Hosts in Spain, Portugal, Germany and other countries must register their guests with local authorities. This guide explains how Holidu's Online Check-in feature can automate that process. Please note: this feature is currently being expanded and may not yet be available in every country. If you cannot find your local authority in the configuration, the feature is not yet available for your property's country.

What is the Online Check-in feature?

The Online Check-in feature (Advanced Check-in) in your Holidu account sends your guests a secure online form after booking, where they provide the personal details and identity documents required by local law. Once you have configured it, Holidu collects this data and transfers it to the relevant authority for you.

Why do you need to do this?

In many countries, including Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany, hosts are legally required to collect guest information and submit it to the local authorities shortly after check-in. These rules support security, traceability and compliance with local laws. Failing to comply can lead to penalties or fines.

How do you benefit from the automatic transfer?

The automatic transfer removes the need to enter guest data manually into government systems. Your main benefits are:

• Legal compliance with minimal effort
• Automatic guest data transfer to the correct authority
• A digital guestbook you can download at any time for inspections
• Built-in reminders and guest communication
• Free of charge for Holidu hosts
• Secure, privacy-compliant handling of sensitive guest data

How to set it up

Before activating the feature in Holidu, you need to register your accommodation with the relevant local authority for your country. Use the table below to find the authority and the guide for your country. If your country is not listed, or the authority does not appear in your configuration, the feature is not yet available for your property.

Once you have your authority credentials, follow this article to set up your Online Check-in feature.

What to do if your connection stops working

If your data transfer fails, first check the connection status in the Account section of your Holidu profile. Expired or changed passwords are a common cause of failed transfers. If your authority credentials have changed or expired, update them in Holidu. If the problem continues after updating your credentials, contact Holidu support.

How to connect Ricestat to your Chekin.io account

The current documentation does not include step-by-step instructions for connecting Ricestat to a Chekin.io account. For help with this connection, please contact Holidu support, who can guide you through the process.

Troubleshooting: incorrect credentials for Ricestat

If the connection to Ricestat fails because of incorrect credentials, check the following:

• Confirm that the username and password match the ones you use to log in to the authority's portal.
• Check whether your password has expired. Expired passwords can stop data transfers from working.
• Update your credentials in your Holidu account and check the connection status in the Account section.
• If the error persists, contact Holidu support.

How does it work for the guests?

Once the setup is complete, the process for your guests works as follows:

1. After booking, your guest receives an email or message with a link to a secure online check-in form.
2. The guest fills in the details for all travellers and scans their passport or ID document. Every person travelling with them must be registered.
3. The data is submitted securely and stored in the system.
4. If a guest does not complete the form, automatic reminders are sent. If they still do not comply, you can complete the data on their behalf.

At 11:00 PM on the day of check-in, the guest data is automatically submitted to the relevant authority.

How to download the guestbook?

You can download your guestbook at any time from the Online Check-in feature:

1. Go to the online check-in feature page.
2. Next to the property you want the guestbook for, click on "Details".