Tourist travel checklist: from booking to departure day
Everything to sort before a holiday abroad, in the order you need to do it: months before, weeks before, the last days, and the day you fly.
2–3 months before
2–4 weeks before
Last few days
Day of travel
verify marks items that some consulates or authorities ask for and others do not, or that we could not confirm from an official source. Check the official website or the visa centre’s list for your application before relying on them. Sources and the date they were checked are under Limitations and sources. Your ticks are saved in this browser only.
About this checklist
This is the preparation list for a holiday abroad from Pakistan, ordered by when each thing has to happen: months before (passport, visa, bookings, insurance), weeks before (health, money, phone), the last days (documents, check-in, packing) and the day you fly. It is not a visa document list; the Schengen visa checklist does that. It is the things people forget, in the order they bite.
How to use it
- Say whether your destination needs a visa in advance; the list shows either the visa-application steps or the e-visa / on-arrival steps.
- Tick items as you do them. Ticks are saved in this browser, so you can come back over the weeks.
- Items tagged verify are Pakistani departure rules (polio certificate, cash limits) that change; check the current rule before you rely on them.
- Print the list, or save it as a PDF, for the final days.
Why the order matters
Visa decisions take 15 calendar days or more for Schengen and longer for the UK and USA, and appointments at visa centres in Pakistan can be weeks out, so the visa comes first. Insurance is next because the visa file needs it. Polio vaccination must be done at least four weeks before departure to be valid. Banks need notice, and currency is cheaper bought early than at the airport. The last-days items are about having the paperwork in two places and the carry-on right.
Example
A couple from Islamabad booking 8 nights in Türkiye in spring select No / e-visa. In the months-before section they check passport validity (six months beyond return), apply for the Turkish e-visa, book flights and a hotel, and buy insurance (Türkiye is in the Rest of World zone on the cost calculator). Weeks before, they get the polio drops and certificate, tell their bank, buy some lira and dollars, and set up roaming. In the last days they print the e-visa and policy, check in online and pack with the packing checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I apply for a tourist visa?
Schengen applications can be lodged up to 6 months before travel and should be lodged at least 15 days before; UK and US visas often take longer. Appointment availability in Pakistan is the real constraint, so book the appointment as soon as you have your dates.
Do I really need travel insurance for a holiday?
For many destinations it is a visa condition (Schengen, Türkiye for some visa types, the Gulf states for some visit visas). Where it is optional, it is still the cheapest line in the budget and the one that covers a hospital bill in dollars. Prices are on the cost calculator.
Is the polio certificate still required?
Pakistan remains under WHO temporary recommendations for polio, so travellers leaving Pakistan are expected to carry a vaccination certificate (OPV given between 4 weeks and 12 months before travel). Certificates are issued at government health centres and airports; verify the current rule before you travel.
How much cash can I take?
The State Bank of Pakistan limits foreign currency carried out per trip and per year and revises the figures; check the current SBP notice. Declare what the rules require and keep the exchange receipt.
Limitations and sources
General preparation guidance for leisure trips; visa document requirements are on the visa checklists. Items tagged verify are health or currency rules of Pakistan that change. Ticks are stored in this browser only.
Sources (checked 10 October 2026): WHO — polio IHR Emergency Committee recommendations · State Bank of Pakistan — foreign exchange regulations · European Commission — Schengen visa processing times