Insurance, Visas and Documents: What to Check a Month Before You Fly

The expensive airport mistakes are rarely made at the airport. They are made a month earlier, when you glance at your passport, see a date some way off and decide it is probably fine. It usually is. But four quiet weeks of small checks are a lot cheaper than one bad morning at a check-in desk.

This countdown is written for UK passport holders. Rules change, sometimes at short notice, and nothing here replaces official advice: if anything below differs from what you read on GOV.UK foreign travel advice, GOV.UK takes priority. Read the entry requirements page for your destination first, then come back to this list. If you hold another passport, such as an Irish one, the rules for you may be different.

The countdown at a glance

Four weeks out: passport and entry rules

Passport validity for the Schengen area

Do this today, because it is the only item that can sink the trip outright. For most of the EU, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, GOV.UK currently sets out two separate tests, and your passport has to pass both:

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive. Look at the issue date, not just the expiry date.
• Expiry at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Count from your return date, not your outward flight.

The first test catches people out, because older passports renewed before 1 October 2018 may have had extra months added and can show an expiry date more than ten years after they were issued. A passport can look perfectly in date and still fail. Short-stay visits are also limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, so if you have taken other trips this year, add them up.

Outside Europe, many countries ask for six months of validity on arrival, and some want blank pages. If you need to renew, GOV.UK advises allowing time, around three weeks is often quoted and it can take longer, so do not leave it. Faster paid services exist, but appointments are limited. Check the name on your ticket matches your passport as well.

EES: the new border system

The EU's Entry/Exit System replaces manual passport stamping with a digital record for non-EU visitors. It began phasing in from October 2025. On your first entry you may be asked to register fingerprints and a photo at a border, which is free but can add time to your journey, so do not plan a tight connection. Your record then generally lasts three years. Confirm how it currently works for your route on GOV.UK, as the process can differ between airports, ports and the Channel crossings.

ETIAS: a permission that is not here yet

ETIAS is a separate online travel authorisation for visitors who do not need a visa, including UK passport holders. At the time of writing it has not started, and its launch has been repeatedly delayed. The EU has indicated a fee of €20 for most applicants and validity of up to three years, and has said it will give notice before launch, with a transition period to follow. Please confirm the current status on GOV.UK before every trip to Europe, because this is exactly the sort of thing that will change after this article was written. Until it opens, do not pay any website offering to "pre-register" you.

Visas and online permissions further afield

Many long-haul destinations need something in advance, even for a short holiday. The USA has its ESTA, Canada its eTA, and Australia its own electronic visitor system. India and Vietnam, among others, use e-visas, and Thailand has introduced an online arrival card. These all change, so read the entry page for your destination and apply only through the official government website it links to. Copycat sites often charge several times the real fee and rank well in searches.

Read the issue date as well as the expiry date. A passport can look fine and still fail.

Three weeks out: insurance and health cover

Travel insurance

Ideally you bought this when you booked, because cancellation cover only helps from the day the policy starts. If not, buy it now. Read the actual policy wording and check:

• Medical cover, including repatriation. Comparison guides often suggest at least £2 million for Europe and £5 million elsewhere.
• That every pre-existing condition has been declared, even minor ones. Undeclared conditions are a common reason for claims being refused.
• Activities: skiing, scooters, diving and even some hikes may need an add-on.
• Trip length limits, as annual policies often cap each trip at around 31 days.
• What happens if the FCDO advises against travel to your destination, since this can invalidate your cover.

GHIC

A Global Health Insurance Card gives eligible UK residents access to state-provided healthcare in the EU and some other countries, at the same cost as a local person, which may not be free. Check the expiry date on yours now, as many older cards have lapsed. It is free to get, so do not pay a website to apply on your behalf, and allow a couple of weeks for it to arrive.

It does not replace travel insurance. It will not pay for mountain rescue, private treatment or a flight home, and it may not work in every clinic. You should take both. If you are taking regular medicines, this is also the week to check your supply and how you can carry them into your destination.

Two weeks out: driving and family paperwork

Driving documents

• Photocard licence: check the expiry date on the card. It is easy to miss, and it is separate from your passport date.
• International Driving Permit: usually not needed in most of the EU with a UK photocard licence, but some countries outside it do require one. GOV.UK explains which and where to buy it, for roughly £5.50 at the time of writing. Get it now, as you cannot usually buy one abroad.
• Hire cars: many companies want a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. Some also ask for a licence check code from DVLA, which is valid for 21 days, so generate it nearer the date.
• Your own car: take your V5C logbook and insurance details, display a UK sticker where required, and check with your insurer about cover abroad. Check breakdown cover too.

Children and pets

Children's passports last only five years, so check them separately. If a child is travelling with only one parent or with a different surname, a consent letter and a copy of the birth certificate can save an awkward conversation at a border. Pets have their own timetable, which needs far more than two weeks: our guide to travelling with a dog or a child has more on this.

One week out: copies and a last check

• Make copies. Save photos of your passport photo page, visa or permissions, GHIC, licence and insurance certificate somewhere you can reach offline. Keep one paper copy separately from the originals.
• Write down the emergency numbers. Your insurer's 24-hour medical line, your card provider's number and the nearest British embassy or consulate. In the EU, 112 reaches the emergency services.
• Read the travel advice again. Check the GOV.UK page for your destination one more time, including any warnings or entry changes. You can sign up for email alerts on that page.
• Check your bank cards. Look at the expiry dates, and find out what you pay for using them abroad.
• Share your plans. Leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home.

With the paperwork done, you can spend the final week on the enjoyable part. Our seven-day backpack checklist covers what goes in the bag, and if the flights are still not booked, start with our guide to finding cheap flights.