What documents a family needs before travelling abroad
Before a trip abroad, the paperwork tends to scatter — one passport in a drawer, an insurance PDF in email, a booking in a chat. Here is a calm way to gather what your family needs into one trip folder, check the deadlines that matter, and keep copies within reach.
The basic document list
Start with the documents almost every trip needs, then adjust for your route. Requirements differ by destination and airline, so always check the official requirements for the country you're travelling to.
- •Passports for every family member (and ID cards if relevant)
- •Visas or entry permits, where required
- •Tickets and booking confirmations
- •Travel or medical insurance
- •Hotel or accommodation details
- •Driving licence, if you plan to drive
Documents for children
Children usually need their own passports, and some routes ask for extra papers — a birth certificate, or consent documents when a child travels with one parent or without both. The exact rules depend on the country and the airline, so check the requirements of your destination and carrier in advance, and keep each child's documents together under their own profile.
Passports and expiry dates
This is the deadline that catches families out. Many countries require your passport to stay valid for a period beyond your travel dates, and some won't let you board without it — check the requirements of your destination country. As you pack, confirm every passport's "valid until" date well before departure, so a renewal never turns into a last-minute rush.
Visas and permits
Depending on your nationality and destination, you may need a visa, an electronic travel authorization or another permit — and processing can take time. Rules and timelines vary widely, so check the official requirements of the country you're visiting rather than relying on last year's experience, and keep any approval or confirmation with the rest of the trip.
Insurance
Travel or medical insurance is often the document you most hope not to need. Keep the policy and its emergency contacts where the whole family can reach them, and note the coverage dates. Some destinations ask for proof of insurance on entry, so check whether yours does.
Copies and one trip folder
Keep a copy of each key document — passports, visas, insurance, bookings — separate from the originals, so a lost or stolen document is an inconvenience, not a crisis. Gather everything the trip needs into a single folder, sorted by family member, so on the day you're checking one place instead of five.
How doki.help helps
In doki.help you can build one trip folder that holds the whole family's travel documents, organized by member. Add each passport's "valid until" date and doki.help can send an email reminder before it expires, so an expiry doesn't surprise you close to departure. As a PWA it works offline once documents are saved in advance, so you can open them at the airport or a border even without signal. It's in beta and doesn't replace your original documents — check the requirements of your destination country and airline for anything official.
FAQ
What documents does a family need for a trip abroad?
Usually passports for everyone, any required visas or permits, tickets and bookings, and travel or medical insurance — plus children's papers. Requirements differ by destination and airline, so check the official requirements for the country you're travelling to.
How long should our passports be valid before we travel?
Many countries require your passport to stay valid for a period beyond your travel dates, and the exact rule varies — always check the requirements of your destination country. Confirm every passport's expiry date well before departure.
What extra documents do children need to travel?
Children usually need their own passports, and some routes ask for a birth certificate or consent documents when a child travels with one parent. The rules depend on the country and airline, so check the requirements of your destination and carrier in advance.
Can I open our travel documents without internet at the airport?
Yes, if you save them in advance. doki.help is a PWA that works offline for documents already stored, so you can reach them even without signal. It's in beta and doesn't replace your originals.
Will I be reminded before a passport expires?
By email, before the "valid until" date you set on each document. The reminder comes 30, 15, 7 and 1 day before that date.
Less than 15 minutes — and order that lasts.
Create your trip folder