Passports, visas and travel authorizations

Entry rules vary by country and by nationality, and they change. This is general guidance, not legal advice: always confirm with official government sources.

Having the right documents is your responsibility, and airlines can refuse to let you board without them. Entry rules depend on your nationality, where you are going and where you change planes. Check early, especially before you pay for a flight.

The main documents

• Passport or national ID: many countries require a passport that stays valid for some time after your trip, and some require blank pages.
• Visa: permission to enter a country, applied for before you travel or, for some travelers, on arrival.
• Electronic travel authorization: an online approval some countries require even for visitors who don’t need a visa.
• Transit permission: some countries require a visa or authorization even if you only change planes there.

Before you book

1. Check the entry rules for each country on your trip, including connection points, on official government sources.
2. Check your passport’s expiry date against the rules of each country.
3. Find out how long a visa or authorization takes to get. Some take weeks.
4. Avoid routes that connect through a country you can’t transit without a visa.

When you book

• Enter names exactly as they appear in each traveler’s passport.
• Use the same passport you will travel with, if the partner asks for passport details.
• For children, check whether they need their own passport and any extra documents, such as consent letters, if they travel with one parent or without parents.

Before you fly

1. Print or save copies of visas, authorizations and booking confirmations.
2. Keep your passport in your cabin bag, never in checked luggage.
3. Check whether your destination requires any health documents.
4. Recheck the entry rules a few days before departure. They can change.

If this, then that

• If your passport expires soon, renew it before booking, or check carefully that it meets every country’s rules.
• If you changed your name, book in the name on the passport you will travel with.
• If you are refused boarding for documents, the airline usually doesn’t have to refund you. Check before you go.
• If you are unsure, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting.

Cheaplyfly can’t advise on individual visa cases. For a full checklist, read our guide to passports, visas and electronic travel authorizations. If you are traveling with children, our guide to family and group bookings also helps.

Still stuck? For questions about your booking, contact the airline or travel site you booked with. For questions about Cheaplyfly, contact us.