Pilgrim Passport Capacity

[MAW6]

I've only seen pictures of the passports, so I'm wondering - how many stamps will it fit? I know I need to get at least 2 per day in the last 100km, but is there a limit to how many I can get? I imagine I will be one of those people who wants a stamp from anywhere/everywhere I set foot. But - will that mean I run out of space? Do I need to limit myself to a certain number of stamps per day? If so, what is that limit?

 

[Bala]

Yes, you will run out of space, probably within the first two weeks if you like to collect sellos 😄. But no worries. Just get several credentials before you start, or plan to pick up new ones as needed along the trail. Many albergues and churches have them available for a small donation. I filled up three between SJPP and Santiago.

The Pilgrim office does not care how many credentials you've filled, only that you have two stamps per day during the final 100 km. to receive the Compostela. For the Distance certificate they will look at where you started and review to see that's it's been a continuous journey.

So collect all the sellos you wish and enjoy. They will bring back memory after memory after memory once you are home.

Edit to change "does" to "does not." 🙄

 

[Rick M]

I have had a few different versions of the credential, all with a different capacity for stamps. How many spaces will be on YOUR credential, I can't say, nor does anyone need to worry about it. It will be more than 32 spaces, maybe much more. If you are walking from Sarria, it will take a dedicated effort to fill one up. If you are walking from SJPP, it will take discipline NOT to fill one up. Not to worry. On my first Camino, a helpful priest with a pair of scissors and roll of tape extended the capacity of my credential by taping in a few more pages. On another Camino, I had a second credential for the last 100 km. You can have as many credentials as you please.

Buen Camino

 

[MAW6]

It did not occur to me to just get another passport. Thank you, everyone!

 

[Pilgrim9]

Also, to help you in future years to reconstruct your memories, you can write the date adjacent to each sello impression.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

It did not occur to me to just get another passport. Thank you, everyone!

You may want to double the number if you want to display your credentials as you probably want to display all your sellos. That means you will only want sellos stamped on one side of the credentials.

 

[ELHS220]

I knew from the get go that I was going to be a stamp addict, so bought 10 in SJPP. The SJPP version is much more durable (heavier paper) than the standard Spanish version. They also provide a plastic zip lock type bag for each. I filled seven and part of an eighth. I was in Santiago for two weeks as a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office, so I decided to fill one with stamps from all over the city.

The following is a website that shows available sellos from several of the Caminos:

Www.lossellosdelcamino.com

I also sought out post office cancellation stamps. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have bought a postage stamp and stuck it in before getting the cancellations. Other favorites I looked for were town halls (ayuntamientos) and Guardia Civil police headquarters (in larger towns).

The big problem was the ubiquitous CERRADO sign. Some of these facilities have VERY limited hours - even in the larger towns.

Happy collecting

 

[John Sikora]

In addition to getting an additional passport, just glue the passports together so that you have one big one. I did that on my last two Caminos and had no space problem. You have to cut off a page or two from the front to make the folds work right but scissors and a little white glue fix everything right up.

 

[Annetom]

You may want to double the number if you want to display your credentials as you probably want to display all your sellos. That means you will only want sellos stamped on one side of the credentials.

On my last Camino I could only stamp on one side of the Credencial as the reverse had useful maps printed.

 

[Annetom]

In addition to getting an additional passport, just glue the passports together so that you have one big one. I did that on my last two Caminos and had no space problem. You have to cut off a page or two from the front to make the folds work right but scissors and a little white glue fix everything right up.

Having cut mine into series of 3, I was able to laminate them for protection.

 

[MAW6]

You may want to double the number if you want to display your credentials as you probably want to display all your sellos. That means you will only want sellos stamped on one side of the credentials.

That’s a great idea!

 

[MAW6]

I knew from the get go that I was going to be a stamp addict, so bought 10 in SJPP. The SJPP version is much more durable (heavier paper) than the standard Spanish version. They also provide a plastic zip lock type bag for each. I filled seven and part of an eighth. I was in Santiago for two weeks as a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office, so I decided to fill one with stamps from all over the city.

The following is a website that shows available sellos from several of the Caminos:

Www.lossellosdelcamino.com

I also sought out post office cancellation stamps. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have bought a postage stamp and stuck it in before getting the cancellations. Other favorites I looked for were town halls (ayuntamientos) and Guardia Civil police headquarters (in larger towns).

The big problem was the ubiquitous CERRADO sign. Some of these facilities have VERY limited hours - even in the larger towns.

Happy collecting

Thanks for all this info! I’m getting really excited for my Camino!!!

 

[MAW6]

Having cut mine into series of 3, I was able to laminate them for protection.

All great ideas. Thanks everyone!

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

On each of our four caminos, my wife and I used two credentials from SJPDP to Santiago. Of course we knew we needed at least two sellos per day from Sarria to Santiago, so 10 or days out, we started "space planning" so we'd qualify for a compostela but not go beyond available space in the credentials. This year the credentials had way too much space devoted to maps, so we used the map pages to place sellos there as well. No problem ! Bob

 

[wayfarer]

Our passports are regular passport size so I bought two and opened the paper clips that held them together and made one large one.

 

[David Tallan]

Having cut mine into series of 3, I was able to laminate them for protection.

I can see that lamination would protect them well from rain or sweat or other environmental challenges. But once you laminate them, doesn't that make it more likely for the stamp ink to smear? (Never mind the issues it would cause with folding.)

 

[Yoyo]

And make sure you fill in not only your name but also your phone number and/or e-mail address so that you can be contacted should you ever loose it.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I've only seen pictures of the passports, so I'm wondering - how many stamps will it fit? I know I need to get at least 2 per day in the last 100km, but is there a limit to how many I can get? I imagine I will be one of those people who wants a stamp from anywhere/everywhere I set foot. But - will that mean I run out of space? Do I need to limit myself to a certain number of stamps per day? If so, what is that limit?

Hola, you have raised an important issue. Yes there are some "official" passports that do have 50 plus spaces. But they tend to not fit into a water proof wallet. What I did was buy two passports from Ivar and then cut the second one (eliminated all the duplicate data) and then pasted them together. I had over 60 places, more than enough for the Camino from St Jean to Santiago, even with the two stamps per day for the last 100 km. Cheers

 

[JDecay]

Re two stamps for last 100 km. On my 2 Caminos starting in (Lisbon 2017 and Irun 2018) I didn't necessarily have 2 per day, and I don't recollect that the staff counted them anyway. Perhaps they look at the starting point and figure you've done enough????

 

[C clearly]

Re two stamps for last 100 km. On my 2 Caminos starting in (Lisbon 2017 and Irun 2018) I didn't necessarily have 2 per day, and I don't recollect that the staff counted them anyway. Perhaps they look at the starting point and figure you've done enough????

Yes, perhaps they sometimes do that. In fact we know they have sometimes done that. However, to keep repeating this as if the rule were in doubt, is doing a disservice to new pilgrims. The rule is very clear and we know also that people have been refused credenciales for not having the required stamps.

 

[cbacino]

I've only seen pictures of the passports, so I'm wondering - how many stamps will it fit? I know I need to get at least 2 per day in the last 100km, but is there a limit to how many I can get? I imagine I will be one of those people who wants a stamp from anywhere/everywhere I set foot. But - will that mean I run out of space? Do I need to limit myself to a certain number of stamps per day? If so, what is that limit?

Just buy two or three. They only cost about $3 or $4 each. I filled four passports between Canterbury and Rome.

 

[Luap]

This has been a great read and the link to the sello locations is fantastic!
Www.lossellosdelcamino.com

What a great way to relive your Camino! Thank you to all for their useful contributions here.

 

[dougfitz]

I can see that lamination would protect them well from rain or sweat or other environmental challenges. But once you laminate them, doesn't that make it more likely for the stamp ink to smear? (Never mind the issues it would cause with folding.)

I had assumed when I read @Annetom's post that this was something done after the camino, not during it.

 

[Sara_Dhooma]

I also sought out post office cancellation stamps. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have bought a postage stamp and stuck it in before getting the cancellations.

Postage stamps with cancellations! What a fun idea! Especially when walking the quieter Caminos with the frequent basic hotel/restaurant address stamps. Thanks ELHS220!

I misplaced two credentials on past Caminos. One was carried forward by a pilgrim- and one was mailed home to Canada. (I have also returned misplaced Credentials to other pilgrims!)
Always include your contact details!

 

[Annetom]

I can see that lamination would protect them well from rain or sweat or other environmental challenges. But once you laminate them, doesn't that make it more likely for the stamp ink to smear? (Never mind the issues it would cause with folding.)

They were laminated AFTER my return so I could display them at home! Sorry for the confusion.

 

[David Tallan]

I had assumed when I read @Annetom's post that this was something done after the camino, not during it.

In the immortal words of Emily Litella: "Never mind,"

 

[WGroleau]

I've only seen pictures of the passports, so I'm wondering - how many stamps will it fit? I know I need to get at least 2 per day in the last 100km, but is there a limit to how many I can get? I imagine I will be one of those people who wants a stamp from anywhere/everywhere I set foot. But - will that mean I run out of space? Do I need to limit myself to a certain number of stamps per day? If so, what is that limit?

Suggestion: Take a diary. Put as many stamps as you want in the diary along with your notes for that day. Just put one (or two) each day in your credencial.

 

[Annetom]

Suggestion: Take a diary. Put as many stamps as you want in the diary along with your notes for that day. Just put one (or two) each day in your credencial.

Order another Credencial from Ivar.