Host asking for passport copies

[Bruna-Ayako0]

Hi! I've used Airbnb a couple of times, and it's the first time my host asked me for the Passport copies. I'm hosted in Portugal and she said it's for paying taxes. I distrusted this information of her request because I always talked to my host in Portuguese and just this message was sent in English.

Anybody know if is it common ask passport information in Portugal? And is safe to provide this information?

Thanks!

[Quincy · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone,

Please note that this content has been archived.

"The Host may ask for ID upon check-in, if done in person and if the requirement is in the Host’s house rules at the time of booking or is required under applicable laws." 

You can read more about this by clicking here.

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Thanks

[Ralf5]

@Bruna-Ayako0, @Amaris0, @David126,

I just read about this topic in the french speaking CC:

in Spain all hosts have to get a passport or id card copy from their guests and the Spanish authorities do charge fines in case of not respecting this policy.

in France the law still exists, but obviously a lot of hosts just don't follow the rules.

[Iain13]

What is the law in France? 

[Marit-Anne0]

@Iain13

Are you a guest or a host ?

As far as I know we do not have to officially register each guest in France, at least not in my area.  

That said, a host is free to ask for an ID to confirm that the person booking is the person staying and should not be a cause for concern for the guest.  Insisting on a copy of the ID would be a different kettle of fish and I believe you can refuse.

[Nicola62]

In Portugal, there is a law to ensure all holiday room rentals are licensed under the Alojamento Local scheme. All hosts are meant to out their licence number on their adverts. This means that all renters know that there  are basic safety standards in place and that the rooms and house are legally owned by the person renting and taxes paid. As part of this, all hosts are meant to take passport details and report them to the borders agency within three days of arrival All guests details, apart  from those who are Portuguese citizens should be reported under the schengen agreement or they will be breaking the law. This is the same for hotels.

Many hosts are breaking the law by not doing this, or registering for Alojamento Local and face fines. You should be pleased if asked for your passport. It means you're in a legal establishment.

[Meli8]

Thanks so much. I was asked to fill out an Accommodation Bulletin and not comfortable giving all that information out, but I'm glad to hear it is normal practice. I can understand why on both sides, but there's a lot of Identity Theft going on in the world, so both parties have something to be careful about.

[Patricia823]

Can you point me to where, in the EU legislation or Portugal's legislation it states that Airbnb hosts need to ask information from their guests and report it to the SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras)??? Thanks, my host is asking me to fill out a very detailed info for the SEF, and I am reluctant to give out so much personal info. We are arriving in the EU through normal customs and borders and doing our inmigration check anyway...why is this required?

[Marit-Anne0]

It goes for anyone in the industry. Legal and registered hosts must collect the same info on guests as hotels do.

[Martin-and-Ingrid0]

We are hosts in Portugal and we ask the guests to fill in the details on an A4 we made. (Name, DOB, Passport number etc). After returning the A4 form we upload the information on the SEF site. Easy done.

[Chyll0]

Hello im asking for passport copy thanks

[Ralf5]

Hello @Bruna-Ayako0,

I just noticed, that @Nicola62 provided the answer for you regarding Portugal.

By the way, could you let us know, how you proceeded with your host request, i.e. did you send the required information or not. This is just to follow up your case adn it could be helpful for others to know how you did get along with your booking.

Kind regards,

Ralf

[Bruna-Ayako0]

Hi @Ralf0.

I let the host take photos of our passport. He explained about the tourist taxes and politely asked me to take a photo. He assured that he would use just in case of some problem with the government, but it would guaranty his safety with the laws. It seems that all these taxes was new for them too.

Because we can't find clear information about it on Airbnb, you have to trust on the honesty of the host, who is a stranger, and give them your documents 😕

I suggested Airbnb on one stay review, that they should be clear with the documents policy and taxes of each country because I find help just here in the community. I'm having again another similar situation in Italy that the host is asking me to pay the tourism taxes or don't pay and sign some papers saying that I'm denying paying taxes. I read that the host need to be clear about this extra cost before booking or on the first day of staying, but because there's so few information about it I'm again in doubt of what to do. Even because the taxes is  just €15/person. The correct should report them, and fight to not pay because I wasn't warned before booking, but worth all energy and possible bad review from the hosts? We don't know yet how we will proceed.

[Ralf5]

Hi @Bruna-Ayako0,

good suggestion to Airbnb that the should provide a listing in which coutries passport copies are required by local registration law.

Regarding the tourist tax, Airbnb did already a first approach and for some first cities in the France they collect it from the guests and then pay to the appropriate communities. However there are many communities especially in european where the guest needs to pay the tourist tax (small amounts between a few cents up to 3 Euros per day per person, depending on age, season and several other facts) to the community and the host is obliged to collect it as a withholding amount and then transfer the money to the finance dept. of his community. It will be a long way until Airbnb can take care of all these various local regulations...!

But regarding your stay in Italy I agree that the host should have mentioned this in the listing. If you look to my listing it is clearly outlined, that the tourist tax has to be paid additionally after check-in (because there is no extra price field yet in the Airbnb tool for Germany).

If you are unsure about any demands from your host, you also can google about Tourist Tax in those countries/communities and I am sure you will get some results, of course most of them will be in the home language of this country but any on-line translator can give you a feeling what the local is about. Also if hosts in specific countries are requiring additional information like passport numbers and home addresses, this tells you that your host is following the local regulations as well and you stay in a legal lodging.

[Janice44]

Did your Italian host ask to take a picture of your passport? We are in Rome and our host has asked. Oddly, I cannot find any information about this from airbnb other than the community forum. 

[Veronica285]

So did you provide them copy of your passport? We are going to Rome in  May and our Italian host is asking for the same. AirBnb is silent on the matter. Thanks.