Making Copies of Passports
In Europe (specifically the "shingling" countries") and the EU, it is unlawful and a criminal offense to copy a passport..be it even a US passport and by doing such, and using it for any purpose to be done for identification anywhere (banking even more so), one can get a imprisonmentterm for doing so. The way that it HAS to be done in Europe is to make arrangements with a senior banking staff officer to make an appointment with a "Notare" (from the word origin to make note of)....not to be confused with the corner notary public in the US etc.. These people are specially picked by the government of whatever country and have the holding and racking position of a "Barrister or Magistrate" in the eye the community. You just don't walk in off the street and get something here signed.. This is not the US, and as such, any document done by them carries "extreme" weight. It is a kin to getting supreme court judge to do the work... They are people of "notoriety" here.
They will take whatever documents you have, and your "proof of them" and bind and seal them with a special ribbon, and wax/plastic type seal and make "note" of them both for the bank and the government (which shows that you are not trying to commit fraud) and return them to you usually within 48 hours. (yes it takes that long.. they do their due diligence too through Interpol). As for passport certified copy, such is then "personally carried to the office of the senior trust officer of the bank in question by their government certified carrier. So Chuck as you can see here.. everything done here is different than in the US and as such is to be followed to the order and letter here. It is not just a matter of "copying a passport" here, and anybody who does such out of the "system of order" will reap to consequences, which are severe here for such fraudulent
practices.
I hope that this clears up any "misunderstandings" of just copy a passport issue.
Blessings,
Graham