Get ready for travel! Here's what you'll need to do…
Sometimes it's one of the most basic topics that turns out to be one of the most popular articles. Here I'll try to cover a checklist on travel documentation and what you will generally need for travelling across the globe during Covid and beyond. This is a generic list and I've tried to be as all encompassing as always, but be aware that there will always be intricacies for every country - so double check!
The basics
Passport
Well that's a bit obvious, but check how much validity you have left on it. If you've less than six months after the 10th anniversary of issue then you need a new one. Example: Country A requires a passport to be no more than 10 years old and have more than 6 months validity left on it. If your passport was issued in July 2012 and had an expiry date of October 2022 (10 years for the current passport and 3 months transferred from the previous), for many countries (including the European Union) your passport would be invalid as of January 2022. Information on your validity can be found here.
Visa checks
It may be something many people from the UK think about as they're used to European travel, but check well ahead of time if you need to get a visa for your destination country. Visas can take a number of weeks to process so ensure you get this done ahead of time and your appointments scheduled to submit an application. Look at GOV.UK's FCDO country pages for more information on what the requirements are.
Health requirements
Travel insurance
Firstly, if you haven't done so already, buy travel insurance either on a single trip or multi-trip annualised basis. Next, check it covers you for the place you are travelling to. Some 'worldwide' policies do not include the US, Canada and the Caribbean. Contact your provider to add this on and any additional cover such as those for activities considered as dangerous such as skiing, snowboarding, quad biking and more.
UK GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card)
Formerly the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), use this card for minimal health insurance protection within countries listed on the NHS.UK website. Most of these are within the European Economic Area. The GHIC is considered as a basic health protection and you are advised by many, including Martin Lewis and UK government, to also purchase travel insurance.
Country-specific vaccinations
Some countries require you to have specific vaccinations such as Yellow Fever with an accompanying certificate for entry into the nation. Check at FitForTravel (operated by NHS Scotland) for more information that will be relevant to citizens across all the UK.
Anti-malarial tablets or similar
Consult FitForTravel for advice on if your destination(s) require anti-malarial tablets or similar. These will not be provided by the NHS and you will need to pay privately, but this website is extremely helpful for any foreign country-related health information. Often taking these will be at your discretion but I strongly advise following the website advice as well as consulting a health professional.
Covid-specific check list
Testing requirement for your destination
Check GOV.UK's FCDO Country List to see what the requirements are for your destination. If it is unclear, follow links to the government of your destination country for information on testing requirements. Do not rely on news articles as these may be out of date or incorrectly understood. Most countries will also define the type of test, if it can be self-administered or must be by a health professional, whether that is PCR, Lateral Flow or LAMP test along with an allowed timescales for it to be taken prior to departure or arrival.
Check with the destination country as to whether the testing certificate must have a stamp, signature, QR code or other oddities. I have experienced this personally - and it can be a real minefield due to how different countries operate.
Check whether the test is accepted by your destination country.
Some countries or territories, such as Jersey, Jamaica and Singapore, only accept RT-PCR tests administered by a fully accredited laboratory. This may be difficult to find out. Some like DAM Health and Express Test explicitly state they are not suitable for the aforementioned countries but others are not clear. Look to see if these countries have preferred partners or laboratories in the UK.
Check test to return requirements for when you come back to the UK
This changes a lot but check whether you need a pre or post-departure test as well as the time interval for taking it. These are detailed here at GOV.UK - note that this page is specifically for England and advice can vary for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Covid Vaccination
Download the NHS/Covid Status Scotland/COVIDCert NI apps for your Covid Travel Pass to prove your status but also ensure you have a downloaded and offline printed copy. This ensures that if the app is offline that you do not miss your flight. There is an expiry date of one month on the downloaded and printed Covid pass, so ensure you've got a relatively fresh copy before travel.
Ensure your vaccination is recent enough
Some countries and territories, such as the EU, now are setting a nine month timer on your latest Covid vaccination. For clarity, if you had your second dose in February 2021 and attempted to travel to the EU without a booster you will effectively be recognised as unvaccinated. This could either result in you being denied boarding or subject to quarantine requirements upon arrival.
Complete any entry form requirements - and the time interval
Some countries only require proof of vaccination to enter whilst others require more extensive documentation for entry. Examples include:
Thailand Pass which has to be submitted at least 7 days prior to arrival
Singapore Pass - which can be submitted 3 to 60 days prior to arrival
UK Passenger Locator Form - submitted 48 hours prior to arrival
Prepare masks (preferably high filtration, non vented N95), wipes and sanitiser for travel
Don't cut corners, protect yourself and others by doing the responsible thing when taking your trip abroad. Wipe down the seat and it's surrounding areas, use sanitiser and hand wash, whilst always using a mask that covers your mask and nose.
Print all documents - even if you don’t think you’ll need them
Just to double down, print everything off in hard copy. This will make organising far simpler and some countries stipulate this as a requirement - not accepting digital copies on your mobile. Be on the safe side and cover all your bases by printing every document on this list - or more if required by your destination.
Have I forgot anything? If so, please let me know in the comments and I'll get this updated as soon as possible.
