Travel & Vacation Checklist for Canadian Travellers

Before you go (do this first, not the night before)

• Check your passport's expiry date — many countries require it be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date, even for a short trip; confirm your specific destination's requirement rather than assuming
• Buy travel health insurance for any trip outside Canada, including day trips to the US — your provincial or territorial health plan covers little to nothing abroad, and foreign hospitals can require payment up front
• Register your trip with Global Affairs Canada's free registration service if travelling outside Canada, so you can be reached in an emergency or local crisis
• Check Canada's official travel advisories for your destination
• Notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel dates and destinations to avoid a card freeze
• Confirm your cell plan's roaming rates or arrange a local SIM/eSIM before you land, not after
• Check visa requirements for your destination — Canadian passport holders don't need a visa everywhere, but plenty of destinations do require one arranged in advance

Documents & money

• Passport (and a photo of the ID page, saved separately from the physical passport)
• Any required visas, printed and digital copies
• Travel health insurance policy number and the 24-hour emergency line, saved somewhere you can reach it without your phone
• Boarding passes / itinerary, plus hotel and rental car confirmations
• Driver's licence if you're renting a car — check whether your destination requires an International Driving Permit alongside it
• A mix of payment methods: a no-foreign-transaction-fee card, a backup card kept separately from your primary wallet, and some local cash for your first day
• Emergency contacts written down on paper, not just saved in your phone

Packing list

• Medications in their original labelled containers, packed in carry-on (not checked luggage) with a few extra days' supply in case of delays
• Chargers and a universal adapter if your destination uses a different plug standard
• Layers for the actual forecast at your destination, not the weather you're leaving — pack for the coldest and wettest day, not the average
• Carry-on liquids in containers of 100 mL or less, all fitting in one clear resealable bag, per CATSA rules for Canadian flights
• A portable charger/power bank (must go in carry-on, not checked luggage, under air travel rules)
• Copies of key documents (passport photo page, insurance, itinerary) stored separately from the originals — email them to yourself or save offline on your phone
• An empty reusable water bottle to fill after security

Prepping your home while you're away

• Put mail on hold with Canada Post, or arrange for a neighbour to collect it
• Set lights on timers so the home doesn't look empty
• Turn the thermostat down (but not off — a frozen pipe while you're away is a far more expensive problem) for winter trips
• Unplug non-essential electronics
• Arrange lawn care or snow removal so the outside of the home doesn't visibly signal an empty house
• Give a trusted neighbour or family member a key and your contact info in case of an emergency

Travelling with kids & pets

• Carry a signed consent letter if a child is travelling with only one parent, a relative, or a non-parent guardian — not legally required by Canada, but the Government of Canada recommends it for all cross-border travel, and foreign border officials can and do ask for one
• Have the consent letter witnessed by a notary public where possible — border officials are less likely to question a notarized letter's authenticity
• Pack a bag of familiar snacks, a favourite small toy, and entertainment for the actual length of your travel day, not the trip
• Confirm pet vaccination records and any destination-specific import requirements well ahead of the trip — some countries require blood titre tests months in advance
• Book pet boarding or a sitter early if pets aren't travelling with you — good options fill up fast around school holidays

Coming home to Canada

• Know your CBSA personal exemption before you shop: CAN$200 after a 24-hour absence (no alcohol or tobacco), CAN$800 after 48 hours or 7+ days
• Keep receipts for anything you're declaring — CBSA can ask for them
• Declare all food, plant, and animal products — even dried or packaged goods can be restricted, and undeclared items risk a fine
• Have your passport and any declaration paperwork ready before you reach the border or arrivals hall
• File a travel insurance claim as soon as possible after returning if you used any medical services abroad — most policies have a claim deadline

Practical tips

• Photograph the inside of your suitcase before you close it — it makes an airline lost-luggage claim faster if it comes to that.
• Buy travel health insurance even for a quick trip to the US — a single ER visit abroad can run into the tens of thousands of dollars with no provincial coverage behind it.
• Pack medications and chargers in your carry-on, always — checked luggage is the one bag that can get delayed or lost.

Frequently asked questions