The Ultimate Checklist for Traveling Abroad

One of the easiest and most essential items on an overseas travel checklist is also arguably the most ignored. Travel insurance and State Department alerts can be critical in emergencies abroad. Still, many tourists bet they won't become part of the small percentage of travelers who require evacuation assistance or protection from hotel or flight cancellations.

Subscribing to the State Department's STEP alerts for your destination can help you stay informed about upcoming and current travel restrictions, strikes, and areas of political unrest.

Travel insurance can cost as little as a few dollars per travel day and cover a wide range of expenses, from lost luggage to emergency medical attention, saving you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. As of 2025, some countries are even making travel insurance mandatory for visitors to cover emergencies, like Tanzania, which announced a required travel insurance program for foreign travelers this summer.

Ensure your passport and any required travel visas are up to date. Some countries require a passport to be valid for at least six months after your scheduled return date, so ensure you won't be turned away or delayed at customs due to an expiring passport. Do you need a visa? Check the State Department's travel page for your destination. In addition to traditional visas, be aware of new electronic travel authorization requirements for visa-exempt travelers. The UK now requires an Electronic Travel Authorization for most visitors, and the EU is launching its ETIA requirement in the last quarter of 2026.

Keep both physical and digital copies of your passport and all relevant paperwork in case any documents are lost. Share copies of your passport, itinerary, and contact numbers with family and friends whom you can contact in case of an emergency.

Notify your bank and credit card companies about your travel dates so they don't deny your purchases. Also, ask about international ATM fees to determine which ones won't charge you. It's always a good idea to bring multiple cards in case one stops working.

Don't underestimate the value of saving a photo of your passport to your phone. If your passport is lost or stolen, this can come in handy. Email the image to yourself to have an extra digital copy in case your phone runs out of batteries or goes missing. You may also want to bring a spare copy of your passport photo on your trip; having it handy will speed the processing of a new document.

It's best to get the necessary vaccinations out of the way as soon as possible since it can take a few weeks to build complete immunity. Some also require multiple doses, which may need to be administered over days, weeks, or even months. Consult with your doctor about receiving the CDC-recommended vaccinations, as the vaccination protocol varies by country. For example, dozens of countries require proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you've been to at-risk areas. A travel clinic can help you determine which vaccinations and medications you may need.

Keep your vaccination certificate in your carry-on in case customs requires you to present it when entering the country.

Whether you're a travel app connoisseur or more of a paperback guidebook person, having some source of knowledge about your destination is invaluable. Read about the region you're traveling to in advance to gain insight into important information such as currency exchange rates, useful phrases, tipping norms, appropriate clothing, and cultural/legal customs. It's best to be prepared so you don't land yourself in a compromising situation.

Related:8 English Words You Should Never Use Abroad

There's nothing worse than realizing once you're six time zones away that you forgot to stop your mail delivery or ask someone to water your expertly cultivated house plants. Ensure your daily tasks are completed before you leave, or appoint a trusted friend to handle them for you.

You can find a house or pet sitter to do your chores if you're willing to list your home on TrustedHouseSitters.com. Plus, you could find lodging through the site for your trip abroad if you can do the same for someone else.

Want to stay in touch while traveling abroad? If you haven't taken your phone overseas before, contact your mobile provider to inquire about international phone plans that may be available. If your carrier's plans are expensive, an international SIM card can be a good alternative.

Sometimes, the most important thing you'll pack is in your smartphone rather than your suitcase. Offline maps are your best friend when traveling with limited data or battery. You can find Wi-Fi in many places, but downloading offline maps through Google Maps will allow you to follow your GPS without using up data.

Downloading in-flight entertainment could also save you if your TV malfunctions on a long-haul flight. Streaming won't be available without consistent in-flight Wi-Fi (which you shouldn't ever depend on), but you can pre-download movies and TV shows through most platforms.
Don't forget a portable backup charger. Watching hours of your favorite TV show is sure to drain your battery life, and there's nothing worse than finally finding a Wi-Fi spot only to have your phone die. Many airlines now offer entertainment via their mobile apps, so download your airline’s app before flying in case you need it to stream movies or TV on your own device.

While the contents of your checked bag will largely depend on the climate you're visiting, you'll want most of your trip's essentials easily accessible in your carry-on. Start with this international travel checklist of items to pack:

• Passport and visa
• Medications
• Insurance and ID cards
• Cash, debit cards, and credit cards
• Pen to fill out customs forms
• Portable charger
• Earplugs, eye mask, and sleeping pills
• Electrical converters and adapters specific to your destination
• Headphones
• Antibacterial wipes
• Sweater/scarf in case the plane is chilly
• Cell phone and charger

For more ideas, check out our ultimate packing list.

Consider taking photos of your packed suitcase (both inside and out) in case it gets lost. That way, airline employees will know what to look for, and you'll know what was inside if you don't get it back and need to file a claim.