As a regular traveler, I have an all-time checklist with travel documents required on most trips. This blog post is a reminder, so we don’t forget any important documentation before leaving home.

☑️ Passport or ID card
Within the European Union, I can travel with my ID card, as a EU citizen. But outside the EU, I need to carry my passport most of the time. Consequently, I need to check my passport validity before I travel. Many countries accept you only if your passport is valid for at least another six months. So don’t forget to check your passport well in advance, especially if the application for a new one may take almost two months like in Germany.
☑️ Visa (if required)
Many countries don’t require a visa or offer visa on arrival for short-term travelers. Other countries require visa that you’ll need to apply for in advance. Make sure you’ll not be refused at the border.
☑️ Credit cards
My German bank provides me with a free VISA debit card, which is great for many international payments. However, I wouldn’t leave for a long-distance trip without a credit card. For example, most car rentals are only possible through a credit card. Once, I was refused a rental car because I only had my VISA debit card.
Generally, a debit card is directly linked to your bank account, allowing you to spend money you have in the account, similar to writing a check. On the other hand, a credit card provides you with a line of credit that you can borrow against, up to a certain limit, and repay later with interest charges if not paid in full each month. Debit cards draw funds directly from your account, while credit cards allow you to borrow money from the card issuer. Debit cards do not build credit, while credit cards can help establish and improve your credit history. Additionally, debit cards offer limited consumer protections compared to credit cards, making credit cards safer for certain transactions.
So make sure you carry different kinds of cards.
☑️ Vaccination certificates
Many countries require proof of vaccination for entry. For example in Kenya like in many other sub-Saharan African countries, you will need to show proof of vaccination against yellow-fever. Make sure you check out the visa requirements well in advance.
If you got a vaccination book, make soft and hard copies of it.
☑️ Proof of travel insurance
Some countries require travel insurance to enter. Anyways, travel insurance is vital in my view. There are basic insurance, which will reimburse your medical expenses abroad for trips of up to 90 days. Others will cover longer term trips.
☑️ International driving licence
There are three international conventions that countries contract to. For example in Germany, you are allowed to drive with any of the three international driving permits while for Australia, you need to look for the Geneva convention. Wikipedia gives a first overview here.
Check out your own country’s requirement for applying for the international driving licenses. As a German, I apply at my city administration and receive it within a month.
Also make sure you book your rental car in advance, for example through rentalcars.com. Doing so will save you some money. If you are not planning to rent a car, scooter or other vehicle that requires an international driving licence, you may compare bus, train and other public or shared transport for example on 12Go.
☑️ Emergency contacts
An ermergency contact list doesn’t only help emergency staff in case of an accident, but will also be handy for yourself. Make sure your emergency contact list includes the following people and hotlines:
- Emergency contacts (for example your family, partner or best friend): name, phone number, e-mail address, relationship
- International SOS:
- Europe and parts of Asia: 112
- Americas: 911
- Other local phone numbers, please check for your travel destination
- Travel insurance: policy number, phone number, emergency line
- Banks: name, account number, phone number, emergency line
- Mobile provider: name, account number, phone number, emergency line
- Embassy address and hotline, if you know your itinerary
- Employer or business partner: name, phone number, e-mail address, relationsship
☑️ Soft copies of all documents
I’m one of those travelers that hope for the best but expect the worst. In case your bag with all hard copies gets stolen, you wanna have a digital soft copy easily available on a USB drive, in your e-mail account or a cloud service.
Therefore, I recommend you use an e-mail account that is accessible without two-factor-authentification – because what if your phone gets stolen and you cannot access anything! Of course, not having two-factor authentication significantly compromises the security of your account. Without two-factor authentication, the account solely relies on a password for protection, which can be vulnerable to various attacks like phishing or credential stuffing. Nevertheless, it makes logging in quicker and smoother. That may be just what you need after a theft.
☑️ Diary and writing utensils
These items are surely not necessary for every traveler. I personally love writing down my best travel moments and experiences, so a paper diary, pens and glue are my all-time travel companions. However, even if you are not a writer, I recommend you carry at least a pen. It may be helpful for declarations at the airport or other spontaneous paper work.
☑️ Application documents
If you are a long-term traveler, I suggest you carry a soft copy of your CV, diplomas and recommendation letters with you. You’ll be ready to apply to any job opportunities that come up during your trip, which will simplify your return or travel continuation.
I hope this check list is helpful to other travelers. If I forgot any important documents, please let me know in the comments. And stay tuned because there’ll be more documentation like packing lists and helpful mobile apps in my travel tips soon.
Happy travel preparations!
That’s very helpful, dear Isi. Passports and credit cards are probably forgotten less often. But I haven’t thought about soft copies and emergency contacts yet. I will definitely keep this in mind for the future!