When I did a high European tour, we gave our passport to the tour guide and we did not see it again until we landed back in New York.. IThe tour guide presented them at various government officals at each country we visited. Second, whe I studied in the Old Soviet Union, We surrendered the passport to the authorities who hel it until we departed at the Moscow airport.. Finally, on a river cruise that crossed national boundries the ship held the passports and be presented to the authorities.