The essential documents for your trip

It’s important that before your trip you prepare all of your travel documents that you will need to present during your travels. It’s best to take care of getting your documents together as soon as you book your trip, or to speak with your local agent and ask when is the right time to get them.

The first should be a no-brainer: your passport. Passports should be at least six months valid before the start and end date of your trip. You may not be allowed entry and exit if your passport is expiring within six months or less. The process of getting your passport done is simple, but there are a few steps. The first thing you will need to get is your passport photo. The next is to fill out the passport form or renewal form when you go to get it. The next is then waiting for it in the mail or upon pick up. When I renew my passport, I usually get it sent via mail, which last time it took two to three weeks from the day I went to renew it. It’s also good to have several photocopies of your passport — one for your purse, another inside your luggage. In case you lose your passport you are able to go to the nearest embassy and make the process a little easier.

Make sure that you check to see if the country you are visiting requires any vaccinations. Countries that require any vaccinations will want to see your documents to show that you have the proper vaccine. Your agent will be able to tell you which vaccinations you’ll need and then you are able to consult with your local physician.

Vouchers and tickets should be in both a digital and paper copy. I always email my reservation confirmations to myself in case I lose my physical vouchers. When I was travelling in Europe, there was a passenger who only had a digital copy of his train ticket but it was required to have a physical copy for scanning. So make sure you have your physical copies handy. The same goes for airport transfers. If you don’t have your copy of your transfer reservation, they won’t be able to take you to your hotel.