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Some of our clients express concern when we request their passport details during check-in, or when we ask them to take a selfie with their open passport for self-check-in. These requests often raise privacy concerns or suspicions of potential scams.
However, we would like to clarify that this practice is standard procedure in Italy. As Italian citizens, we are also required to present proof of identification when checking into hotels, B&Bs, holiday homes, or other types of accommodation both domestically and internationally.
This requirement stems from Article 109 of the Consolidated Law on Public Security. With the rise of the “2.0 hospitality industry” (such as Airbnb and similar services), this mandate has been extended beyond hotels to include various types of accommodations, including the apartments we manage.
You can view the full text of the law on the official Italian Police website. While the text is in Italian, it can be translated using Google Translate. The law stipulates that hosts and hotel managers who fail to comply with this regulation can face up to three months of imprisonment and fines of 206 Euros per violation. Therefore, compliance is crucial.
Additionally, this regulation serves as a useful indicator of the legitimacy of an accommodation. If you are not asked for a copy of your ID at any time during your stay, the property may not be registered with the authorities and may not be paying the required taxes.
When booking a flight or train that crosses international borders, you are often required to provide ID details. This ID must match the one you present at the airport or train station. Similarly, at our managed properties, we need to verify your identity to ensure that you are the person who booked the accommodation.
In today’s digital age, it is easy to create fake email accounts or social media profiles and impersonate someone whose credit card details have been stolen. This verification process helps us ensure that your stay begins as smoothly as possible.
The Consolidated Law on Public Security requires that we store your ID details for the duration of your stay. We transmit this information through a secure portal managed by the Italian police, which is accessible only to professionals in the hospitality industry who have demonstrated their legitimacy.
These details also enable the police to locate both nationals and foreign travelers in the event of natural disasters or other emergencies. For example, this system was used to identify tourists involved in the Amatrice earthquake of 2016 and Italians affected by the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
We hope this clarifies why we need your passport details and assures you that this process is both standard and secure.
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