I was lucky enough to get a Scavi Tour scheduled. I don't want to walk around Rome with my passport. When I check in at the Scavi office, is a photocopy of my driver's license or passport sufficient?

Thanks!

When I took the tour last September, the guards didn't even look at my passport. I was pretty surprised as all the info from the Scavi office said to bring ID. They did look carefully at the print out of the confirmation, however. Of course on a different day and with a different set of guards they may be more interested in ID. I'd be interested to see what others have experienced.

It's been a few years since we did the Scavi tour, but they wanted to see our passports. Hopefully, someone who has been recently can report on the current situation.

FWIW, I carry my passport around every day anyway.

The Swiss guards also inspected our confirmation but didn't ask for our passports. The people in the Scavi office did.

<i>Scavi -- Photocopy of ID Sufficient?
Posted by: MaddieEms on May 24, 13 at 12:25am
I don't want to walk around Rome with my passport.</i>

May I ask Why?

The guard looked at the confirmation, but not the passport. The Scavi office only wanted to see the confirmation. Even though you are not in Italy, it still works like in Italy, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. After a few trips, you start to like this approach to life...

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I should bring it with me to be safe.

Spaarne--I generally do not carry my passport on me. Why would I? At most I carry a photocopy. I don't feel like losing it, and I don't shop (so no need for ID like some people who use CCs). Most of the time it doesn't matter at all whether I have it. Now that you mention it, I actually can't think of one country that I've been to where I deliberately carry my passport around with me. I usually travel to Asia, Mexico and Europe. I live in the US and frankly, I don't even bring out my ID unless I'm driving. Why bother.

In January, I showed email confirmation to the Swiss guard/Vatican police for security check (which will be done in a portable building nearby) and to the scavi office staff. No passport asked for. But in Italy it's sensible to carry a photo ID - driving licence will do.

"I don't even bring out my ID unless I'm driving. Why bother."
Because it is the law in Italy and most European countries to carry some form of ID. The chances of getting stopped are slim but they are still there.
Fines are high for not complying. We (those of us who live is countries with such a requirement) always carry ID. We never have our IDs stolen. There is not be a reason why you should have yours stolen either.

Maddie, you do need carry a true ID in most of Europe, it is the law. In Italy there seems to be a presumption that you should be able to get to it within 8 hours, but note that Vatican City is a separate state to Italy.

I carry one when in Europe, though not in the UK where it is not the law.

FF has a current thread titled <b>Forgot Passport - Prosecuted</b>. See http://tinyurl.com/o8485c3.

I almost always carry my passport. The only close call with losing it was the time I left it in the hotel safe and checked out. My taxi had me almost to the dock when I discovered that I had forgotten it.

Interesting! I read the linked thread (very briefly though, not every post) and it seems like he was fined for not having a passport while crossing country lines, no? Anyway, now I know. Thanks everyone. I'll at least have a photocopy with me everywhere I go now.

I tend to lose stuff so I don't like to bring it. Thanks again!

They asked to see our passports. A driver's license is useless - for all they know it's a library card or one for state parks.