The pilgrim credential: what it is and where to get it

What is the credential?

The pilgrim credential is an accordion-style folding document with boxes to stamp at each stage of the Camino. It works as an official travel diary: each stamp proves you passed through that point. Upon arriving in Santiago, if you present the credential with the corresponding stamps, you will receive the Compostela, the official pilgrimage certificate.

It is not a simple souvenir: it is a document recognised by the Church and by Camino authorities. In many public albergues it is a mandatory requirement to stay the night.

Where to get it

You can obtain it from Friends of the Camino associations in your country, from parishes along the Way, from many albergues at the start of the route or directly at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago. The usual cost is 2-3 euros as a donation. You can also request it online through the Spanish Federation of Friends of the Camino de Santiago Associations.

How to stamp it correctly

Stamp the credential at least once a day, ideally at the albergues where you sleep. To obtain the Compostela you need at least two stamps per day in the last 100 km (on foot) or the last 200 km (by bicycle). Stamps can come from albergues, churches, bars, tourist offices or any establishment on the Camino that has its own stamp.