The credential is the pilgrim’s passport: a booklet that you get stamped along the Camino and that lets you sleep in pilgrim albergues and ask for the Compostela when you reach Santiago.
What it is and what it is for
The official credential is published by Santiago Cathedral: it is a 16-page concertina-folded card, with your details and the stamp of the body that issues it on the first page. It gives access to pilgrim albergues, including the Xunta’s public ones, and is proof that you have walked the route. It is a personal document.
Where to get it
- At parishes, dioceses and brotherhoods, and at authorised Friends of the Camino associations, in Spain and abroad.
- At pilgrim albergues and at the Pilgrim Reception Office in Santiago.
- In Porto, the Oficina do Peregrino on Rua da Pena Ventosa, next to the Sé (cathedral), issues and stamps credentials.
- The Pilgrim’s Office website has maps of the authorised associations so you can find the nearest one.
The English version of the official website also announces a digital credential in an app for Android and iOS.
How to get it stamped
On the last 100 km (200 by bike) you need two dated stamps a day. Albergues, churches, town halls, tourist offices and many bars and lodgings along the Camino will stamp it. It is a good idea to start stamping from the first day, even if you leave from Porto or Lisbon.
To find out what else you need besides the stamps, see the Compostela on the Portuguese Camino.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the credential for the Portuguese Camino?
At parishes, authorised Friends of the Camino associations and pilgrim albergues. In Porto, at the Oficina do Peregrino, next to the Sé.
How many stamps do I need?
Two a day on the last 100 km on foot or 200 by bike.
Is there a digital credential?
The official English website announces an app for Android and iOS; the paper credential is still the usual one.