Giving hotels your passport

Doug is right, it is European Union (EU) law that every hotel visitor who is not an EU-citizen must present their passport upon check-in and that the hotel must record the information on it. You can ask, however, to have them simply copy the passport while you wait and get it back right then. We did that throughout our last trip and our request was always accepted.

1. I think it is only in Italy that they keep track of your hereabouts by your passport.

2. In over 80 nights in Germany in this century, I have never once been asked for my passport at a hotel.

The hotel must by law keep a record of your passport information. You could ask that the desk clerk write down the needed information during check-in and return your passport, but it's generally available by the time you unpack and are ready to head out. I've never had a hotel keep my passport longer than about an hour. They should never keep it for the duration of your visit, as you may need it for ID.

When we checked out of out hotel in Venice they gave us a different family's passports...

Relax, Anne. It's a common practice. Hotels need your passport so they can report your name and address as required by law. It's easier for them to do do the paperwork when business is slow. Some may want to keep them as security for payment but I think that is less common these days.

I have not heard of anyone reporting that a hotel lost or stole a passport. Sure, it could happen, but that would be a big deal to the local police.

Make a copy of your passport, anyway, so in case you don't keep it in your money belt and it is lost you have an easier time getting it replaced.

Keeping passports seems to have fallen by the wayside at many, many hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and hostels. I travelled to many different European countries last year and no place ever kept my passport (not even for an hour). At most, they looked at it, jotted down the passport number and country on the check-in paperwork and handed it back to me immediately.

Prior to your departure, I do recommend you either scan your passport and send a copy of the scanned document to your e-mail account, or at the very least, have a color photocopy made and leave it with a family member back in the U.S.

In the event your passport was stolen or simply lost, it would make filing a claim much easier. Same with your credit and ATM cards - have copies made, front and back, in the event you lose your wallet and need to get a card replaced.

Italian law requires that they know where you are at in their country. I wish it was that way in the U.S. Before the previlance of computers, they did keep your passport overnight so that they could pass the information onto authorities. Now, hotels still ask for your passport at check in but it's returned to you before you leave the counter. They log the information they need right there at check in.

Many years ago it was quite common to keep passports overnight. In fact, small hotels would walk the passports to the police station. They like to know who is around. Now with computers that is much less frequently and it is rare for a hotel to keep it overnight. But they might and it is no big deal. Recently we had hotels make copies of the passports and hand them right back. We have been traveling since 72 and have never had a problem with passports or theft of any kind for that matter.

you could always just become a resident of the EU and show your ID card! :) But try and politely ask for it right back so you can go say cash those traveler cheques rick also says to leave home or some other rational reason. Most other places have you fill in and sign your name and number. Each country has its own rules.

As prior posters have said, it's primarily Italy where this is an issue. I took the RS tour of Italy and did not have to provide my passport for our hotels, but only because our guide provided all the info to the hotelier (based on the xeroxed copy we were required to provide the RS people prior to the tour). I agree with prior posters, just ask that they take a copy and return your passport, or return to the desk shortly after depositing your bag in your room to retrieve it. In any event, take a photo copy with you and leave one at home as backup.

Be prepared to get asked for your passport at Italian internet cafes. If you're uncomfortable with this, first offer up your US drivers' license. In every case I did this they were fine, and it saved digging through my money belt for the passport. I was also asked for a passport as "deposit" on my Borghese Gallery audio set - I gave my license and was ok. The woman in front of me left her AmEx black card (not the best option IMHO).

While they don't always hold your passport. I always get asked for my passport when checking in. Sometimes they will fill out necssary forms on the spot and return my passport, other times they are busy. They will ask if I can come back in a little while to pick it up. I haven't seen or heard of any fraud or theft issues regarding giving the hotel your passport.

I would expect hotels submitting passport info helps police to find fugitives and illegal aliens.

Met up with a RS tour group in Rome at the hotel. I was one of the first ones there (flight landed before 7am). Hotel stored my luggage for me while I wandered the neighborhood, and once I got back to the hotel, they asked me and a few other tour members for our passports. Passports were out of our hands for...perhaps 20 minutes, max?

When the desk clerk brought them back, I just double-checked that she had actually given me mine and put it away safely. No problem and no concern. You know who you handed it over to (and, as most other posters pointed out, it's usually never out of your sight). I suspect most hotel theft happens with articles left lying around in your room where the maids/staff can come in undetected and pilfer.

Ive been asked for it in Paris everytime, I hand it over and usaully get it back next day, thefts you hear about are from tourists who leave them in the room.
It isn't going to "ruin my vacation" if I lose it, it will just add a little extra work. And as long as you don't lose it the day before departure,it is unlikely to delay your return trip either.

Anne, losing a passport is an inconvience, but don't worry apparently the American embassy is nice in Paris, and other posters claim to have replacements in days, its not like you will get kicked out of America, relax

Please remember the clerks at your hotel are not all foreign crimminals waiting to prey apon you, most are nice folks just doing their jobs.
I also note that many tourist seem to hate leaving the hotel key at the front desk, this is pretty funny to me, since staff can get in your room whether you leave the key or not(how do you think maids get in there),so actually I consider it a service when they keep it for me

I simply refuse to surrender my Passport. I will allow the Desk staff to photocopy my Passport, while I wait, but not keep it. It's always with me.

I used to put it in the Safety Deposit Box at the Reception if no safe was in my room. But I don't do that anymore b/c one time I forgot it and didn't miss it until I needed it. Besides, with a CC# on file, who actually needs to stop by the Desk at Check-out? So it was too easy to forget to pick it up on my way out.

I am not mistrustive of Desk staff. I ran the Hotel Front Office of a major Hotel for years and never heard of Passport theft. But I guess it could happen?