desk and asking for your passport back later that evening instead of waiting until the next day--they may have finished with them 3) Carry a photocopy of your passport. Show them the passport, but see if they will let your leave the photocopy with them to use to fill out their forms. That may not work, but worth a try.

Most of the places I go hold them for a couple of hours or so. They have to send a report to police about who is staying in their place.

Some people say they get their passports back quickly. Since passports now have scannable barcodes to make them machine readable, I'm wondering if the bigger hotels run them through a machine (like a credit card) at check-in rather than filling out their report by hand?

My current passport is from 2000 so it doesn't have any of the new stuff that has come along since 2001.

In my earlier travels hotel clerks kept the passports overnight but the past few years they always return them immediately.I usually ask if I can have it back quickly because I might need it at a internet cafe and they always do so.Im not worried about them losing it but ive seen same places where they have a box on the wall with passports in it and it would be easy for someone to just take one along.Losing it is too much of a hassle to take a chance.

This came up in one of Rick Steves shows. He said to trust the desk clerks and that your PP will be fine. Don't worry, and have a great time. Rick handed his PP over to the clerk. I can't remember which show this was, but it did come up. This happened to me only once so far, in a hotel in Milan. Remembering what Rick said, I didn't worry at all. But in this hotel, they had to hold my PP for only a few hours, not the whole time I was there.

In the last 8 yrs of travel to Europe it has only happened to me in Italy at smaller hotels. I think they keep it to be sure payment is made in full. Anyway make a copy of your passport and offer that instead. Perhaps that would make you feel better. Also I was told in Sorrento Italy by a hotel manager that they must report to the police any one that does not return for their stay. Not sure if this is just a local or an incident requirement.

I just posted this on another thread, but in Italy hotels must report the names of all their guests to the police, tt is part of one of Italy's anti-Mafia laws. They ask ID from everyone, including Italians, don't worry you will get it back in a few hours.

In a similar vein, last year in Italy I was concerned when I had to either show or hand over my passport whenever we used an internet cafe...apparently it is part of an anti-terrorist requirement that they submit this data to the government. At least that was my understanding. Years ago taking our passports in hotels was routine, I don't recall having to give it up for more than a very brief period recently.

I found the following on the official Italian Government Tourist Board website:

Registration for Tourists
The formality of registering with the police within 3 days of a tourist's arrival in Italy is attended to by the hotels one stays with. If staying with friends or in a private home, the visitor has to register in person at the nearest police station within a 3-day period. In Rome there is a special police information office to assist tourists. (Interpreters are available) telephone: 461-950 or 486-609.