Passports Left In Campsite Reception Offices. (1 Viewer)

Apr 10, 2015
149
250
Australia
Funster No
35,786
MH
Big Marlin ,Elnagh, 1998
Exp
Motorhoming Europe since 2009
We have now been on the road for about 12 weeks and the other day we were asked to hand over our passport at the reception to a campsite. We have not been to many campsites as we have been in eastern Europe mainly wild camping. I told the receptionist that I do not hand over my passports, you can take a copy but the original document stay with me. I gave him my camping card and he was ok with that. In the past I have seem passports put into a cardboard box and left in an open unattended reception office. Does anyone know what the legality is of leaving passports at the campsites is? I will not do it as being from Australia it will cause a great problem if it is misplaced.
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,489
66,015
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
It is usual for them to ask for this to prove you are who you say you are and to ensure that you return to the office when you are due to leave to pay your dues, however as you've found a camping card (CCI I think) is also accepted and is by far a much safer thing to leave. There's no way on earth I'd ever let anyone hold onto my passport and if they insisted I'd go elsewhere.
 

Puddleduck

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 15, 2014
12,357
43,866
Scottish Borders
Funster No
29,703
MH
Without at present
Exp
On and off for many years.
I'm not sure of the legality but it does happen.

In France at one time you had to leave your passport at reception so they could register you with the local police. It's many years since I was in France so don't know if that is still the case.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
travelbunyip
Apr 10, 2015
149
250
Australia
Funster No
35,786
MH
Big Marlin ,Elnagh, 1998
Exp
Motorhoming Europe since 2009
Yes we have a Camping Card [CCI] and it has been acceptable in most places. I'm with you I will go elsewhere rather than leave my passport with strangers in a campsite office. At the last place they told me that the office has a camera surveillance system. That is not reassuring as it will only help after the deed has taken place , not preventing it.
 

Abacist

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 15, 2013
3,649
10,042
Devon
Funster No
28,581
MH
N & B Tag Axle
Exp
since 2013
Recently been to a French Campsite and they were happy to take my details from my ACSI card. Sometimes they ask for a photo ID so I show my driving licence but our passports are always locked away in the safe in the van. A month tour in Europe in France, Germany, Austria and Italy and all camp sites were happy with that. Never had to leave anything with reception anywhere.
 

GeriatricWanderer

Free Member
Feb 1, 2015
1,194
4,199
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, just cos I can!
Funster No
34,964
MH
Pop-Top Campervan
Exp
45years
It's not yours to give to anyone. It always remains the property of Her Maj's Government.

Last year I was a close observer to a situation where the wrong passports were given to some departing campers who headed off to ???? so when the actual holders of those passports checked out later it was just a trifle tricky and took several days to get sorted.

Don't do it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
France has a national ID card system so foreign visitors are expected to keep passports on their person in case they're stopped by Police. The CCI card is a handy substitute for campsite reception.
 

Don Quixote

Free Member
Jul 29, 2012
2,966
5,257
Lost in La Mancha, Spain
Funster No
22,171
MH
VW T6 Campervan
Exp
Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
"Passports are the property of the Crown," warns HM Passport Office. But once you get abroad, not every enterprise gives the travel document the respect that Her Britannic Majesty might like.
It is, routine for hotels to retain passports. In many parts of the world, traders regard the temporary possession of a passport as the one gold-plated guarantee that a tourist will behave. In the absence of such certainty, hoteliers and others may demand a credit card, a driving licence or hard cash.
I can't see that will change in the foreseeable future. Personally I would never hand it over, but go somewhere else if I had to.
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
It used to be a very widespread practice on campsites but is much rarer these days I think. In Europe the ACSI card seems to be sufficient in most places.

I do always have copies of my passport tucked away in various places and have contact details of our embassy as well should the worst happen. Losing a passport is a pain but only an inconvenience if it happens in somewhere like France or Spain. In more out of the way places it could take a while to sort out but on a trip to Jordan a few years ago my colleague lost his and he went through customs faster than I did!

If you can come up with a good reason it is possible to have two passports, at least here in the UK, not sure about Oz. Planning to regularly visit countries where you have to send off your passport to get visas used to be sufficient but in these suspicious days this may not be enough.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

rrusty

Free Member
Dec 4, 2009
258
212
Scotland
Funster No
9,563
MH
None sold sept 2019
Exp
7
Just back from Spain and they won't accept the ACSI card this year, you must have your passport scanned.
 

DBK

LIFE MEMBER
Jan 9, 2013
17,969
47,804
Plympton, Devon
Funster No
24,219
MH
PVC, Murvi Morocco
Exp
2013
Just back from Spain and they won't accept the ACSI card this year, you must have your passport scanned.
Exactly my experience, they scan the passport, hand it back and keep the ACSI card. No problem

Except of course when they gave my ACSI card to someone else as they did at the Albarracin campsite! I got it back a couple of weeks later from the Dutch couple who were given it in error. Very kind of them to return it and I sent them a little gift from Plymouth to say thanks.
 

cruiser

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 12, 2012
4,209
4,929
northampton
Funster No
22,870
MH
coach built elddis 400
Exp
since 1978
when we was in Portugal. the camp site took my bus pass , instead of my passport.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 18, 2011
12,091
17,897
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
We noticed that last year but were not asked once in Spain Portugal or France this year..BUSBY.
 

Tootles

Funster
Deceased RIP
Sep 14, 2013
9,511
34,799
Lancaster
Funster No
28,093
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Was a newbie, now a Middie.
I'm not sure of the legality but it does happen.

In France at one time you had to leave your passport at reception so they could register you with the local police. It's many years since I was in France so don't know if that is still the case.
If you stayed at a hotel, you had to fill in an 'aliens card', and leave your passport until you checked out. The police collected the cards on a daily basis.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

2Aussies

Free Member
Feb 10, 2013
12
4
GLENBROOK NSW
Funster No
24,634
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2005
Hi Bunyip. Safe travels cobber! We arrive Wednesday for 10 weeks in Scotland. 10 yrs ago the Passport issue was one for us in Europe. Made copies and handed them over once original was sighted; some made a copy themselves and CCI card also satisfied. Like you, it was drummed into us NOT to handover Passport.
Cheers mate
 

Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,977
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
A tip !!
When your card ( or indeed passport if it has to be ) is returned to you, just make sure it is actually yours !
At some point in a grand tour a couple of years ago, we were given the wrong ACSI card back.. We never actually noticed it until weeks after we got home !

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Hollyberry

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 24, 2011
5,518
42,265
New Forest.
Funster No
16,134
MH
None.
Exp
4yrs
Do you have to carry your passports on you at all times ? When abroad ?

Don't know about rest of Europe, but in France you're expected to have your passport on you and all vehicle documents in your car./ van.
 
2

2657

Deleted User
Not sure about passports but some form of official ID must be carried in most European countries as far as I am aware. I always carry my photocard driving licence.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jul 2, 2011
953
492
UK
Funster No
17,151
MH
Swift Kon Tiki Tag, 2007.
Exp
Newbie
At campsite near Calais was asked for passport, offered C&CC card which was accepted.

When we came to leave at about 1pm on a Sunday office was closed, hadn't noticed it was closed between 1-4 on a Sunday, knocked on owner/managers house attached to office to apologise and ask if they would mind giving the card back only to be refused.

Luckily we had paid in advance so we left, taking their card for opening the barrier with us.

With a ferry to catch, having to wait for 3 hours to retrieve a passport would have been a real nuisance.

This was 2 years ago, every campsite since in France and Spain has just taken a copy.
 

MotorhomersRus

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 17, 2010
581
272
Barnoldswick
Funster No
14,138
MH
Carthago E Line
Exp
2010
Don't know about rest of Europe, but in France you're expected to have your passport on you and all vehicle documents in your car./ van.

We always have them in the van but don't always carry them on us when out

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

bhs

Free Member
Apr 16, 2015
214
137
Louth
Funster No
35,883
MH
b class
Exp
since 2006
When we first started camping in France 40 odd years ago I would leave my passport with receptions without a thought, mind you we would leave our doors at home unlocked and our bicycles leant against the front fence, the neighbour would take the dog in and ---- nostalgia ain't what it used to be. Times have changed.
 
2

2657

Deleted User
We have the old type driving licences !

Why??

Don't think the old ones would be acceptable as ID and even passports do not have address details.

I had to change mine because of LGV entitlement and renewal every 5 years for medicals but would have changed anyway, it is a very convenient form of ID which is accepted by most.
 

Don Quixote

Free Member
Jul 29, 2012
2,966
5,257
Lost in La Mancha, Spain
Funster No
22,171
MH
VW T6 Campervan
Exp
Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
Do you have to carry your passports on you at all times ? When abroad ?

In Spain ( if your NOT Spanish ) yes you are supposed to have it on you at all times!!! - about 98% don't...........

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Landy lover

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 11, 2009
2,296
5,928
Zummerzet
Funster No
7,453
MH
27ft Eurolight
Exp
Camping Caravaning now 5'ering 49 years
AFAIK the official rules of engagement abroad are that when outside UK you should carry your passport with you at all times and should be shown on demand to any official with good reason. We always take some photo copies with us of passports to leave where they are requested which has always worked well. I would never ever part with my passport. We always have copies of all documentation on a waterproof flash drive in case of loss
 

Cobweb

Free Member
Mar 25, 2014
388
349
North Yorkshire
Funster No
30,693
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2007
The only place when we actually had to show passports was in Italy but after taking details, we got them back . Usually the CC international camping card or ACSI CC card have been OK . Some campsites keep them until departure but others just take the details .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top