Before the digital age it was recommended that travelers make multiple paper copies of their important travel documents and information, and store these copies in various locations. Now, there are better ways of organizing travel documents and important information for international travel. A few simple tips can ensure that your documents will always be organized and accessible.
Research Which Travel Documents You’ll Need
This may differ from country to country, so check with the embassy of the country you’re visiting. You can usually find travel information on their website.
A standard travel document list* includes:
- Valid passport
- Driver's license for identification
- Visa (depending on how long you will be visiting)
- Credit and debit cards (and card information to cancel card if it is stolen)
- Immunization and vaccine records
Collection
Collect all necessary documents. Gather all physical documents and information in one place. If you are missing any travel information, try to find it by looking through filing cabinets, asking family or contacting schools you recently attended which may still have your records.
Centralize
Once you have all necessary traveling documents and information, enter what you need into your personal computer. You can either scan the documents into your computer, or type important numbers and expiration dates into a document. If you choose to use a scanner, be sure to scan each important page of your passport, and scan both the front and back of your credit cards and driver's license. If you would rather take photos of your documents, these can also be uploaded. Keep these temporarily in a safe file on your computer.
Store Your Travel Documents
Finally, upload your scanned documents and enter important information onto the website. Orggit provides organized and secure storage for important documents and information. You can enter wallet items, such as passports and credit cards, and health information including travel immunization records and health care providers. Read Best Ways to Access and Store Travel Immunization Records for more information on storage. Once you upload this information you can access it anywhere with an internet connection. Your travel organization information only needs to be entered on Orggit once, so the next time you travel you will only need to update your information. This useful website will also help you keep track of when you need a new passport or when you need to renew your driver's license, to ensure that you always have up-to-date documents. Now you can feel safe traveling anywhere—knowing that no matter what happens, you will have access to all your important documents and information. For additional ideas for organizing documents, read Top 5 Travel Tips: How to Organize Your Documents.
*Learn more about required documents at the Department of State’s website.
