How to Get Your Pilgrim Credential for the Camino de Santiago
Everything you need to know about the pilgrim credential (credencial del peregrino): where to get it, how to use it, and why you need it.
What Is the Pilgrim Credential?
The pilgrim credential (credencial del peregrino) is your passport on the Camino de Santiago. It is a folding cardboard document with spaces for stamps (sellos) that you collect along the way from churches, albergues, cafés, and municipal offices.
You need it for two reasons:
- To stay in pilgrim albergues — most public albergues require a credential
- To receive the [Compostela certificate](/en/blog/compostela-certificate-requirements) in Santiago
Where to Get It
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Before You Travel
- Online: The Cathedral of Santiago's Pilgrim Office sells credentials at oficinadelperegrino.com
- Confraternities: Camino associations in your home country (American Pilgrims, Confraternity of Saint James in the UK, etc.) issue them for a small donation
- Cost: Usually €2-5
At the Start of Your Camino
- Parish churches and cathedrals in starting towns (Sarria, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, etc.)
- Municipal albergues
- Pilgrim associations and information offices
- Some hotels and hostels
In Sarria, you can get one at the Monastery of A Magdalena, the pilgrim office on Rúa Maior, or at most albergues.
How to Use It
- Get at least one stamp per day on most of the Camino
- On the last 100 km (from Sarria), you need two stamps per day
- Stamps are available at churches, albergues, cafés, restaurants, town halls, and even some shops
- Write the date and town next to each stamp
Tips
- Carry your credential in a ziplock bag to protect it from rain
- Some stamps are works of art — collect the unique ones
- Do not lose it — there is no replacement for the stamps you have already collected
- Fill in your name, nationality, passport number, and starting point on the first page
Getting to Your Starting Point
Once you have your credential, the Camino begins. If you are starting from Sarria or anywhere on the last 100 km, Taxi Castro can transfer you from Santiago airport or any location in Galicia directly to your starting point. Book at +34 659 99 31 39.
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