Host from Japan asking for passport

[Katrina107]

Hi everyone! 

Looking for some insight as my host from Sapporo has asked me to input my passport information prior to arrival. They said it is part of the new Japanese rental law, but I wasn’t able to find any news related to providing passport information.

Can anyone help confirm if this is legitimate? 

Thanks!

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Katrina107

In Japan, hotels, guest houses and anywhere that provides short-term lodgings for foreigners are required to "register" foreign guests. Japanese hotels make a copy of everyone's passport during check-in and everyone also has to fill out a form. I'm pretty sure registered Airbnbs will also have to do the same. This is quite common for Japan and Italy and a few other countries as well.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/lodging/index.html

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Host-asking-for-passport-copies/td-p/120535

[Elisha17]

Hi Katrina, 

@Katrina107

We are planning a trip to Tokyo in December. We have visited Japan using Airbnb a number of times and have never been asked to provide passport / personal details however this time the host is requesting that we register on this site:https://www.linkworldpms.jp/guest_register. 

Did your host in Sapporo provide you with this or a similar link?

Thank you

Elisha

[Guadalupe48]

Siii me dieron ese.

[Valerie657]

Did you fill it out? Did you have any issues afterwards?

[Kristy78]

Hi, is it mandatory to provide the # of guests to the host ?

[Alice595]

@Kristy78  In theory, it is a requirement to provide the # of guests to the host. This is in Airbnb's Terms of Service agreement. There is liability involved when unnamed guests stay in a host's property.

In addition, some hosts do have additional charges after certain number of guests. Please do provide number of guests in your future booking. You may run into the risk of not letting you check in when a host see that more guests than booked coming for check in.

[Kristina204]

hello, according to Croatian law guest must show their passaport to the host at the check-in so he can take a information that  he need to report to Croatian tourist office and police station also according to that reports  host pay taxs 

[Jonathan1153]

I'm confused... What does Croatia have to do with Japan?

[Kerry165]

We have also been requested to provide passport details from a host in Japan.

We have found that Airbnb has provided confirmation of the requirement at the following web address (refer last paragraph):

https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2274/what-should-i-know-about-booking-a-home-in-japan

It states that "Under the law, when you check in, your host is required to record guest information such as name, address, occupation, and nationality. If you don’t live in Japan, your host is required to request your passport and keep a copy of it for recording purposes."

We were concerned that transmitting images to the host outside of the Airbnb secure messaging platform might create security issues for our passport information.

We found out that the mobile phone Airbnb app (on iPhone) has the ability to attach an image from the camera roll to the messaging feature of Airbnb. The Airbnb website accessible by a computer does not appear to have this feature. Seems silly that it doesn't.

We found a free app called iScanner and used this to add passport images to the camera roll on the iPhone.

We then transmitted the requested images via the Airbnb secure messaging platform using the picture icon at the bottom right hand area of the screen when messaging is open.

The host confirmed that the images had been sucessfully received using the Airbnb secure messaging platform.

We hope some of this information is helpful to future Airbnb members travelling to Japan in the future.

[Xieng0]

Thanks for posting that info Kerry. Our host in Osaka also asked for a copy of our passport or driver license before giving us info of accessing the property even though the booking had been accepted. Did you email a redacted copy of your passport? Or just as it is. We're abit nervous about emailing a copy of our passport or driver license. We don't mind showing our passport on check in. Just not sure if host asking for a copy of our passport right after accepting booking is normal. 

[Ted46]

Yes since mid 2018 Airbnb hosts in Japan do require guests to provide a valid ID !!! passport sometimes driverslicense is accepted but more and more they  want your passport...on top Ive been asked many times to provide other information like my address back home,  how many guests, guests names etc etc info they already have from Airbnb....in my current listing in Osaka the host ask me to show my proof of entry stamp you get when you land in Japan. Well that was the line for me...that has nothing to do with Airbnb. It is one thing to ask for my passport and send the copy to the local police because that's what they have to do...but to ask for entry stamp is too much for me. I believe in justice and I will hold my ground if I feel my privacy is been misused simply because the host doesn't trust her/his guests. I always provide my ID despite I hate giving away such important information of myself...you know what you can do with a copy of someone's passport...I just do not like this and I know this is not just in Japan...Portugal is same....I contact Airbnb and explained them the situation about the Entry Stamp...when and how long I stay in Japan has nothing to do with my booking neither the police has the right to ask this from anyone in Japan because it is not their job. That is immigration just like in any other country. Often times Airbnb hosts in Japan do not know the law themselves and make up quite a lot of BS along the way because they are not familiar with foreigners. 

[Hui23]

Can anyone tell me if I have to fill in all the information required from non-Japanese guests using an online form? An Airbnb host in Osaka messaged me with a link to some website (which didn’t work on my device). I said I would provide whatever information he needed when I arrive. But he keeps insisting that I fill out the form online.

[Nakayama0]

We are hosting in Japan.

Chackin date, checkout date, name, address(in detail enough to reach you a mail), occupation, nationality and passport number.

All guest of your party need to fill this list.

Usually in handwriting, but you can message it to host beforehand.

[Matt699]

Dear Nakayama, 

do we need to snap a photo of our passport or just fill in all the detail required. im quite confused.