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.

In Italy, hotels and all licensed accommodation providers are legally required by the Italian Public Safety Law (Testo Unico delle Leggi di Pubblica Sicurezza) to collect the personal data of every guest and report it to the local police (Questura) within 24 hours of arrival. This is an anti-terrorism and public safety measure designed to help authorities track the presence of foreign nationals and ensure national security. While many modern 2026 hotels now simply scan your passport and return it immediately, some smaller "pensioni" or traditional hotels may still ask to keep the physical document for a few hours to complete the "Alloggiati Web" (electronic guest registration) during a busy check-in period. This practice is entirely normal and is not a sign of identity theft. However, you are entitled to your passport once the information is recorded, and in 2026, most travelers prefer to wait for a quick scan or provide a high-quality photocopy to ensure their primary travel document remains in their possession at all times.