Do hotels in Paris keep your passport?

It is quite common for hotels in Europe to take the details from your passport when you check in. They have to regiter the details with the local authorities. In my experience they take your passport, sometimes photocopy it, take the details they need and then hand it back to you.



People Also Ask

Hotels do not keep your passport during your stay. They often will ask to see your passport when you check in. The reason is twofold: Hotels are required by state law to maintain a register of their guests, and keep that record for a certain time.

MORE DETAILS

U.S. citizens on tourist status should thus have a valid passport, as the French officers do not recognize other identification documents. And in rare cases, those on visa status must present their visa documentation alongside their passports.

MORE DETAILS

French law states you must always carry some official form of ID on your person. Official means recognized by the French authorities. That typically means a passport or a National Identity Card. That is the law.

MORE DETAILS

Consider moving around the city with your driver's license instead, and leave your passport behind in the hotel safe. A screenshot of your passport, or any other form of ID will usually suffice in most scenarios.

MORE DETAILS

In general, across Europe, you should carry either your passport or a copy of it. You are required by law to have a valid form of identification.

MORE DETAILS

Copies of All Identification Documents
Keep a hard copy of your documents in your carry-on and each checked bag of luggage with which you are traveling, in case any of them go missing during the trip. These copies can help you in multiple situations.

MORE DETAILS

Many European hotels check your passport in addition to asking for a credit card for incidentals. In most cases, you only need to show your passport at check in, or, rarely, leave it overnight.

MORE DETAILS

Teachers couldn't believe it when the Kancamagus Lodge Hotel in New Hampshire where the group had been staying said they had accidentally destroyed 44 passports. The group has been forced to go to the British Embassy in New York to obtain emergency travel documents, delaying their journey home by four days.

MORE DETAILS

It is part of the way things are done in Italy. The hotel has to report your details to the police. If the front desk is busy, they will want to hold the passport for a short time until they can take the details. There is no risk: many thousands of passports are handled this way every day.

MORE DETAILS

Skip the baseball caps, white socks, sneakers, large colorful backpacks, and fanny packs. Instead, opt for dark skinny jeans, plain shirts without logos, and leather shoes. Use tote bags or earth-toned simplistic bags if you really want to dress in France to fit in with the locals.

MORE DETAILS

The best way to get around Paris is on foot and by metro. The elegant arrondissements are practically made for pedestrians. Still, Paris is very big, so you should take the efficient metro to travel long distances.

MORE DETAILS