Do hotels keep your passport in France?

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.



People Also Ask

The answer, in many places, is yes. Sometimes hotels may legally demand that you hand over your passport when you check in. In some countries, hotels may be required under local law to retain copies of guests' passport information, a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed with me.

MORE DETAILS

Leave Your Passport at the Hotel Although your passport is required as an ID when travelling abroad, you don't really need to carry it around with you everywhere. Consider moving around the city with your driver's license instead, and leave your passport behind in the hotel safe.

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

It is best that you leave it at the hotel`s safety deposit box rather than inside your room`s safe. If your hotel doesn`t have one, then you can keep it inside your hotel room. Look for a place in your hotel room where people wouldn`t think that it would be there, like under the TV or at the edge of the carpet.

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

Your arrival in France
  • A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date;
  • A valid visa, if required;


MORE DETAILS

They will take the details from your passport in some cases but they will return it to you immediately. The reason they take your details is so they have a record of your stay and a way to contact you or to have documents for the police just in case it becomes necessary later.

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

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

Leave your passport behind: Your original passport is only mandatory when going through customs or boarding a flight. But away from these situations, you won't need your passport much. So, should you carry your passport with you when leaving the hotel? The answer is no.

MORE DETAILS

While overseas, carry copies of your passport ID page and foreign visa with you at all times. If your passport is lost or stolen, report it immediately to the nearest embassy or consulate, or at 1-877-487-2778. Learn about travel regulations, local laws, and customs for your destination at travel.state.gov.

MORE DETAILS

France belongs to the European Union, specifically its Schengen Zone. If you are from another country within this zone, you can visit Paris using only your passport or I.D.

MORE DETAILS

Look for a place in your hotel room where people wouldn`t think that it would be there, like under the TV or at the edge of the carpet. When the edge of the carpet can be pulled up and it is covered by furniture, people will not notice it there. When you get back after a day out, make sure to check on it immediately.

MORE DETAILS

In Italy, the hotels are required to register guests with the local authorities, which they do via your passport information. They will collect your passport when you check in, sometimes keeping it for 24 hours before returning it to you.

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