It 's been a few years since we travelled to Europe. We're visiting Italy and France next week. Last time the hotels each asked for our passports and wanted to keep them until we checked out. Instead we showed them the passports and gave them photocopies (which we requested be returned at check-out). Question is do they still require the passports (to keep 'till check-out) or copies - we would like to cut down on extra paperwork to bring along (ie the copies of the passports).
Thank you all.
Terry,
In my experience, hotels don't always ask to see Passports these days, but it seems more common in Italy than in France. The hotels have to provide that information to the Police. They sometimes want to keep the Passport for a short time at check-in, but always return it after they've recorded the details, and if the clerk is busy that can take an hour or more. I've never been asked to leave the Passport with them for the duration of my stay, and I'd have a problem with that.
Having at least one copy of your Passports may still be a good idea, in case they're lost or whatever. That may speed up the process in getting replacements.
Never had to leave them for our whole stay. A few places scanned them last time to speed up the process.
Every hotel that I have stayed in the past three years in Italy has asked for my passport. This was B&Bs and hotels. They have made copies or just taken information from it.
Its Italian law that Innkeepers must record the passport number and send a report to the police. The easiest way for them is just to take your passport and photocopy it when they have some free time, then give them back to you. Handing them a photocopy should satisfy the requirement and save both them and you a bit of time.
The only reason I can think of that a passport might be returned at checkout is if you are staying one night and the person who knows how to run the copier isn't there when you check in. I almost always have mine back immediately, or within an hour if the hotel is very busy.
Ditto to Zoe's post: every Italian hotel asked for our passports but they either made a copy of them right away or told us we could return for them in a short time - usually after dropping our bags and freshening up. None of them asked to keep them for the duration of our stay, nor would I allow them to. But we always bring 1 copy along.
Many years ago some hotels would keep passports until the end of your stay but that is not the case now. Most of the time you'll get your passport back immediately but if there are a lot of people checking in at the same time it could take a few extra minutes. They must copy your information so if you give them a copy you don't need to ask for it back. They send the information to the police, which is required by law. You don't need to bring a copy for them, they will either make their own copy or hand write your information.
donna
I've always had to produce either my wife's or my passport in Italy, occasionally in other countries.
Often held until I retrieve it the next time I pass the desk, usually to leave the key when we go out.
Sometimes given by straight away, I've never had it held until I check out.
If dealing with a B&B or rental apartment, consider asking them to snap a photo of your passport with their phone. That way it doesn't have to leave your possession. That's what the B&B in Ravenna did and I thought it was a great idea.
gave them photocopies (which we requested be returned at check-out)
And by the way, their having a copy of your passport poses no risk to you. A copy is of no physical value and no value for identity thieves.
It is a requirement of the Schengen Treaty that all hotels record the passport details of all foreign guests. AFAIK it is no longer passed on to police, it just has to be recorded in case the police ask.
This appears to be observed more in some countries than others, In Germany I have not always been asked to show my passport.
It is common to photocopy the passport or keep it for a few hours to save time at check-in. As other posters say you can collect when you come downstairs again. No way they should keep your passport for the duration of your stay, they cannot keep it as you need to carry your passport.
And, as Douglas says, knowing your passport details is no risk to you.
In Italy they register you with the police and need passport data. I never leave my passport at the desk for more than an hour and preferably not at all. If they can't get it done immediately, I leave a copy which I carry for this purpose. Years ago in Siena I came down for dinner to see our passports casually left on the counter in an otherwise empty lobby. Anyone could have picked them up. No one else cares as much as you do or will have the same hassles you will if the passport goes missing.
We always carry a copy on our person and have the original locked in the hotel safe. We had some business at the US Embassy in Paris a few years ago and the waiting room was full of tourists in a swivet because their passports were lost or stolen and they needed replacements for onward travel. The woman next to us had missed her flight to the next stop because of this. And everyone was wasting a day dealing.
In 55 years of international travel I have never been asked for my passport except at moments when it is required i.e. border crossing (not in Schengen), banking and purchasing phones or sim cards. Even VAT just requires a copy when getting paperwork in the store. I figure if I actually having police demand my 'papers' the least of my problems will be obtaining it from the hotel safe.
