Passport in albergue?

[Mormon]

Hi. I leave for Paris day after tomorrow! Woo hoo! Finally.

As I'm packing my last minute things I was wondering if I will need my US Passport when checking into albergues or will I just need my pilgrims credential? I've had my passport stolen before while traveling and would feel better if I could bury it deep within my pack; but not if I will need it every afternoon.

 

[dougfitz]

It varies. Some places want to see it, others don't. I couldn't pick a pattern.

ps. I think it was more common to need it this year.

 

[nidarosa]

Also you really shouldn't bury it in your pack, as you'll be leaving your pack in the albergue - I hope you have a money belt, bumbag, cross body bag or small daypack which you always, always take with you wherever you go, even to the shower (in a plastic bag) or to the toilet in the night. Almost all pilgrims are honest and helpful, and almost all others as well, but keep your passport, cards/money, mobile and/or camera with you always. Always. Buen camino!

 

[SYates]

The Xunta albergues in Galicia certainly want to see it. Buen Camino, SY

 

[jsalt]

I think it has become a legal requirement for accommodation providers to register the passport details of all international guests. (I am sure someone will correct me if that’s not correct for Spain; I know it is for the UK.) But anyway, many places want to see your passport when you check in these days, as well as your credential. So keep both handy!
Jill

 

[trecile]

I made a copy of my passport and had it laminated so I could avoid the wear and tear on my passport. That said, my actual passport will live in a zip lock baggie in my crossbody bag that I will always have on me.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi. I leave for Paris day after tomorrow! Woo hoo! Finally.

As I'm packing my last minute things I was wondering if I will need my US Passport when checking into albergues or will I just need my pilgrims credential? I've had my passport stolen before while traveling and would feel better if I could bury it deep within my pack; but not if I will need it every afternoon.

Hi, last year I had to show my passport in every albergue.
Wish you a wonderful journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Everyone in 2014 most keyed my passport# into a PC . 2 most important items Passport & your funds. You can suffer without the other stuff until you find a replacement business.

 

[alexwalker]

Your passport is one of your most important documents. You should keep it on you at all times, together with your cards, phone, and everything else that you cannot lose, i.e. not in your pack but in your belt when you leave your pack in the albergue, cafes, etc. Many albergues will ask for your passport and write down details.

Personally, at nights, I keep my belt in the bottom of my sleeping bag.

 

[alexwalker]

I made a copy of my passport and had it laminated so I could avoid the wear and tear on my passport.

Not a good idea, if it resides inside your pack and the pack is stolen/lost. Same with credit cards etc.

 

[trecile]

Not a good idea, if it resides inside your pack and the pack is stolen/lost. Same with credit cards etc.

Don't worry, the copy will also be in my crossbody bag.

 

[Alan Pearce]

If you write your passport number in the space provided on your credential, the hospitaleros can copy that for their records, and often not need to see the passport itself. This is certainly the case at Gaucelmo in Rabanal, and many others I have stayed in.

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Not a good idea, if it resides inside your pack and the pack is stolen/lost. Same with credit cards etc.

I store the images of my passport and driver's licence on the Cloud (Dropbox AND Google Drive) - travel insurance documents too.

 

[basquelady]

Hi. I leave for Paris day after tomorrow! Woo hoo! Finally.

As I'm packing my last minute things I was wondering if I will need my US Passport when checking into albergues or will I just need my pilgrims credential? I've had my passport stolen before while traveling and would feel better if I could bury it deep within my pack; but not if I will need it every afternoon.

On our previous Caminos, we found that a photocopy of the relevant page of the passport was readily accepted. This was easy to keep with the pilgrim credencial, stored in bumbag, meaning our full passports could stay safe in our "next to skin" money belts. In fact, most hospitaleros seemed delighted that they did not have to search through the full passport to find the relevant info. Will see if that still holds true next week! Start on Baztanés Wed Aug 17th.

 

[movinmaggie]

Hi. I leave for Paris day after tomorrow! Woo hoo! Finally.

As I'm packing my last minute things I was wondering if I will need my US Passport when checking into albergues or will I just need my pilgrims credential? I've had my passport stolen before while traveling and would feel better if I could bury it deep within my pack; but not if I will need it every afternoon.

Best to have it ready to show, so will assume you will be wearing a waist belt to store valuables. Also a reminder to make a couple of copies of your passport and keep in your main pack. It will be an amazing journey. Wish you Buen Camino

 

[Nanc]

How comfortable is a waist belt with the pack hip belt below and sweat above?
Does anyone notice a pull with neck passport bags?
I truly didnt think of trying out which money safe item felt ok while hiking

 

[Suzanne S.]

How comfortable is a waist belt with the pack hip belt below and sweat above?
Does anyone notice a pull with neck passport bags?
I truly didnt think of trying out which money safe item felt ok while hiking

I wore a neck bag that I tucked into my waist band of my pants...until that got too loose. Most of the time the bag ended up riding above my waist. There was no pull at all. It just got a bit sweaty.

 

[mcopeland]

We were told that it was legally required to show your passport and for them to report the information. Some provinces are more strict than others, and some albergues stricter. At most we had to show our passport, and they took down the name and number. At some only my husband needed to show his as we were traveling together. At some they didn't bother with either of us. At one albergue they told us that they entered the information online into some government system every night - that they could be fined if they didn't get the information.

 

[ParistoCapeCod]

Big signs in Xunta albergues "No Photocopies" and hotels will need it. Europeans have national identity cards which are a great idea.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I did not wear a money belt nor a special bag my hiking pants made by Kuhl had zippered compartments that I kept my critical items in.

 

[notion900]

@mcopeland you are correct - pilgrim registrations are monitored by the Guardia Civil. Most albergues are happy with the passport number if you write it in the credential, but they have the right to ask for the passport.

I had to produce my passport recently in an albergue when I was accused of making up my date of birth - apparently I do not look like I was born in 1970 ...

 

[xin loi]

I always wore a "fishing vest" with passport in a zippered pocket. My "novia" had her backpack "pickpocketed" in a crowd outside a hostel and thief got her little purse with money, passport and credit cards ( it was on top so was the first thing available to someone who opened pack). Hostel clerk asked for passport and when we noticed it was gone, he said to walk back for a block or so to see if thief had thrown it away. Luckily the thief only took the cash and the rest was thrown on the ground where we found it before someone else found it.

 

[MTtoCamino]

I always wore a "fishing vest" with passport in a zippered pocket. My "novia" had her backpack "pickpocketed" in a crowd outside a hostel and thief got her little purse with money, passport and credit cards ( it was on top so was the first thing available to someone who opened pack). Hostel clerk asked for passport and when we noticed it was gone, he said to walk back for a block or so to see if thief had thrown it away. Luckily the thief only took the cash and the rest was thrown on the ground where we found it before someone else found it.

I like the vest idea, extra places convenient for snacks & even water I would think. Great idea for Spain.
5.11 makes a great shirt that has covered zippers with pockets on both sides that go from the buttons to the side of the body. Even has fast drying material.

 

[SYates]

Happy ending indeed @xin loi - glad you got everything less the cash back! Buen Camino, SY

 

[Albertagirl]

I like the vest idea, extra places convenient for snacks & even water I would think. Great idea for Spain.
5.11 makes a great shirt that has covered zippers with pockets on both sides that go from the buttons to the side of the body. Even has fast drying material.

@MTtoCamino
Here is a link for a Tilley vest, one of the company's original garments and, like the hats, guaranteed for life.
http://www.tilley.com/canada_en/men/jackets-vests/vests/uk-item-6.html

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

How comfortable is a waist belt with the pack hip belt below and sweat above?
Does anyone notice a pull with neck passport bags?
I truly didnt think of trying out which money safe item felt ok while hiking

I wore a silk-like material waist belt, designed to be worn under clothes. it was very comfortable holding my money/cards, but I put my passport in the top flap of my pack bc it didn't fit in the belt or in my pockets. I've worn neck bags before and don't like them with or without a pack...don't like things tied around my neck. Top flap worked for my passport bc I didn't walk in a crowd of people...if I did, I suppose I would have transferred it to my jacket pocket and worn my jacket.

 

[whariwharangi]

How comfortable is a waist belt with the pack hip belt below and sweat above?
Does anyone notice a pull with neck passport bags?
I truly didnt think of trying out which money safe item felt ok while hiking

I carried wallet camera documents etc in the top pocket in my pack. Whenever the pack was not on my back the shiny stuff came out of the bag and was carried on my person. (and I mean every time ... including when the pack was off for only a couple minutes)

 

[Anniesantiago]

This year, many more albergues required to see our actual passport.
When I served as hospitalera at San Anton we were required to see the ACTUAL passport, not a photocopy.
I think this may have been enforced more by the government since Denise's murder.

 

[november_moon]

I've never found a money belt or neck pouch that was comfortable, so I don't wear them. On the Camino, I had a small handbag with my valuables in it - normally it was in a pocket in my pack, and when I set my pack down, the handbag went with me. Easy. My husband carried his valuables in the zippered and/or Velcro pockets in his hiking pants.

 

[Bradypus]

My husband carried his valuables in the zippered and/or Velcro pockets in his hiking pants.

Same for me. I always wear hiking trousers with at least two large zipped pockets which can take my passport, bank cards, credencial, cash and phone. All stowed in waterproof pouches. It has become such a habit that they have become my choice for everyday wear at home too. Even the shorts which I wear on exceptionally hot days have them. My rationale is that while I might easily put down a money belt or neck pouch somewhere and walk off without it I am not quite absent-minded enough to resume walking without my trousers...