This guide contains affiliate links. If you book through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rules mentioned below were checked in September 2026; confirm them with the official sources linked before you travel.
Most travel problems start weeks before the trip: an expired passport, a missed authorization, a card that doesn’t work abroad. This checklist puts things in the order you need to deal with them, from the ones that take longest to the ones you can do the night before.
6 weeks or more before
Passport
Check the expiry date now, not at the airport. Many countries want your passport to stay valid for some time after you leave; six months is a common rule. The Schengen area, which covers most of Europe, requires your passport to be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure and to have been issued within the last ten years. Check the rules for every country on your route, and renew early if you’re close; renewals can take weeks.
Visas and travel authorizations
Your nationality decides what you need. More countries now require an online authorization even from visitors who don’t need a visa:
- United Kingdom: since February 2026, visitors of many nationalities, including US and EU citizens, need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), costing £20 at the time of writing. Apply only through the official GOV.UK page or app.
- United States: visitors under the Visa Waiver Program need an approved ESTA, applied for through the official ESTA site.
- Europe (Schengen area): the planned ETIAS authorization has not started yet, and no start date had been announced as of September 2026. Check the official EU site before you travel. Separately, the EU’s Entry/Exit System now records non-EU visitors’ fingerprints and a photo at the border, so your first entry may take a little longer.
Be careful with lookalike websites that charge extra for these applications. Use the official government sites.
Health
Check official health advice for your destination, including recommended vaccinations, well ahead of time, since some need several weeks. If you take regular medication, bring enough for the whole trip plus a few extra days, in its original packaging, and check whether any of it is restricted at your destination.
Travel insurance
Buy it soon after you book, so cancellation cover applies if something happens before you leave. Read what it covers, especially medical costs abroad and any pre-existing conditions.
2 to 4 weeks before
Money
- Check what your cards charge for foreign transactions and cash withdrawals. A card with no foreign transaction fees can save a noticeable amount.
- Carry two cards from different accounts, kept separately, in case one is lost or blocked.
- Have a small amount of local cash for arrival, taxis and places that don’t take cards.
- Many banks no longer need a travel notice, but check with yours.
Phone and data
Find out what your mobile plan charges abroad; roaming can be expensive. A travel eSIM is often the easiest option: you buy a data plan online and install it on your phone before you leave, as long as your phone supports eSIM and isn’t locked to your carrier.
Bookings
Confirm flights, accommodation and anything you’ve booked ahead. Check that the names match your passport exactly and that dates line up with your arrival and departure times.
The week before
- Arrival forms: some countries require an online arrival card shortly before you land. Singapore’s SG Arrival Card, for example, must be submitted within three days before arrival.
- Documents offline: save copies of your passport, bookings, insurance policy and emergency numbers on your phone and somewhere you can reach if you lose it.
- Check in online when your airline opens it, and download boarding passes.
- Plan your arrival: know how you’ll get from the airport to your first night’s stay, especially if you land late.
- Tell someone your plans and share your itinerary.
The night before
- Passport, cards, cash, phone and charger in your hand luggage.
- Medication and anything valuable in your hand luggage, not in checked bags.
- Plug adapter for your destination.
- Liquids packed to your departure airport’s hand-luggage rules.
- Check the flight status before you leave for the airport.
With the slow things done early, the last few days before a trip can be about looking forward to it instead of chasing paperwork.