Why do Italian hotels ask for your passport?

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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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.

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These hotels keep a record of passports to cross check for wanted criminals, look for missing persons, or protect against identity thieves. Of course, handing over your personal identification can be risky, even if you're giving it to a reputable hotel with (most likely) trustworthy employees.

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As veterans in the hospitality industry, we understand that this basic request might be unfamiliar for many travelers. But rest assured, we're happy to clarify that this is perfectly normal and required by law. Yes, even locals have to present our IDs at hotels, B&Bs, and other accommodations both in Italy and abroad.

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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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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.

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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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Carry your own passport or passport copy. That's because if one person gets pick-pocketed, all of your passports will be gone. Everyone person should be responsible for their own passport if possible. That means you shouldn't be leaving them at the hotel desk either, according to The Daily Mail.

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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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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.

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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.

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To comply with Portuguese regulations, hosts must provide details about their guests, including full name, birth date, place of residency, nationality, identity document details, and the country that issued the document.

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Most AirBnB places do ask for a copy of your passport. It's like going to a hotel where they ask you. If you can try to negotiate to give them a copy of it in person when you meet, they might be fine with it if you're not comfortable using a web link. Just try and work with them to see what they are open to doing.

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