In Reply to: "Local tourism regulation" posted by dower on Wednesday, 16. February 2005 at 13:08 Bali Time:
& never had this happen to us.Same as Mic said,full details of passport just copied off passport at hotel desk by myself,not fully checked by staff at most places but then we are regulars at most places we go & that's it.
In fact I think sometimes because I'm usually the one doing check in they have not even bothered to ask for my son or husband's full details - just mine ! Maybe this is one we should all hope that Richard Rambutan as well as our esteemed FA both see this post because they would both know the full legal situation regarding hotel/villa owners & their guests & local police requirements.
All I'll say is there is NO way in hell that I would let any of our passports out of my site.If I was you I'd check with both the Indonesian embassy in Australia as well as Australian passport officials before I left regarding this requirement .But that's just what I'd do.I treat my passport as being far more valuable than cash & when one hears on TV shows how important documents they are & that they can fetch way over $30,000 on the black market,I don't feel quite so paranoid.Where my passport goes - so do I.You have to decide how comfortable you feel surrendering your passport & what may happen to it while not in your possession.