Does Portugal have a mandatory law that guests have to provide the lodging with all guests names?

Yes, this is common throughout Europe. They have to provide this information to the local authorities.

All our September bookings for Portugal have advised us that we have to provide the same info 2 to 7 days before arrival.

Yes, we see this more and more. Italy is especially strict; all of our hosts there photograph our passports.

Sure is !!!! They may expect it in advance via the internet. Send it -- it is secure. And it is nearly the same in the US. Just book a room in Philly for a meeting and the hotel (a Marriott) insisted on the names of everyone occupying the room. No passport numbers because we are in the US. Names and date of births is public knowledge so nothing is unusual or at risk.

Wait till the hotel wants to keep your passport overnight. Once that was very common. But most just make a copy.

Thank you all for your reply. We have been to other countries in Europe but no one ever asked us for this information. We have bookings with hotels in Germany, Austria, and Lisbon but nothing was asked from us. I find it’s very strange because I am holding another reservation with another hotel in Porto but they didn’t asked me anything.

Thank you all for your reply. I find it’s strange because I am holding another reservation with another hotel but they didn’t ask me for any of these information.

You can expect that hotel to ask for the information at check-in.

I am holding another reservation with another hotel but they didn’t ask me for any of these information.

Some hotels don't ask for it in advance but will on check-in.

Your hotel may wait until your arrival to ask for the information. Or they may (lawfully) request all of your passports in order to photocopy the first page. Don't panic. They'll return them as soon as they get the data they need.

It is common for apartments booked through booking.com to ask for this information in advance. If they have contactless checkin like many, it is the only way they can get the required information. Once you provide it, you get the key code or other means needed to let yourselves in to the apartment.

Most hotels and staffed apartments will just wait until check-in and take it then. It is indeed required by law in many European countries.mm

Passport information does not compromise any credit cards or threaten to cause identity theft.

Rather standard at the places we’ve stayed in Europe.

I lost my iPhone in Bruges a few weeks ago. It had my name on the Lock Screen. Within 30 minutes, a policeman returned it to my hotel. I can only think the authorities had my name and hotel info from check in. What service!

Thanks so much everyone. This is very new to me as we have traveled to many European countries before but we have never been asked for passports information by hotels/lodgings until now. But the last time we traveled to Europe was 4 years ago and it must be one of the new laws passed to counter terrorism.

That is in fact mandatory, and that's not your personal information, that's your identification. Some appt don't ask this information, because they are not operating legally. If the lodging is legal, sooner or later they will ask you for this. Of course you can give false information, but I strongly advise you not to do that. 1st, they might want to confirm your identification on arrival. Even if they don't, you will feel more secure while you stay there knowing that the authorities know where you are. I hope it will not be the case, but for instance, you might need medical assistance. You will not want to be illegaly in a country in that case.

Not new. In Italy, they have done it for well over 20 years, and over the years, have had to present a passport in most countries at check-in. As others said, what may be new for you is using Booking.com, where many small, private places want the information ahead, since they will not have a copy machine.

As far as I know, the UK is about the only country where it is not required; that and "cash only" places that prefer not to have that information.

In Germany you will find this as well. Some areas charge 'Kurtaxe' visitor's tax and therefore they ask for this info.

I remember hotels copying my passport 40 years ago. It's one way that local police can identify bodies 😳. Hotels pay taxes based on how many people are staying there. Its identification they want, and US drivers licenses are not acceptable ID.

As far as I know, the UK is about the only country where it is not required ...

The UK requires the following information to be provided by aliens for a stay (*)

(a)on arriving at the premises, inform the keeper of the premises of the number and place of issue of his passport, certificate of registration or other document establishing his identity and nationality; and

(b)on or before his departure from the premises, inform the keeper of the premises of his next destination and, if it is known to him, his full address there.

(*) Aliens = any person who is not a British or Commonwealth citizen, a British protected person or an Irish citizen.

I remember years ago, maybe the 80's or 90's, it was not unusual to hand over the passport to the hotel and not getting it back until check out. My more travel experienced friends told me before my travels to expect this and not to worry about it.

In the movie "The Day of the Jackal", based in the sixties before my travels, the European police went around to all hotels to collect and inspect all check-in info cards to help them search for the assassin.

The UK requires the following information to be provided by aliens for a stay

(a)on arriving at the premises, inform the keeper of the premises of the number and place of issue of his passport, certificate of registration or other document establishing his identity and nationality; and
(b)on or before his departure from the premises, inform the keeper of the premises of his next destination and, if it is known to him, his full address there.

Well, that is interesting, but in the last several weeks, 9 stays, in B&Bs, Small Hotels, Private Self-Catering type places, and three large chains; not a one has asked for a passport, or even any ID to indicate who I am, verify an address, or ask where I am off to. I also do not recall ever doing that on previous trips. In fact I simply showed up, stated my name, they handed over a key.

Now through simple process of making a reservation, they pick up my name, address, phone...so maybe that suffices, but no verification. There was the B&B owner that asked us our plans for the rest of the trip...but that was more conversation.

just because a lodging provider chooses to ignore a law doesn't mean that the law doesn't exist nor that there are no penalties when caught

What I have seen recently at some hotels is getting an email ahead of time asking for passport info to make check in quicker.

A couple of weeks ago in Vienna, when I showed up, they saw that I had filled in the forms online and mentioned that will makes things easier. All I had to give them was my credit card to make a hold on the payment and my key was handed over.

In the UK, it's been mixed. Some ask, some don't. I remember the days when landing cards had to be filled out and you were asked where you were first staying in the UK. But those are now part of history.

Well, that is interesting, but in the last several weeks, 9 stays, in B&Bs, Small Hotels, Private Self-Catering type places, and three large chains; not a one has asked for a passport ...

The penalty for not doing so if successfully prosecuted is a fine (which is does not have a ceiling set in statute) and/or 6 months in prison. This does happen from time to time although penalties are not usually towards the top end.

Hopefully all this has resolved the OP’s concern about providing passport details to the apartment owner prior to check-in.

just because a lodging provider chooses to ignore a law doesn't mean that the law doesn't exist nor that there are no penalties when caught

The penalty for not doing so if successfully prosecuted is a fine (which is does not have a ceiling set in statute) and/or 6 months in prison. This does happen from time to time although penalties are not usually towards the top end

No need to be defensive, I was just making an observation. The fact that in my trip I am 0 for 9 in my stays, over my trip that encompassed 5 regions of England, points more to the state of the industry than any of my actions. Maybe take it up with your MP.

I would think that if it were a more serious concern, that maybe at least one hotelier would have sought the information. For your report, Ibis and Holiday Inn were among the scofflaws.

Yes, there's a law in force in Portugal for all accommodation providers (Airbnbs, hotels etc.) that requires hosts to collect and transmit guest details to the national authorities.

Additional details can be found here: https://blog.upmarket.cloud/airbnb-in-portugal-why-is-my-host-asking-for-passport-details/

We have been traveling in Europe since the 70s. I cannot remember not being asked for passport at check-in. I can remember when the hotel desk would keep the passport overnight.

Paul, you’ve been in England not Portugal which is why you haven’t been asked. There is no such law in the U.K. because there is no requirement to carry ID. We not have ID cards here.

There is a law in Britain for aliens to supply passport information etc as I give the details above, but it doesn't apply to UK citizens (amongst others).

have a look at this current thread in the Italy Forum for similar comments https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/host-is-asking-to-send-passport-id-photos-over-whatap-for-registration-is-this-normal

Back from Portugal recently. We stayed at Easy Hotel in Lisbon and Moov Hotel in Porto. Easy Hotel asked us for our passport and took photocopies of it. Moov Hotel never once did. However, we made both of those reservations online so it is possible that Moov felt it was enough that we booked online as they have the information there? No clue.

I have traveled very extensively in Europe, including this past April/May in Italy and October in Portugal. I was only asked for my passport upon checkin. I am like you, I would be concerned about providing that information over email (which is not secure). I hope they are asking for this information over an encrypted connection. I am heading for London next month and I have not been asked for my passport in advance.

At some point but not later than checkin many hotels in Europe and some other countries require the passport of each international guest staying at their facility.