Before you fly: the checklist people forget

Checked against official sources. This page last updated 16 October 2026.

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Trips rarely go wrong on the big things.

They go wrong on a passport that expires too soon, a permit nobody mentioned, an insurance policy that does not cover a hospital abroad, or a plug that does not fit. Here are the eight things to check before you fly, each with the official source.

Tick things off as you go. Your ticks stay in this browser.

1Passport dates

For the Schengen area, a non-EU passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.
For the UK, your passport should be valid for the whole of your stay.
Some countries ask for 6 months of validity after your trip, so check each country you visit.
Children’s passports often expire first. A US passport for a child under 16 is valid for only 5 years.

Source: Your Europe · GOV.UK · US State Department

2Online permits

More countries ask you to apply online before you fly. Most visitors to the UK who do not need a visa need a UK ETA, babies included: see Do you need a UK ETA?
ETIAS for Europe is not running yet: see Is ETIAS in force yet?
Visa Waiver travellers to the United States apply for an ESTA, on the official site only.
Apply only on the official website. Look-alike sites charge extra for the same thing: see which websites are the official ones.

Source: ESTA (US CBP) · GOV.UK travel advice

3Travel insurance and medicines

US health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, usually does not cover care abroad. The State Department recommends travel medical insurance that covers emergency care and medical evacuation.
A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is free and covers necessary state healthcare in the EEA and some other countries, but it is not a replacement for travel insurance and does not cover being flown home. Unofficial websites may charge you to apply for it.
Some medicines that are legal at home are illegal elsewhere. Carry copies of prescriptions and keep medicines in their labelled packaging.

Source: US State Department · NHS

4Cards and money

Our tip: take a card without high foreign transaction fees, and a backup card kept in a different bag.
Our tip: if a card machine abroad offers to charge you in your home currency, compare the rate before you accept.

5Phone, roaming and copies

“Roam like at home” lets people with a mobile plan from an EU or EEA country use it across the EU and EEA at domestic prices. With a plan from anywhere else, including the UK and the US, check roaming charges with your provider before you go.
Save photos of your passports and other documents on your phone, keep paper copies apart from the originals, and leave a set with someone you trust.

Source: Your Europe · US State Department

6Plug adapter

The UK uses type G plugs, with three rectangular pins.
Spain, South Korea and Indonesia use types C and F; Italy uses C, F and L.
For every other country, check the plug type on the IEC list before you pack.

Source: IEC World Plugs

7Driving licence

Many countries do not accept a US driver’s licence on its own. US residents can get an International Driving Permit from AAA or AATA before the trip.
With a UK licence, you might need an International Driving Permit in some countries, and sometimes one for each country you visit.
Hiring a car? Check the rental company’s licence and insurance rules too.

Source: US State Department · GOV.UK

8Children’s documents

Every child needs their own passport, and their own UK ETA if one applies: see the UK ETA for children.
If a child travels with only one parent, you may need custody documents or a permission letter: see a child travelling without both parents.
At EES borders, under-12s give no fingerprints and often cannot use the self-service kiosks: see EES with children.

Source: US State Department

Questions people ask

How long must my passport be valid for Europe?

For the Schengen area, a non-EU passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.

Is a GHIC or EHIC enough instead of travel insurance?

No. The NHS says the UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance: it covers necessary state healthcare, not private treatment or being flown home.

Do I need an International Driving Permit?

It depends on the country and on where your licence was issued. Many countries do not accept a US licence on its own, and UK licence holders need one in some countries. Check before you hire a car.

What plug do I need for the UK?

Type G, with three rectangular pins.

Is VIARYO official?

No. We are not a government body and this site is not an official source. We summarise what the authorities publish and link to them, and where we disagree with them, they are right.

Rules on this list change. We’ll tell you when they do.

Passport rules, permits and fees move, and nobody tells travellers. We’ll email you when something changes that you may need to act on, and when VIARYO early access opens. No spam.

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Change log

16 October 2026Page published. Every rule on it checked against the source linked beside it.

Sources

Checked on 16 October 2026. Entry rules for a specific country are always on that country’s official sites, and on the UK and US governments’ travel advice pages.