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Holidays

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Original poster

Do you had over your passport at the hotel?

51 replies

morellamalessdrama · 25/07/2023 22:23

As the title says really. I'm pretty sure that the hotel we are going to in Croatia asks for visitors to handover their passports.

I'm not sure how I feel about this so I wanted to gauge how normal it is.

OP posts:
RosesAndHellebores · 26/07/2023 07:06

@Maddy70 lots of times in Spain. They need to take the details, they are obliged to do that. It takes two minutes and there is no obligation for them to keep your passport any longer. Under no circumstances would I ever let someone else retain my passport.

movingstars · 26/07/2023 07:09

Hi this is normal in Croatia. The hotel have a legal responsibility to register with the police.
I say this as someone who visits annually!

VisionsOfSplendour · 26/07/2023 07:10

RosesAndHellebores · 25/07/2023 22:30

No. They can take the details or a photocopy but I expect it to be handed back. Immediately. It always has been, including in Spain.

Your experience may be unusual, I have had them keep it for 24 hours in Spain more than once and it seems form the thread that it's quite routine

Paq · 26/07/2023 07:13

Only time I’ve handed it over for them to keep was on a cross border sleeper train.

RosesAndHellebores · 26/07/2023 07:15

@VisionsOfSplendour all you have to do is gently explain that you are happy for the details they have to report to be recorded, and ask for the immediate return of your passport.

TakeMe2Insanity · 26/07/2023 07:18

In a package holiday scenario, yes. In an independent traveller scenario they take a scan/photocopy if needed.

pizzaHeart · 26/07/2023 07:26

HappiDaze · 25/07/2023 22:31

My passport details are usually already uploaded when booking my holiday so I normally just show my passport at the hotel but never hand it over to them.

The same experience here. We went to Majorca several times and they always check our passports on arrival but that’s it.
I wouldn’t like my passport being out of my sight even for a few hours.

RosesAndHellebores · 26/07/2023 08:11

Ah, well that may be why. I've never been on a package holiday to Europe. I regularly stop over in Barcelona and it's never been an issue.

Original poster
morellamalessdrama · 26/07/2023 08:57

It is a package so that might make a difference.

OP posts:
Ginmonkeyagain · 26/07/2023 10:19

I have never had to do this when visiting Spain or Italy. We had to give our passports to the conductor on the overnight sleeper from Paris to Barcelona and he gave them back at breakfast.

I once got a ferry from Kos to Bodrun and the Turkish border guard at the port said he was keeping our passports "for safety". I refused and after a bit of a tussle he seemed to accept it.

So1invictus · 26/07/2023 15:16

Ginmonkeyagain · 26/07/2023 10:19

I have never had to do this when visiting Spain or Italy. We had to give our passports to the conductor on the overnight sleeper from Paris to Barcelona and he gave them back at breakfast.

I once got a ferry from Kos to Bodrun and the Turkish border guard at the port said he was keeping our passports "for safety". I refused and after a bit of a tussle he seemed to accept it.

https://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/travel-safety-in-italy-your-passport.html

It's been a legal requirement in Italy for hotels and other types of accommodation to register visitors with the police within a certain timeframe for as long as I've lived here.

Maybe you've just stayed in dodgy places.

Travel Safety in Italy: Your Passport

<p>Intrepid travelers are fond of saying that as long as you&#8217;ve got your passport, you can get whatever else you need along the way. There may be other things you&#8217;d rather not forget when you&#8217;re packing, but there&#8217;s more than a...

https://www.italylogue.com/planning-a-trip/travel-safety-in-italy-your-passport.html

Ginmonkeyagain · 26/07/2023 15:31

Maybe they didn't retain them

Peony654 · 26/07/2023 15:33

Very normal, has happened in most places I've stayed. They'll just take a copy and give them back to you.

RotundRuby · 26/07/2023 15:38

Very normal, including in Italy (I visit a few times per year) where I always have to do it. Depending on the hotel I get mine back either immediately or within 24 hours.

They won't take photocopies, definitely not in Croatia where they register with police, but a copy is useful to have when travelling anyway in case of loss of passport.

StarlightLady · 26/07/2023 20:02

It is a legal requirement for the hotel to note your passport details. As an overseas visitor, in Croatia you are obliged by law to carry your passport with you at all times. So the hotel should return it to you.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 26/07/2023 20:11

I think I’ve had to show them at check in in lots of hotels (probably most) but they haven’t kept hold of them

Original poster
morellamalessdrama · 26/07/2023 22:48

StarlightLady · 26/07/2023 20:02

It is a legal requirement for the hotel to note your passport details. As an overseas visitor, in Croatia you are obliged by law to carry your passport with you at all times. So the hotel should return it to you.

Cripes! I'm not sure I fancy carrying my passport around everywhere with me!

OP posts:
StarlightLady · 26/07/2023 23:19

OP, I was merely quoting the law. But if you don't have your passport with you, nobody is going to lock you up and throw away the key. The same applies in Portugal and Spain where you are supposed to have your actual passport with you. In reality, I think few people carry their passport with them. In Italy and France by contrast, it is suggested that you carry a copy.

I would recommend keeping a copy on your phone at all times though.

Original poster
morellamalessdrama · 27/07/2023 07:17

@StarlightLady that's a good idea, I'll take pictures of all our passports.

OP posts:
Original poster
morellamalessdrama · 03/08/2023 05:17

In case anyone is dying for an update, the hotel took our passports and then returned them in the morning Smile

OP posts:
Hellokittymania · 03/08/2023 05:22

Vietnam used to do this, some places would just make a photocopy and then give your passport back to you. Because I spent so much time there, and I usually would go back to the same hotels when I was in Ho Chi Minh City, they would just take my passport and copy down the details instead of keeping it. But I remember back in the day, places would keep your passport, which would cause a problem for the guests if there was an issue with death, from the hotel unfortunately in some cases, and the hotel wouldn’t want to get the passport back. I think these days are over though…

most places do ask for your passport check in, Greece, France, a lot of places I can think of. But they usually give it back to you

NashvilleQueen · 03/08/2023 06:40

It's absolutely usual and never a problem in my experience. Imagine when a transfer bus of tired and hot brits turns up then having to do this for every passenger before they check you in... I imagine its a nightly job for reception when things are quieter and no distractions.

RubyWasp · 22/04/2024 18:39

SpainToday · 25/07/2023 22:26

This is quite normal in Greece and Spain, you get the passport back after a day or two

Day or two?? That document is my only way home, they can photocopy in my presence or take my copy. No way am I leaving a PASSPORT in a foreign country with complete strangers. 🤣🤣🤣

reluctantbrit · 22/04/2024 20:18

In the last 2 years I went to Greece, France, Italy and Germany. I had to show my passport but got it back immediatley.

I have two passports (UK and EU) and a EU ID card. One of them is always with me and we have copies uploaded into a cloud.