There are so many details you need to pay attention to before you travel internationally. We both want you to have as smooth a trip as possible and to reduce the number of things that may go wrong and give you lessons to learn! It’s happened to all of us but it doesn’t mean it has to happen to you. You already have a lot to consider when it comes to what to pack or leave at home, however you’ll want to be sure to include these important travel documents:
Passport
Once you’re traveling out of your resident country, this document is a non-negotiable. Before your flights are booked, you’d want to ensure your passport’s expiry date is at least 6 months after your date of travel. This timeframe applies for most destinations but it can vary. If it’s not valid, you’d have to renew it and this is not something you want to realise the day before you travel.
Travel Visa
Some destinations require visitors from select countries to have authorization to enter. You’d have to apply for a visa and the process can look different depending on the destination. For eg, Thailand has an electronic visa system while for a Cuban visa, you can visit its embassies or consulates or get the visa on arrival in the airport. If you’re from Trinidad and Tobago, check out the 123 countries you can travel to without a visa requirement.
Travel insurance
I never used travel insurance before 2023 but I’m a changed woman now. Travel insurance allows you to protect the investment you put out for your vacation with unanticipated travel incidents like flight delays or a disaster at your destination. It’s especially helpful if the non-refundable trip expenses are more than you can afford to lose if anything, the destination has potential for natural disaster, or you’re taking a vacation with multiple destinations or connecting flights.
Driver’s License
If you’re like me and you plan to drive when you’re abroad, you don’t want to forget this! In most cases your national driver’s license is used to ensure validity for the destination’s temporary visitor license. You may also look into acquiring an international driver’s license …however I’ve found that in some Caribbean countries, you still have to get the temporary license.
Medical requirements
Health travel requirements are not new. Some countries had pre-existing entry requirements such as yellow fever vaccination certificates before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the pandemic, health requirements became more prevalent and enforced by countries. It’s important to check the entry requirements with sufficient time and also before departure as some might be implemented at a short notice.
Copies of ID, itineraries, tickets etc
Copies of your passport or other identification can be useful if you have the misfortune to lose your passport and must provide evidence of citizenship at your country’s embassy or consulate. I also recommend digital copies – email scanned copies to yourself! Copies of your itinerary and/or tour tickets can come in handy if the provider makes a mistake, you can have proof of payment/confirmation accessible (it’s helped me a few times).
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