International travel is fun and exciting, but it can easily become stressful if you forget or lose important documents. This checklist will help ensure you have everything you need for a smooth trip.
1. At least $100 in local currency – calculate the taxi fare from the airport to your destination and carry more than that amount with you. It’s a good idea to make some changes at the airport for baggage and tip carts. Also, remember to bring some home country money, just in case you need it on the flight back home.
2. Passports. Be sure to check expiration dates beforehand. It pays to check the regulations of the destination country as some countries require that the passport be valid for a month or more beyond the dates of the trip. Double check and double check that you have included all necessary visas with your passport information.
3. At least one copy of each passport packed separately from other travel documents. Consider including copies in a checked bag and then storing them in the hotel safe at your destination.
4. Health insurance cards. Check that your health insurance is valid in your destination country and be sure to carry cards – just in case.
5. A hard copy of important phone numbers (doctors, relatives, US consulate, etc.). Everyone has this information in their cell phones these days but what if you lose your phone, forget the charger or it just stops working?
6. Lead Records (required for some countries) / Birth Certificates. Some countries require proof of vaccination and/or proof of parentage before entering the country.
7. A documented health declaration (if traveling with grandchildren). This doesn’t have to be complicated – just a statement that names the adults traveling with your children and gives them permission to consent to emergency healthcare (just as most schools require).
8. Notarized travel permission or custody papers if both parents are not traveling. It is common for passport control to request this information if a parent is traveling alone with a child. A copy of the child’s birth certificate should also be carried if both parents are not traveling.
9. A hard copy of the itinerary and accommodation phone numbers. Better to be safe than sorry!
10. Leaving – a copy of the itinerary, a copy of the passport and contact numbers with the neighbor or relatives.
Complete this checklist and you should have everything you need for a fun and exciting international adventure.
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