Holiday checklist: what to check before you go abroad
Before you go abroad, check your passport meets the entry rules: for Europe it must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expire at least 3 months after you leave. Get travel insurance as soon as you book, renew an expired GHIC, and check vaccinations 8 weeks ahead.
Last updated 16 Oct 2026 · Joel Lister, founder of Radar
Printable holiday checklist: tick boxes, one page, ready to print or save as a PDF.
Who this is for: anyone in the UK going on holiday abroad, especially to Europe, who wants one list of what to sort and when.
Who it is not for: visas for long stays, work or study abroad, which each have their own rules.
| When | What to check | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When you book | Travel insurance, as soon as you book | GOV.UK |
| When you book | Your passport meets the destination’s entry rules; for the Schengen area, issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expiring at least 3 months after you leave | GOV.UK, FCDO |
| 8 weeks before | The vaccinations and health precautions you need | GOV.UK |
| Before you go | A GHIC if yours, or your EHIC, has expired | GOV.UK, NHS |
| Before you go | Whether you need an International Driving Permit, if you will drive | GOV.UK |
| Before you go | The latest travel advice for where you are going | GOV.UK |
Passports for Europe
For the Schengen area, which includes France, a British passport must have a date of issue less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. A passport renewed before 1 October 2018 may fail the first test even if it has not expired (FCDO). You can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa, and the 180 days keep rolling (GOV.UK).
The EU’s Entry/Exit System is being brought in at Schengen borders: you need do nothing before you travel, but your fingerprints or photo may be taken on your first visit and queues can be longer (FCDO). Renewing? The passport renewal guide has the times and costs.
Health and insurance
Get travel insurance as soon as you book, so it covers you if you have to cancel (GOV.UK). The GHIC gives you state healthcare in Europe but is not a replacement for travel insurance (NHS). Print your insurance documents and carry a copy (GOV.UK).
Printable holiday checklist
Print it, or save it as a PDF, and tick it off as you go.
When you book
- Travel insurance bought
- Passport: issued under 10 years ago (Europe)
- Passport: valid 3 months after you come home (Europe)
- Visa or entry rules checked for the destination
8 weeks before
- Vaccinations and health advice checked
- GHIC in date, or a new one applied for
- International Driving Permit, if needed
- Car hire, parking or airport transfer booked
The week before
- Latest travel advice read
- Emergency contacts page in the passport filled in
- Insurance documents printed
- Bank told, and some local money
- Pets, plants and post arranged
In your hand luggage
- Passports
- Tickets and boarding passes
- GHIC and insurance papers
- Driving licence
- Medicines, in their packets
- Chargers and adapters
Holiday checklist from putitonmyradar.com/holiday-checklist. The rules behind each line are on that page, from GOV.UK, the FCDO and the NHS.
What Radar does with this
- Life setup asks: “When do the passports in your household expire?” Some countries want months left on a passport when you travel. Radar reminds you nine months ahead. Radar reminds you 270 days ahead.
- Life setup asks: “When does your GHIC or EHIC card expire?” The expiry date is on the front of the card. Radar reminds you 30 days ahead.
- Life setup asks: “Do you have annual travel insurance? When does it renew?” Lapsed cover is usually only noticed at the airport. Radar reminds you 21 days ahead.
- Life setup asks when your passports, GHIC and annual travel insurance expire, and puts each on your Radar ahead of the date, so nothing is found out of date the week you fly.
Radar reads the calendars, task lists and CRM you connect, and the dates you give it. It writes back only when you press a button, and it never sends anything by itself.
Limitations and status
- Radar keeps the dates; it does not book, renew or check documents for you.
- Entry rules differ by country and change: check the FCDO’s travel advice for where you are going.
Also free: Radar Lite, the habit tracker on its own, for you and anyone 13 or over in the family.
Questions
How long does my passport need to be valid for Europe?
For the Schengen area, issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expiring at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. (FCDO)
When should I buy travel insurance?
As soon as you book. (GOV.UK)
How far ahead should I check vaccinations?
At least 8 weeks before you travel. (GOV.UK)
How long can I stay in Europe without a visa?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. (GOV.UK)
More guides
Sources
- Foreign travel checklist (GOV.UK), read 16 Oct 2026
- France: entry requirements (FCDO, GOV.UK), read 16 Oct 2026
- Travelling to the EU and Schengen area (GOV.UK), read 16 Oct 2026
- Applying for healthcare cover abroad (GHIC and EHIC), NHS, read 16 Oct 2026
Written by Joel Lister, founder of Radar · first published 16 Oct 2026. Radar is made by Neos Technologies Ltd.