Certificate of distance

[Caminofrances75]

Hey there, I am completing my first camino frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port by foot and unfortunately realized 500km in that I needed to get one stamp a day. I had been collecting stamps sporadically something like 1 every 2-3 days. Thankfully, I am over the 100km mark still so I can start collecting 2 stamps per day from now on and I will be good to go for the Compostella certificate. However, I am now worried I won’t be able to get the certificate of distance, which I really wanted. Does anyone know if having 1/stamp per day is a hard requirement for the certificate of distance? (I have my original stamp from saint jean pied with my start date of course)

 

[trecile]

I don't think that it's so important for the distance certificate.

 

[Tincatinker]

Hey there, I am completing my first camino frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port by foot and unfortunately realized 500km in that I needed to get one stamp a day. I had been collecting stamps sporadically something like 1 every 2-3 days. Thankfully, I am over the 100km mark still so I can start collecting 2 stamps per day from now on and I will be good to go for the Compostella certificate. However, I am now worried I won’t be able to get the certificate of distance, which I really wanted. Does anyone know if having 1/stamp per day is a hard requirement for the certificate of distance? (I have my original stamp from saint jean pied with my start date of course)

Wuffo you do that? Just about any Albergue will stamp your credencial while you’re still fumbling for change. Chances are the Certificate Office (previously known as ….) will issue you a distance based on your StJdP stamp. Perhaps you’ve some photos on your phone that’ll support your claim? As long as you get two a day from Sarria you’ll meet the Compostela requirements for sure

 

[Caminofrances75]

Thank you both. This is my first Camino (and I am loving it so far). I have to say I was just misinformed and I just forgot to get the stamp sometimes thinking it’s not that important. I made sure to get stamps from the stops I really liked though.

So it seems it won’t be a problem to get the certificate of distance after all. I have a lot of pictures to prove I did the whole thing. I will also make sure to start collecting at least 1 stamp per day and 2 from Sarria onwards.

 

[trecile]

Since the distance certificate is something that you have to pay for (the Compostela is free), the Pilgrim Office actually makes some money from it, so I think that they aren't as particular.

 

[J Willhaus]

Are you staying in hotels? Usually at albergues they will ask to see and stamp your credential? Keep it with your passport and it will be easier to remember to get it stamped where you are staying.

 

[dbier]

My credencial and my passport ride in the same zip lock baggie, along with a pen. As noted above, most albergue/ hostal/pension/casa/ hotel owners will ask if you want it stamped when you arrive.

 

[Caminofrances75]

Thank you everyone. Love the spirit of this forum. Very helpful. Cheers

 

[t2andreo]

Hey there, I am completing my first camino frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port by foot and unfortunately realized 500km in that I needed to get one stamp a day. I had been collecting stamps sporadically something like 1 every 2-3 days. Thankfully, I am over the 100km mark still so I can start collecting 2 stamps per day from now on and I will be good to go for the Compostella certificate. However, I am now worried I won’t be able to get the certificate of distance, which I really wanted. Does anyone know if having 1/stamp per day is a hard requirement for the certificate of distance? (I have my original stamp from saint jean pied with my start date of course)

The earlier stamps are to establish distance and your route of march. So, if you only obtained stamps at (for example) Saint Jean Pied de Port, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, Ponferrada, Astorga and Sarria, as long as you got at least TWO STAMPS PER DAY FROM SARRIA to Santiago, you should be good -to-go.

The two-per-day from Sarria will qualify you for the Compostela. The other supporting stamps, sporadic as they are, if in chronological and logical order, will prove your line of march along the Camino Frances (for example) for a distance certificate.

As another piece of evidence, take lots of pictures on virtually any smartphone, photos are backed by EXIF data that can be retrieved. As a Pilgrim Office volunteer over several years, I have seen many Compostela and Distance Certificate requests "saved" by the data in these photos. Every photo you take is digitally stamped with the time, date, and location, automatically by your phone. So, your own evidence can place you on the correct line of march, in the correct date order. Easy peasy.

That said, do not rely on photos as your primary means of establishing eligibility for either a Compostela or a Distance Certificate. The staff will take a very dim view of that.

The rules are simple. Obtain a credencial. Populate that credencial with one or two stamps daily, as you progress along your Camino route. Ensure two stamps daily from Sarria, Tui, Ferrol, Lugo,
Ourense, Monforte de Lemos, etc. on your Camino to prove you walked at least the final 100 km on any route.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Quietways]

Thanks for the info, Tom. I'm wondering how many Compestellas have you refused to hand out because the two stamp rule wasn't followed? Does the office keep stats on the total denied per year?

 

[Flog]

So it seems it won’t be a problem to get the certificate of distance after all.

Don't count on it, and please don't be going by, or relying on anecdotes from others. Lovely as your photos may be, busy staff may or not have time to go scrolling through them. It's up to you to collect daily, dated stamps as evidence of a continuous journey. It's the only thing that will guarantee your certificate of distance.

Since the distance certificate is something that you have to pay for (the Compostela is free), the Pilgrim Office actually makes some money from it, so I think that they aren't as particular.

This isn't true. Every day, loads of pilgrims fool themselves by giving false information to obtain a compostela/distance cert. Sometimes they'll fool the pilgrim's office too, but staff and volunteers endeavor to do their best to ensure certs reflect the actual journey.

 

[dbier]

And when the Pilgrim's Office is doing over 2000 a day ( as they were on the 28th, when I came in at about 1640) the random desk volunteer that you are assigned to a. may be new to this, b. may not speak your language, and c. may not have the time or knowledge to scroll through your phone in search of metadata.

Don't make it harder on them.

 

[Caminofrances75]

Hey everyone, I posted this question to ask IF It was possible to get the certificate. I did not assume anything nor am I undermining the amount of work volunteers already have. If it’s possible then that’s great if not that’s totally fine, sad, but fine. In the end, I will get the compostella since I now thankfully know about this stamp rule (before I reached 100km mark) and that’s the most important thing. Thank you everyone for the input

 

[trecile]

This isn't true. Every day, loads of pilgrims fool themselves by giving false information to obtain a compostela/distance cert

Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

My credencial and my passport ride in the same zip lock baggie, along with a pen. As noted above, most albergue/ hostal/pension/casa/ hotel owners will ask if you want it stamped when you arrive.

I was never asked at the hotels if I wanted a sello stamp on the 2nd half of the Norte. I always had to ask and the reception seemed surprised and fumbled around to get their return address stamp.

 

[J Willhaus]

I was never asked at the hotels if I wanted a sello stamp on the 2nd half of the Norte. I always had to ask and the reception seemed surprised and fumbled around to get their return address stamp.

Yes, you usually have to ask specifically for a stamp at hotels or hostels as they are not exclusively serving pilgrims. At pilgrim albergues, you need to produce your credential to stay there.

 

[dbier]

:::chuckle::Favila Oviedo, AutoBar in Grado, Exe Puerta de San Pedro in Lugo, Casa Herminia in Campiello, Pension Eligio (O Cádavo) all did. But then again, the Primitivo is a bit different from the Norte...

 

[Flog]

Thanks for the info, Tom. I'm wondering how many Compestellas have you refused to hand out because the two stamp rule wasn't followed?

I'm open to correction by the man himself, but I dont think Tom has ever actually written a compostela so the answer to that would be 'zero'.

Hey everyone, I posted this question to ask IF It was possible to get the certificate.

It IS possible, but it is by no means certain. Best to go by the rules, simple as they are, to be sure.

 

[David Tallan]

Hey there, I am completing my first camino frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port by foot and unfortunately realized 500km in that I needed to get one stamp a day. I had been collecting stamps sporadically something like 1 every 2-3 days. Thankfully, I am over the 100km mark still so I can start collecting 2 stamps per day from now on and I will be good to go for the Compostella certificate. However, I am now worried I won’t be able to get the certificate of distance, which I really wanted. Does anyone know if having 1/stamp per day is a hard requirement for the certificate of distance? (I have my original stamp from saint jean pied with my start date of course)

I think there is less strictness around the distance certificate than around the Compostela.

 

[David Tallan]

It IS possible, but it is by no means certain. Best to go by the rules, simple as they are, to be sure.

Certainly it is. But if you read the original post, OP discovered the rule 500 km into their Camino. It is hardly reasonable to suggest that they go back and re-walk the first 500 km getting a stamp each day to get the distance certificate. I'm not sure that counts as "best". They've already said they will follow the rules from this point on as best they can, with a stamp each day ( and at least two each day during the last 100 km).

 

[Flog]

But if you read the original post, OP discovered the rule 500 km into their Camino. It is hardly reasonable to suggest that they go back and re-walk the first 500 km getting a stamp each day to get the distance certificate. I'm not sure that counts as "best".

Of course I read the original post. It would be facetious to suggest they go back and walk again, don't you think? Whether they get the distance certificate they want, will depend on who they deal with and on the size of the 'gaps' in their credential. I'm not suggesting the OP is being dishonest, but pilgrims can be economical with the truth sometimes.. like all day, every day.

For example:
Two days ago, a peregrina presenting her credential said she 'missed a few stamps' but started in Pamplona. She had one, undated stamp from Pamplona and one from Burgos. The rest of her stamps were from OCebreiro.. a clear, continuous trail. She got her distance cert... from OCebreiro.

My offer of clear advice to 'best to go by the rules' is intended for others who might read this thread, who are intending to walk. My post was also intended to put the OP in the picture.

 

[t2andreo]

Thanks for the info, Tom. I'm wondering how many Compestellas have you refused to hand out because the two stamp rule wasn't followed? Does the office keep stats on the total denied per year?

I am not aware that they count or track the refusal rate. Then again, anything is possible.

 

[Quietways]

I am not aware that they count or track the refusal rate. Then again, anything is possible.

Thanks for the reply, T2. I'll contact the Pilgrim's Office once back in Santiago.

In the meantime, if there are office volunteers who needed to turn away anyone over the double stamp issue. Or forum members who had Compostellas withheld due to the lack of double stamps. I'd appreciate hearing from them.

 

[t2andreo]

As a volunteer, I did not have final authority to turn anyone away. Usually, we listened to their story, asked questions, then referred to matter to paid Pilgrim Office staff.

Hope this helps,

Tom

 

[Quietways]

As a volunteer, I did not have final authority to turn anyone away. Usually, we listened to their story, asked questions, then referred to matter to paid Pilgrim Office staff.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Absolutely helps! Thank you Tom. I'm tempted to then ask how often you've made referrals around the double stamp issue. But have a feeling if you wanted to share that, you would have done so already : )

 

[t2andreo]

Thanks for the info, Tom. I'm wondering how many Compestellas have you refused to hand out because the two stamp rule wasn't followed? Does the office keep stats on the total denied per year?

I do not know, as I doubt this refusal count is kept. But, in my experience they DO make exceptions.

For example, if you walked from Pamplona or Saint Jean Pied de Port and had a single stamp each day, and completely forgot about the two-per-day from Sarria rule, staff can usually tell if you did, in fact walk the distance.

The fact is that long-walkers, those who started as Lisbon. Madrid, St. Jean Pied de Port, Le Puy, Barcelona, etc., just look act and smell different. If they proceeded directly to the Pilgrim Office on arrival, without first showering, changing clothes and storing all their gear, the typical long-walker pilgrim just has the aura of someone who has been the distance. I have previously likened the comparison to someone who has served in military combat and "been there - done that" - versus a new replacement who has been in theater perhaps a week - barely time to get dirty.

Conversely, "short-walkers," from Sarria, Tui, Ferrol, Oursense, or Vigo, for example, lack that tarnish and wear that the extra month, and related weather and challenges can leave on the typical pilgrim. They typically have clean clothes and gear, lack stains, tears or field expedient repairs to gear, don't have medical dressings on wounds, are not limping, beards and hair is still neatly trimmed. Caked mud is not evident on walking sticks and footwear. Ladies nails are still done and polished. You get the idea?

The staff behind the counter, and most repeat volunteers, can spot a long-walker versus a short-walker at 30 meters. During the summer, groups of short-walkers may have bright, uniform t-shirts attesting to the group they are with, or the magnificence of their 118 km pilgrimage from Sarria to Santiago. Hey, it's their Camino and they can tell the story however they want.

The point is, if you are a long distance pilgrim, the staff can usually tell and will consider the totality of your credencial and your stamps. However, if you are a short-distance pilgrim, staff are likely to be more by-the-book. The determination to accept your story is still case-specific.

Hope this helps.

Tom