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If you’ve traveled internationally, it may have happened to you. You finally get to your hotel in, say, Italy or Japan. As you complete the check-in process, the clerk at the front desk asks for the passports of everyone in your party, so they can make a copy of them.

If there’s one bit of travel advice we’ve all had drummed into us, it’s to protect our passport. Losing it, or even just having marks, a ripped page, or water stains on it can mean you’re going to have to get a new one before you can travel anywhere else (including getting back home, if it happens overseas). We’ve all also read about passports being stolen by bad actors who intend to use them for nefarious purposes.

I don’t remember the first time I traveled internationally and was asked for my passport so they could make a copy of it. But I sure remember how I felt – scared and defensive – because I didn’t know why they wanted it.

Why Do Hotels Make a Copy of Your Passport?

Full disclosure: The first handful of times I was asked for my passport so they could make a copy, it was years before the internet was a “thing.” There were message boards, like CompuServe, AOL and Prodigy, which you could access with lightning speed 400 baud modems (Which I did. True story. I could read faster than what a 400bps modem could spit out on the screen of my Apple IIe). But trying to find out information like “Why does this hotel want a copy of my passport, and is that even legal?” wasn’t something one could look up on a phone back then because smartphones hadn’t been invented yet.

Is It Legal for Hotels to Copy Your Passport?

Of course, nowadays it’s easy to look stuff up, even if you’re in a hotel lobby in Venice or Kyoto. So here’s the answer:

Yes, it’s 100% legal. And in many countries, accommodations (motels, hotels, hostels, B&Bs, etc.) are required to keep a copy of their guests’ passports if those guests are visiting from a different country. It’s done so the government can keep track of their foreign visitors.

Why Do Governments Require It?

More specifically, it helps:

• prevent fraudulent activities
• ensure that guests are staying in the country legally and are abiding by local regulations
• compliance with immigration laws
• combat human trafficking
• cooperation with law enforcement agencies

When and How Do Hotels Collect Passport Copies?

Sometimes a hotelier will ask you for an electronic copy before your arrival. Other times they’ll ask for your passport and copy what they need, when you check in. Years ago, many places would keep your passport – some for a few hours, some overnight, some for your length of stay – but that’s a rare occurrence nowadays.

Again, not every country does it. But several do.

Is It Safe to Give Hotels a Copy of Your Passport?

Of course, anyone working at an establishment could be less than legit. But if you’re staying at a reputable place, generally speaking, yes, it’s safe to give them a copy of your passport. And since you can’t stay there without doing so, it’s kind of a moot point.

But because this is a requirement, it’s also a good reason to stay at reputable places.

Can a Hotel Misuse My Passport Information?

Again, any one person working at a hotel could be doing some nasty stuff. However, reputable hotels have strong security measures in place to protect their guests’ information (I mean, look at all the credit card names and numbers they have, too). There would undoubtedly be serious legal implications if something happened. So although they technically COULD…chances are excellent they wouldn’t.

How Long Do Hotels Keep Your Passport Information?

Just as long as they’re required to by the laws in that country. The laws also typically require them to safely dispose of said info once that time has passed.

Can You Avoid Giving Your Passport to a Hotel?

Potentially. It depends on the hotel.

Some hotels will ask for you to email them a copy of your passport before you even arrive. Others will be happy with a paper copy, that you could make on your own and hand to the front desk when you get there.

However it’s still possible that some hoteliers will require you to hand over your passport, in person, so they can make a copy. If you were to refuse that, chances are excellent you wouldn’t be allowed to check in.

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