Whether you are traveling for work or leisure, bringing all the important documents with you will save you the hassle at the counter. What’s more, these documents will also serve as your identification, as required in some countries. These papers will be useful in obtaining assistance from authorities during an emergency.
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It’s best that you understand what each document is for. And for added convenience, you can use a handy case to keep all the documents in one place. It is common to see our kababayans bring a clear folder to hold all their paperwork.
Bring these Documents on Your Trip
For smooth and hassle-free travel, be sure to bring all the essential documents. We’ve listed these documents so you can get an idea of what to put in your bag or suitcase.
Passport
Bring your passport with you when you are traveling outside the country. You need to make sure that your passport has more than 6 months of validity. Otherwise, the immigration official might not honor it.
Visa
Some countries require you to present a visa before allowing entry. Before you travel, make sure that you are carrying a valid visa so you can continue to your destination. There are also some countries that allow visas upon arrival. If this is your destination, find out what the requirements are before you arrive.
Driver’s License
If you can drive, your license will allow you to continue driving even if you are in another country. In Qatar, for instance, you can drive for a week if you have a license from any of the approved countries. But beyond that, you will need to apply for a license from the host country.
Valid Identification
In some cases, your passport and driver’s license can serve as valid IDs. But if you have other documents that you can bring, bring them along with you. You could also make digital copies, because some officials will also honor these.
Travel Itinerary
If you are traveling for pleasure, you will also need to present an itinerary. At the same time, you should also have a copy of your hotel booking. These documents will serve as proof that you are indeed in the country for a holiday. You could bring both hard and digital copies, and these should be readily available when immigration officials ask.
Plane Tickets
Some travelers forget to bring a copy of their plane tickets since they booked them online. However, it is an important requirement before you can get inside the airport. So, be sure to have a copy of your ticket with your passport.
Birth Certificate of Children
For minors, their birth certificate will serve as their proof of identity. Thus, it is important to bring it along when you travel with young ones. For added convenience, you can also make more than one copy of the birth certificate.
Vaccination Certificate
In the past, most travelers were not required to show their vaccination history. But with the pandemic, or in case of an outbreak, some countries require travelers to present vaccination certificates. It would be good to find out what the requirements are for your country of destination, so you would know which certificate to present.
It can be daunting to carry all these important documents. But you need to have these papers with you so you can enter the country without problems. Always be sure to keep these in good condition because you might still use them in your future travels.
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