Holiday packing list for UK travellers: documents first

A holiday packing list starts with documents, not clothes: a passport that meets your destination's entry rules, any visa, a second photo ID and your medicines. Liquids that fit airport rules come next, then everything else. This guide follows that order, with each rule checked on GOV.UK on 1 November 2026.

Clothes and toiletries are easy to replace at your destination. A passport that is refused at the border, or a bottle taken off you at security, is not. So the first half of this page covers the items that can stop a trip, and the second half covers the smaller things that make a trip easier.

Pack your documents in one place, in your hand luggage, before you pack anything else. The GOV.UK foreign travel checklist groups them under one heading, "Check your documents for travel", and the items below follow it.

• Passport
  Check that it meets the entry requirements for the country you are visiting, including whether it must stay valid for a set period after your trip ends. GOV.UK also says to sign it and complete the emergency contacts page.
• Visa or permit
  GOV.UK says to get the correct visa for your destination. Which countries need one for a British passport is on our entry requirements for British passport holders page.
• A second photo ID
  GOV.UK says to take an extra form of photo ID with you, other than your passport.
• Documents for children
  If you are travelling with children, GOV.UK says to check whether you need extra documentation.
• International driving permit
  If you plan to drive abroad, GOV.UK says to check whether you need one. Our international driving permit guide explains which type applies and where to get it.

Keep a second copy of your key details somewhere you can reach if your phone is lost. GOV.UK asks travellers to have a backup plan for accessing information such as accommodation details and flight details.

For Spain, and the rest of the Schengen area, GOV.UK gives two tests and a stay limit. The passport must have a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive, and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. You can then travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Both tests matter. A passport can be well inside its expiry date and still fail the first one, because the date of issue is what counts, not only the expiry date. Look at the issue date on the photo page, then count forward to your last day abroad.

Outside Europe the rule changes with the country. Read the entry requirements page of GOV.UK's foreign travel advice for each destination on your route. Our entry requirements guide lists the routes we have covered for British passport holders.

At most UK airports you cannot take a container of more than 100ml through security, and that holds even if the container is only part full, GOV.UK says. Some airports allow containers of up to 2 litres, so read your own airport's page before you pack your washbag.

The practical rule is to decide before you leave home which liquids go in hand luggage and which go in the hold. Decant what you need into small bottles and put them in one transparent bag at the top of your cabin case. Details are on the GOV.UK page on liquids in hand luggage.

Medicines and baby milk are the usual exceptions. They can go through in containers of up to 2 litres, which is worth knowing if you carry a large bottle of a prescribed liquid or a full feed. Pack them where you can reach them.

Start with advice, not with the pharmacy shelf. TravelHealthPro says to get the right travel advice, vaccines and malarial tablets before you travel. It also says all travellers should check they are in date for the measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV). Look up your destination on TravelHealthPro before you pack.

For medicines, GOV.UK's checklist says to check the rules on taking your medicine abroad. Do this before you pack, not at the airport. Pack what you take every day in your hand luggage, so a lost suitcase does not leave you without it.

• Prescribed medicines
  Check the rules for your destination first, then pack them in your hand luggage.
• Liquid medicines
  The 100ml limit does not apply to essential medical liquids of up to 2 litres at UK airports.
• Vaccination records
  Look up your destination on TravelHealthPro and allow time for any vaccines before you go.

A pet dog, cat or ferret needs its own paperwork: GOV.UK says to microchip your pet before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination, then wait at least 21 full days. You also need an animal health certificate for each trip to the EU, valid for 10 days for entry into the EU. Details are on the GOV.UK page on taking your pet to an EU country.

Check the socket type at your destination before you buy an adapter, and pack it in your hand luggage with your chargers. A phone also holds your tickets and booking details, so keep a printed or saved copy of the essentials: the GOV.UK checklist asks travellers to have a backup plan for accessing them.

Read the foreign travel advice for your destination. GOV.UK says to get up-to-date advice and warnings, including entry requirements, and you can sign up for email updates on each country's page, so a change after you book reaches you before you fly. The index is on the GOV.UK foreign travel advice page.

1. Passport
   Sign it and complete the emergency contacts page.
2. Entry rules
   Re-read the entry requirements for each country on your route.
3. Documents
   Put your passport, second photo ID and any visa in one place in your hand luggage.
4. Liquids
   Fit them into one transparent bag, or leave them for the hold.
5. Backup
   Save your accommodation and flight details somewhere you can reach if your phone is lost.

Our travel tips for UK travellers collect the other checks worth making before you go, and the driving abroad guide covers the licence and the car.

• What should be on a holiday packing list?

  Documents first: your passport, any visa, a second photo ID and your medicines. Then liquids that fit airport rules, then clothes, toiletries and chargers. GOV.UK’s foreign travel checklist puts documents at the top for the same reason.

• Is there a holiday checklist for the week before I travel?

  Yes. Sign your passport and complete the emergency contacts page, read the foreign travel advice for each country, check the entry requirements, fit your liquids into one bag and save your booking details somewhere you can reach if your phone is lost.

• How long must my passport be valid for Spain?

  GOV.UK says it needs a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.

• Does the 10-year passport rule matter if my passport has not expired?

  Yes. A passport can still be inside its expiry date and fail the test, because GOV.UK asks for a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive.

• How long can I stay in Spain without a visa on a British passport?

  Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to the GOV.UK Spain page. Other countries set their own limits, so check the entry requirements for each one.

• What is the liquids limit in hand luggage at UK airports?

  At most airports, no container larger than 100ml goes through security, even if it is part full. Where the airport asks, containers go in one transparent, resealable bag of no more than a litre, about 20cm x 20cm, one bag per person.

• Can I take medicine or baby milk over 100ml through UK airport security?

  Yes. GOV.UK says containers of up to 2 litres are allowed at all UK airports for essential medical purposes, special dietary requirements, or baby food and baby milk.

• Can I take duty-free liquids through security?

  Yes, if they are sealed in a security bag when you buy them, with the receipt sealed in the bag and visible. Keep the bag unopened until your final destination.

• Do I need a second form of photo ID?

  GOV.UK’s foreign travel checklist says to take an extra form of photo ID with you, other than your passport.

• What does my dog or cat need to travel to the EU?

  A microchip, put in before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, then a wait of at least 21 full days. You also need an animal health certificate for each trip, valid for 10 days for entry into the EU.

• Do I need an international driving permit?

  It depends on the country and how long you stay. Start with our guide to the international driving permit and the GOV.UK table it sets out.

• Where do I check which vaccines I need?

  On TravelHealthPro for your destination, before you pack. It says to get travel advice, vaccines and malarial tablets before you travel, and to check your measles vaccine is in date.