Guest Registration Policy
Important information regarding Portuguese law and your upcoming stay with us.
Since 2015 Portugal has more strictly enforced a long-standing law requiring anyone providing paid holiday accommodation to record the entry, exit, and identification details of all non-Portuguese nationals who use that accommodation.
This law has been brought into force in Portugal and most other EU countries at some point since the gradual implementation of the 1990 Schengen Agreement that aims to stop human trafficking and other illegal practices.
In this case, it is specifically Article 45 of the Schengen Agreement and the recent Alojamento Local law in Portugal that has brought this rule into sharper focus.
The governing body that monitors the movement of foreigners is SEF (Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras or the Immigration and Borders Service).
When staying in a hotel guests are used to show their IDs at checkin. Short term rentals are also required to report guest’s information to SEF – it is called the Accommodation Bulletin.
When you make a reservation in a registered Local Lodging establishment (an apartment you booked on airbnb, booking or other similar website) your host is required to report your presence and details to the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) within 3 week days of your arrival.
Most hosts prefer to collect this information shortly after you booked, along with check-in time and other details.
Some guests have difficulties understanding this procedure, and sometimes it can become really difficult for a host to explain the need to collect personal information. Resulting in a discomfort for both parties in a moment where everyone should only be talking about how nice it is to arrive to a new place and start exploring the city! Hosts are aware of this and try to make it as smooth as possible. Please don’t blame them for acting so “professional” or like “a travel agency“, because they incur in heavy penalties if they don’t abide to this law:
For each accommodation bulletin that fails to be submitted according to the terms of n°s 1 or 2 of Article 98 or for each foreign national not registered on the list or electronically as laid down in the stipulation in n°s 3 and 4 of the same article a fine of €100 to € 500 is applied.
Required information to be reported within 3 days:
We know no one likes doing paperwork on vacation! We collect this information as quickly and securely as possible so you can get straight to enjoying your beautiful stay in Madeira
