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This travel document checklist builds a personalized list from six answers: domestic or international, your citizenship, destination region, and whether you’re traveling with children, a pet or for business. It covers ID and passports, entry authorizations like the UK ETA, health documents and corporate paperwork, with links to official sources. Tick items off, print it, and confirm details before you go.
Researched and maintained by Empyrean Travel · How we research
How does the travel document checklist work?
Choose your trip type and destination region, then say whether children, a pet or a business purpose are part of the trip. The checklist updates instantly with only the items that apply, grouped into identity, entry, health, minors, pets, corporate and pre-departure tasks.
Each combination of answers keeps its own ticks in your browser, so you can prepare a family vacation and a business trip side by side. Use Print for a paper copy to keep with your passport.
Which travel documents do US travelers most often miss?
The most common problems are easy to prevent: a passport that expires too soon for the destination’s validity rule, a missing electronic authorization such as the UK ETA, and children traveling with one parent without a consent letter. Domestic travelers also need a REAL ID-compliant ID or a passport to fly.
- Passport validity of up to six months beyond your travel dates, depending on the country
- Electronic travel authorizations, such as the UK ETA, Australia’s ETA and New Zealand’s NZeTA
- Yellow fever certificates on some African routes
- Business visa or invitation letters for meetings in certain countries
Is this checklist a substitute for official requirements?
No. It’s a planning aid built from long-standing, general rules, and entry requirements change often. Always confirm the latest details with the State Department, the destination’s official government site, and your airline. If Gigi is planning your trip, ask her to review the document list with you; read our visa basics for the bigger picture.