It's my understanding that you have to have your passport on you at all times in Spain and that if the police stop you and you don't have you can be arrested. Is it true? Or can you carry a photocopy and leave your passport in the hotel safe? Marilyn

I lived in Barcelona for a couple of years. All the time I had my student visa in my wallet. The only time I needed it was when I went out of the EU and when I got a Blockbuster card.<BR><BR>It is a good idea to have a copy of your passport, in case it is lost or stolen.<BR><BR>BTW, in the 2 years I lived there, I was never stopped by anyone, at anytime.

hm...no I don't believe so. I think that you are supposed to have a form of i.d on your person at all times - this applies to the whole of Europe, but no-one really thinks about it.

I've also never been stopped by the police to ask me for my passport in all the many years I've studied/lived/ travelled in Spain. I simply carry a photocopy. I would strongly advise you to leave your passport in the hotel safe.

You can carry a phoyocopy and leave the passport in the hotel safe. But if you do some shopping in order for the I.V.A. tax to be refundable, you need the passport, not a photocopy, specially in department stores. My advise, carry the photocopy when sightseeing, and the original when shopping. I have been in Spain many times, and never stopped by a police, at anytime.

Take your driver's license if it got a picture on it.