Essential Travel Documents: What to Pack for an International Trip

Welcome to Day 3 of Packing Week at Trips With Tykes!  Be sure not to miss the other posts in this series below:

• 5 Packing Tips for Families
• Packing List for Your Disney Daypack

Today's list is all about paperwork.  If you are like me, you've probably gone largely electronic in your daily life.  When taking international trips, however, a little old-fashioned paper is still a necessity.  Before you plan to travel abroad, use this list of essential paperwork you might need in your travels to plan.

Identification Documents

1. Passport
2. Passport copies (pack separately from your passport in case of loss)
3. Driver's license
4. International driving permit (some countries will not accept a U.S. driver's license and an IDP is require)
5. Student ID card
6. Visa & supporting documents

Money

1. Traveler's Checks (& serial numbers stored separately)
2. Cash (local & US)
3. ATM Card
4. Credit card
5. Currency conversion pocket cheat sheet

Travel Documents

1. Airline boarding passes
2. Reservation printouts (airline, hotel, car rental, etc.)
3. Attraction tickets or confirmations
4. Rail passes
5. Cruise documentation

Medical & Emergencies

1. Important contact numbers and addresses for emergencies (family/friends, embassy details, local hospitals)
2. Prescription information (it is often best to travel with a doctor's letter explaining what each prescription is)
3. Vaccination records (a few countries may require proof of vaccination, particularly for yellow fever in endemic regions)

Everything Else

1. Parental consent letter (When one parent is traveling alone with a child, a notarized letter of consent from the other parent may be required to enter.  Check country-specific requirements, but I always travel with one just in case.)
2. Business cards
3. Stationery & envelopes