Passport necessary to check into hotel
 

I am an American student living in Italy for the semester, and a few of us are going to Naples/Pompeii for the weekend. We know that it's not the safest place on earth, and so we're leaving most of our valuables at the house rather than taking them with us. Our biggest concern, though, is our passports. Does anyone know if we need passports to check into our hotel, or if our ID's (student and State IDs) will be enough? We have money belts, and our passports would always be in them, so what is the legitimate risk?

Hi A,

Bring your passports.

Have a copy of your passport in your luggage.

Enjoy Naples. It's not as terrible as some people say.

((I))

Each European country has its own laws, so the title of your message should indicate which country you're talking about. In Italy, hotels must record the identities of guests for the police. I can't imagine any hotel will turn you away if you don't have a passport (Italians commonly use their driving licence as an id for hotels) but it is a good idea to take your passport with you. It's possible to conceive circumstances where you would need it.

Since you need some sort of "identity" document you'll need the passport (what else do you have that local authorities/folks might consider valid??).

The hotel may make a copy of the info page and hand it right back to you.

Proabably just as well because now that you are over there you'll need to get used to having this form of identity with you when you travel and how to safeguard it.

Ira, it is not a good idea to put a copy of your passport in your luggage.

Aomphan-I would NOT advise taking your passport for any reason. You have a student ID, and do they give you special govt.-issued student identity cards? If so, take that, take your US driver's license, and LEAVE THE PASSPORT AT THE HOUSE.

You will not need the passport at all in Naples, and you don't want to risk a "scippo"

Remember, aomphan, Italians are required by law to carry their government-issued identity cards with them whereever they go in Italy-NOT their passport-as long as you have a GOVT. ISSUED ID- you're fine-I carry my US issued driver's license around with me for ID in Italy-and that is perfectly fine, BECAUSE it is a govt. issued ID. (and I verified this with a cop in Milan this past August)

I just read your post again...you DO have a state ID, along with your school ID-that's all you need.

Are any of the previous posters sure of the law in Italy or are they guessing?
I would check with the American Consulate to be sure.

Sure of what law? Sure that aomphan doesn't have to carry his US passport? Yes, I'm sure of that. Sure that aomphan has to carry his state issued ID in Italy? Yes, he/she does.

All I know is that a foreign tourist must turn in his/her passport at a hotel in Italy when he/she checks in. That's the law. Now, the question is: Does this apply a foreign student living and studying in Italy?
I'm not challenging you, girlspytravel.
I'm just poiinting out that the OP should be sure of what the law is.

What is the big deal? Secure your passport when 'on the road' - get it out and hand it to the desk clerk (if asked) when checking in the hotel. When you get it back, secure* it again.

Same thing for train travel.

(*denotes personal preference - moneybelt, room safe, whatever)

As far as I know in Italy it's required by the hotel staff to note down all guests' passport numbers. I've been to a Rome hotel where the desk clerk wanted to hold onto it for a short while like half an hour. The hotel we stayed at in Florence the clerk just wrote down our passport numbers on the information card so we didn't need to leave it with him.

Agree totally with the advice from Travelnut about securing your passport (and other valuables).

Italian hotels are obliged by law to give the passport or the national ID card number to the police.
Since USAmaricans don't have national ID cards the only valid ID they can supply is their passport.
A student ID is not issued by a government and has about the same value than a library card (ie none)

Ira's comment telling you to "Enjoy Naples" reminds me of the old saying "See Naples and die." Of course, the meaning is that Naples is so wonderful that once you've seen it, life holds nothing better and you might as well just die. But still...

I spent a week there in June & never felt unsafe. You just need to take the same precautions as you would in any big city.

I would never travel around without my passport on my person.

No Norween, a university ID card is NOT the equivalent of a library card, in any way, since a university is a Govt. funded institution, which doles out money and other benefits to those with such a card, unlike a library card, so the comparison is in no way accurate.

However, everyone seems to be missing the fact that aomphan IS NOT A TOURIST. A non-national who resides in the country Iin taly for more than 30 days has to register with the local comune, and MUST be issued some form of "state" ID, which aomphan indicates he has. All Italians are required to carry their identity card at all times. No Italians use a passport to check into a hotel, they use their identity card, and ex-pats residing in the country are required ALSO to have some form of Italian- issued identity card as well.

Like I said, I wouldn't think of carrying my passport around with me-take it from someone who has had their wallet stolen, but not their passport, there was a minimum of pain to cancel the cards, and lose the money, but there surely would not have been had the passport been taken, and the "scippatore" are ever present in the tourist areas of Naples, which your hotel staff should be the first to warn you about-and to advise you to carry the minimum of documents/cards/cash around with you in Naples.

I should say also, that while walking around Naples in September, I did not feel it to be other than "impazzita" as opposed to dangerous or scary. The longer I was there, the more it grew on me-because you have to go with the Naples rhythm of things-and laugh about it, otherwise, you end up crying in frustration, which will get you nowhere.

I should clarify, Italians traveling around the EU can use their identity card, not their passport.

See BBC link on identity cards:

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3527612.stm

Hi SU,

>Ira, it is not a good idea to put a copy of your passport in your luggage.<

Why not?

((I))

Ira, shame on you, you haven't been reading my trip reports? I put a copy of my passport in my checked bag and someone enroute took it out and used my information to do all kinds of mischief.

I didn't read your report and wondered what they did with your passport info from a copy, seaurchin. I did used to put a copy of mine in my luggage, sort of just an extra one, but I don't any more because I realized if it was in there in case my bag went astray, just putting in my name and phone number of something with airline itinerary would be better.

I haven't tried it in Italy, but what girlspy... says makes sense to me. I've noticed some folks on FOdors think you need passports in Europe a lot more than it seems I've ever needed one. For example, even when checking into a hotel where they want your passport number, they aren't the police and I've never had one even insist on my real passport when I have shown them a photocopy of mine to get my number from it. The photocopy has your name (which will match your other ID and the name you registered in) and the photo should copy well enough to look like you. Mine do, anyway.

I had a student ID at one time from the Sorbonne University, and it definitely was of more value than a library card -- it was an official ID with my photo on it and stamped by the university, and I used it for other things for ID in France. I also had some library card in Paris and it didn't have any photo on it nor identifying information (nor does mine at home). Library cards aren't meant to be personal ID, but university ID cards are.

People must have accepted the copy of my passport as ID for this thief. For a long time afterward I was dealing with the aftermath with bill collectors, parking fees at LAX, etc. So now I just hotel information and a business address for home in the luggage.

I think the point is that it IS possible that a situation could arise where it would be important to be able to prove that you are a US citizen. Having your passport along just in case makes sure you can do that. Not unlike taking your drivers license just in case you need to rent a car.

I would think the student visa is the only proof the OP is legally anywhere - so I would also assume a passport would be necessary.

But only the consulate and/or embassy and/or Italian authorities would know for sure. I definitely wouldn't rely on anything posted by an anonymous fodorite.

re the passport copy causing all sorts of mischief -- since it doesn't have your ssn/address and such, how did they use it?

They took the address from the luggage tag. I guess no one asked them for a SS#. Whatever they did with the info they had, it seemed to work out well for them.

I just learned not to give too much info in or on my bag.

Oh - that explains it -- I never have my home address on or in my luggage. I either use a business card or (more often) the address of an unrelated friend.

Our group was once turned away from a Bologna hotel because one girl in our group left her passport in Rome. She had other forms of photo i.d., but the innkeeper refused because of the Italian laws. It would be much safer to take your passport and secure it as suggested by others. You never know when something might happen which could require presentation of your passport.

Girlspytravel !
<<<, a university ID card is NOT the equivalent of a library card, in any way, since a university is a Govt. funded institution,>>>
Many universities are not government operated (and most US students in Europe attend private ones), most university cards are just a piece of cardboard and you can easily buy one at any street corner if you know where - that's (among other reasons) why they are not accepted as IDs (maybe for skates rentals or such) but they are NOT VALID IDs; They don't have ID numbers on them.

<<<A non-national who resides in the country Iin taly for more than 30 days has to register with the local comune, and MUST be issued some form of "state" ID,<<
No, the person will be issued a visa or a residebce card dependind on the lenght of the sojourn - that's not an ID and even Italian citizens have to register and provide a valid ID when checking in a hotel.

On a side note, i'm always baffled by the reluctance USAmericans seem to have to show their passports (it seems a national specificity, i've never sseen this question from people from any other country) -
Why ?
You will give your credit(or debit) card when paying ? So why not show your id to the same hotel clerk
(a US credit card is very interesting for a thief since, being non chipped, it can be used without the PIN number)

Hi N,

>i'm always baffled by the reluctance USAmericans seem to have to show their passports ...<

Americans are very protective of their privacy.

When I worked for the Census in 2000 I found people who refused to verify their addresses and who refused to even take the census forms.

((I))

PS,

Why "USAmericans"? Are there any other kind? :)

Would you say "CanadAmericans", "MexicAmericans", etc?

Sorry, Norween, but I couldn't agree with you LESS-particularly not in Italy, since I HAVE attended university there, and whether public or private, all universities get some form of government funding, either outright or through grants. Most Americans do not attend the private schools, however, but go to the large state schools, such as the University of Florence, etc.which ARE totally government funded, but that's a separate issue from the sstudent IDs entirely.

University IDs, whether public OR private, ARE in fact affixed with photos, as mine was, and as Cristina pointed out with her ID at the Sorbonne, with stamps to show validity, and/or expiration date, precisely so they CAN be used to receive goods and services as a student, not just at the university, but to receive student discounts throughout Italy.

And it matters not one whit whether the university is public or private, the use of the student ID to receive goods and services is WHOLLY DIFFERENT from some silly library card, which simply cannot be used in the same way- that comparison is absurd. Apparently, you've never attended university, or you would know that!

And as for your other attempt at refutation, you are simply restating what I said in a different way, above i.e., "Italians have to show ID"-uh, yes, , I believe that's EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.

Italians are required to carry identity cards, and that is what they use throughout Europe NOT PASSPORTS.

And if, Norween, you read the Italian requirement for identity cards, you will see that they are ALSO ISSUED TO NON-RESIDENTS, residing in the country.

This is not just true in Italy, of course, I have American ex-pat friends in a couple of countries in Europe-Belgium for one, and they too have identity cards and must carry them at all times. So the OP will have Italian issued ID to carry.

And Capkirk-"our group" meaning a tour? Yes, as a tourist, if you don't bring your passport with you, it's possible a hotel WOULD turn you away-however, once again, the OP IS NOT A TOURIST, a totally different situation than the one you described.

Not really,Girlspytravel, we were studying at a university in Rome (for more than 30 days & registered with the Italian government as required).

<<<
Why "USAmericans"? Are there any other kind?<<<
Yes, last time i checked America was a continent.
I say Canadians, Bolivians , Peruvians, etc.... and they all are Americans.
Would an Italian, or a German or... an European when speaking about their citizenship ?

Maybe I missed something, but the thread seemed to go off course. The OP asked whether he/she would need a passport of check in to a hotel in Italy. No mention of just "carrying" the passport.

I've been in hotels in six cities in Italy and been told in every one that I needed to show and have copied my passport to check in. In all six cities, the hotel clerk told me it was a police requirement.

In fact, the same thing happened when I leased an apt. in Florence. The apt. manager made a copy of my passport while citing the same reason as the hotels gave.