Passport, visa, insurance: sort these first

Most travel problems we help clients solve could have been avoided with ten minutes of checking at the start. Before you commit to a trip, look at these three things.

1. Your passport

• Validity. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date you arrive. Check the expiry date now, not at the airport.
• Blank pages. Some countries need one or two clean pages for stamps or visa stickers.
• Condition. A damaged passport, with water marks or a loose page, can be refused. If in doubt, renew it.
• Names. The name on your flight booking must match your passport exactly.

2. Your visa and entry rules

Entry rules change, sometimes with little notice, and they depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Even where no visa is needed, some countries now ask travellers to register online before they fly: for Malaysians, that includes Korea’s K-ETA, Australia’s ETA, New Zealand’s NZeTA and the UK’s ETA. Check the official requirements for every country on your route, including any you only transit through.

Check the passport, the entry rules and the insurance, in that order.

3. Your travel insurance

• Buy it when you pay the deposit. That way cancellation cover protects you from the start, not just once you travel.
• Declare medical conditions. An undeclared pre-existing condition can void a claim.
• Check the activities. Skiing, hot-air balloons and trekking at altitude are not always covered as standard.
• Keep the policy handy. Save the emergency number and policy number on your phone and on paper.

A simple checklist

• Passport valid for six months or more after arrival
• Entry requirements checked for every country, including transits
• Visa or online registration done, where needed
• Insurance bought, with medical conditions declared
• Copies of all documents saved on your phone and with family at home