If your apartment host or hotel asks for your passport or ID when you arrive in Croatia, there is usually a simple reason. They are required to register your stay.
Guest registration in Croatia is carried out through eVisitor, the country’s central electronic system for registering guests and recording their departure. Accommodation providers are required to register every person staying at the property within 24 hours of arrival, not only the person who made the booking.
Guest registration in Croatia requires identification details
The information entered into eVisitor is taken from an identity card, passport or another valid identification document. This is why a private host, hotel or other accommodation provider may ask to see your passport or ID when you check in.
For travellers unfamiliar with the system, the request can sometimes seem unusual, particularly when staying in a private apartment. However, guest registration in Croatia is a standard part of the check-in process and applies to accommodation providers across the country.
Your identification document should not be kept by the host or hotel for the duration of your stay. While asking to see it or requesting the details needed for registration is normal, you should be cautious if an accommodation provider wants to keep your passport or ID after the registration process has been completed.
