Why do hotels in Italy need your passport?

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.



People Also Ask

An Italian hotel has no legal right to keep your passport overnight. They need your passport in order to complete a registration document for the police, but this only takes a couple of minutes. Many hotels like to keep the passport overnight as security, so that guests won't run off in the morning without paying.

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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.

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U.S. citizens who arrive at an Italian Port of Entry without a valid travel document – including passports that have been previously reported lost or stolen – will be denied admittance into Italy and returned to their point of origin. This regulation is strictly enforced in Italy.

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Italian law requires that anyone in a public place must carry an identity document issued by their national government. For citizens of the USA, the only such document is a passport. Many people will say that the do not carry a passport or that they carry a copy, but the law is as stated.

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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.

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Quick Facts
  • PASSPORT VALIDITY: Six months validity recommended, at least 3 months validity beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area.
  • BLANK PASSPORT PAGES: Two pages required for entry stamp.
  • TOURIST VISA REQUIRED: Not required for stays under 90 days.


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6 Things Not To Bring To Italy
  • A new haircut. Rushing around before your trip shouldn't include a haircut. ...
  • Running shoes/ sneakers. Really my friend, unless your actually using them to exercise: leave them at home. ...
  • More baggage than you can carry. ...
  • Too many gadgets. ...
  • Travellers cheques. ...
  • Dirty Bra Straps.


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