They want my passport !
#1
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They want my passport !
Hi guyz,<BR>1)Is it compulsory to leave your passport as a form of deposit with them when staying in hostel(HI or private)/Guesthouse/B&B.l was "forced" to do that at a hostel in Vienna and thought it's very dangerous.Would the <BR>hostels/Guesthouse in Taipei and HK require u to do that and would u comply?<BR>2)Do u normally leave your real,full name when registering<BR>at the hostels/private guesthouse?Why should/shouldn't l do it?What are the pros and cons?<BR>Cheers
#2
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It used to be standard procedure in most European countries, but I'm not sure that's true anymore. I can remember leaving my passport at the desk so the clerk could record the information for their records, but I must have gotten it back in order to cash my travelers checks. Certainly never was requested of me in either Taipei or HK.<BR><BR>Why would you NOT give your real name when registering at any sort of hotel? I think legally you are probably required to, but laws may differ in different countries. But as a foreigner, why take the chance of breaking the law?
#3
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I am really, really trying hard to remember, and the only time I remember needing to leave my passport was in Russia (but I can't be certain, and while I have stayed in some budget hotels in Thailand, Philippines, and Cambodia, never a guesthouse).<BR><BR>I STRONGLY recommend you use your real name. In the event of an emergency, the American consulate (and I assume it's the same for most other countries) call hostels, hotels, guesthouses, etc. and that may be the only way to track you down.
#4
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In Europe, hotels require your passport in order to register you with the local police force. It's common to leave your passport for at least the first few hours after checking in.<BR><BR>ALWAYS use your real name, it's a recipe for disaster otherwise!