Accommodation providers in many European countries are legally required to collect guest identification data and submit it to public authorities. This site explains why, which laws apply, where your data goes and what rights you have.
Each EU Member State sets the obligation in its own legislation, within the limits of EU law.
Data goes directly to government systems run by police, interior, migration or tourism authorities.
There is no European Union guest database. Each country processes guest data independently.
European Union Member States apply national laws that require accommodation providers to register guests staying overnight and to submit their identification data to competent public authorities. These requirements exist to:
Knowing who is staying where lets national authorities assist investigations, prevent serious crime and respond to security threats.
Authorities monitor the presence of foreign nationals and enforce immigration and visa rules, especially inside the open-border Schengen Area.
Aggregated stay data measures tourism flows and occupancy and guides public planning. It is not used to profile individual guests.
In a natural disaster, public health incident or evacuation, registered data helps authorities find and assist affected people.
Guest data registration requirements are established through a combination of European and national legal acts, including:
The obligation does not originate from your accommodation provider or from a booking platform. It is imposed by the national law of the country you are staying in, adopted in line with European Union law.
The exact list is defined by each country's law. Providers may only ask for what that law requires. Typically it is:
The processing of guest personal data in the European Union is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679. Under GDPR, guests have the right to:
Guest data is processed solely for the purpose of fulfilling legal obligations imposed on accommodation providers by national law. It is not collected for commercial purposes, marketing or profiling.
Guest data collected by accommodation providers is submitted directly to official government systems operated by public authorities in each country, or kept by the provider for those authorities where the law requires a register rather than a submission. Guest data is not stored in a central European Union database.
AustriaGuest data must be collected and registered in accordance with the Austrian Meldegesetz and local tourism regulations, with reporting obligations handled by municipal authorities.
BelgiumAccommodation providers record the identity details of every guest in a traveller register, which must be made available to the local police under the Royal Decree on the registration of travellers.
CroatiaGuest data is registered in the official eVisitor system operated by the Croatian National Tourist Board, in accordance with Croatian tourism and public security regulations.
CzechiaData of foreign guests is submitted through the Ubyport online system of the Czech Alien Police, as required by the Act on the Residence of Foreign Nationals (No. 326/1999 Coll.).
DenmarkAccommodation providers keep a guest register, and foreign guests complete a registration form that must be available to the Danish police under the Aliens Order.
EstoniaGuests complete a visitor card required by the Estonian Tourism Act. The provider retains it for the statutory period and makes it available to the Police and Border Guard Board.
FinlandGuests complete a traveller notification under the Act on Accommodation and Food Service Operations. Notifications for foreign guests are forwarded to the police.
FranceForeign guests complete an individual police form required by the Code on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners (CESEDA), which the provider transmits to the police or gendarmerie.
GermanyGuest information must be collected and stored through the Meldeschein guest registration system, as required by the German Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG) for accommodation providers.
GreeceGuest stay information must be declared through the official AADE Short-Term Rental Registry managed by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, as required by Greek short-term rental regulations.
ItalyGuest data is submitted to the Alloggiati Web system operated by the Italian State Police, in accordance with Italian public security and immigration laws.
LatviaAccommodation providers register guests as required by Latvian tourism and immigration law and make the records available to the State Police and migration authorities.
LithuaniaGuest data is submitted to the national eTuristas system managed by Lithuanian public authorities, as required by national tourism and migration regulations.
NetherlandsAccommodation providers keep a night register required by Article 438 of the Dutch Criminal Code. It is not transmitted centrally but must be available to the police and the municipality.
PolandPoland has no central guest reporting system. Providers verify identity and keep guest records for the booking and the local tourist fee, and make them available to the police on lawful request.
PortugalGuest data is submitted to immigration and border control authorities through the official SIBA system within three working days of arrival, as required by Portuguese law (Law 23/2007).
SpainGuest data is submitted to the official SES.Hospedajes system operated by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, in accordance with Spanish public security legislation.
SwedenForeign guests complete and sign a registration card on arrival under the Aliens Ordinance. The provider keeps it and must be able to show it to the Swedish Police Authority.
SwitzerlandGuests complete a registration form that is transmitted to the cantonal or municipal authority responsible for guest registration. The exact procedure and any electronic system are defined by each canton.
United KingdomProviders record the name and nationality of every guest over 16, plus passport details and next destination for non-British and non-Irish guests. The register is kept for 12 months and available to the police.
Accommodation providers and public authorities are legally required to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect guest data. These measures include:
EuroCheckin does not sell, reuse or repurpose guest data.When a provider uses EuroCheckin, your details are transmitted encrypted and directly to the official national system, and are not retained longer than the law and the technical submission require.
If you have been asked to register your stay and want to know more about how your information is handled, get in touch.
Contact usYour accommodation sends it through your booking (Booking.com, Airbnb or directly). It opens a one-time EuroCheckin form: enter the details the law requires, submit, and you are done. There is no account, no login and nothing to install. For help with a specific booking, contact your accommodation provider.
What you will be asked for
