Hi. The villa that we are staying at later this year is asking for a copy of our passports in advance of our stay in Siena. When I asked about why, they said that the Siena government requires the passport in advance. Is this typical and an acceptable practice?
Thanks for your help!
Chris
Posted by
Chicago
792 posts
When I have rented apartments, I have had to send my passport number/info and everyone shows their passports on arrival. In a hotel, they make copies when I check in. I don't think this is anything suspicious. I think it's a safety thing. They just want to know who is staying in their villa and that the people that show up are the people who made the reservation.
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
We are renting villa in Umbria nearby Orvieto and everything what they asked for was names and dates of birth. And number on credit card, of course :-)
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1858 posts
The owner must check a valid ID (passport or national ID card for a few nearby nations that issue them) and fill a form with passport data to be sent to police no later than 48 hours from the moment accommodation is offered.
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
34865 posts
the person who doesn't ask may not be "playing by the rules".
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
17062 posts
Every hotel we're ever stayed at in Italy (so far) has asked for our passports upon check-in. Usually they tell us to get settled and then come back for them in a little bit. I have assumed that needing to record information in them was standard at all Italian accommodations, and probably a legal requirement. I wouldn't worry about sending copies.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32450 posts
Chris,
That's normal procedure for Italy and other places in Europe. If you were staying in a hotel rather than a Villa, you'd be providing your Passports to the hotel staff at check-in, and the information would be forwarded to authorities. As you're staying in a Villa, it sounds like the owner wants to have this information in advance, as h/she may not be present at the time you check in.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16551 posts
The law requires that the guest be registered before taking possession of the room. The landlord/hotel must communicate the data to the police authorities.
However the recent privacy law prohibits hotel owners from making and retaining photocopies of your ID documents without your written consent, therefore if they asked for photocopies they may not be compliant with the law, or maybe not even aware of the law.