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How-to
How to prepare for your first trip abroad
Passport, insurance, money and luggage: the main things to check before you leave.
Documents
- Passport validity
- Many countries require your passport to stay valid for several months after the trip. Check your destination's rule.
- Entry rules
- Find out in advance whether you need a visa, an electronic permit or a form.
- Tickets and bookings
- Keep your return ticket and hotel booking on your phone and on paper.
Money and connectivity
- Bank card
- Ask your bank whether your card works abroad, and carry some cash.
- Internet
- Check your roaming terms or buy a local SIM card on arrival.
Insurance and health
- Travel insurance
- It is mandatory in some countries, such as Georgia. The policy must cover the whole trip.
- Medicines
- Keep essential medicines in your carry-on along with the prescription.
Luggage and the airport
- Baggage allowance
- Check whether baggage is included in your ticket and the permitted weight.
- Carry-on
- Liquids usually go in containers of up to 100 ml, and power banks belong in your carry-on.
- Arrive on time
- For an international flight, arrive at least 3 hours before departure as a rule.
Read next
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Guide, KazakhstanAlmatyMountains right beside the city: Medeu, Shymbulak, Kok-Tobe and a short flight.
Guide, AzerbaijanBakuOld city walls and the Flame Towers, about a 3-hour flight from Tashkent.
Guide, TurkeyIstanbulTwo continents, mosques, bazaars and ferries: an easy choice for a first trip abroad.