Packing your suitcase is one thing. Having your documents together in time is often more important. Especially before the start of the summer holidays on July 4, 2026, in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland, a simple holiday folder is worth it: everything that might be needed on the go is then in one place and does not have to be searched for between emails, drawers, and jacket pockets on the eve of departure.
The folder does not have to be complicated. A thin document bag, an envelope, or a clear plastic sleeve is enough. The crucial thing is that travel documents, bookings, insurance details, and emergency contacts remain at hand, separate from the rest of the luggage.
What belongs in the holiday folder
- Travel documents: Passport or identity card, depending on the destination and entry requirements.
- Children's documents: Children need their own valid travel document for trips abroad.
- e-card or EHIC: The European Health Insurance Card is on the back of the e-card, provided it is validly issued.
- Bookings: Accommodation, flight, train, ferry, rental car, parking space, or transfers.
- Emergency contacts: Accommodation, travel insurance, bank blocking hotline, family doctor, important family contacts.
- Power of attorney: If children are traveling without both legal guardians, a declaration of consent may be useful or necessary depending on the destination country.
- Copies: Photos or scans of the most important documents, additionally stored securely digitally.
Do not check passport and child passport only on the eve of departure
First, check the validity of the travel documents. For some countries, an identity card is sufficient, while for others, a passport is required. In addition, countries may have their own rules regarding minimum validity after entry. Therefore, do not just look at the expiration date, but check the travel information of the destination country.
For children, it is important: Every child needs their own travel document for trips abroad. An entry in the parents' passport is not enough. If a passport is missing or expires shortly before the trip, a small checklist quickly turns into real bureaucratic stress.
Check e-card and travel insurance
For travel within the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, and some other countries, the European Health Insurance Card is important. It is printed on the back of the Austrian e-card. Before departure, check whether the data there is filled in and valid. If only placeholders are visible instead of data or if the card has expired, a replacement certificate or appropriate information should be obtained from the responsible health insurance provider in good time.
The e-card does not replace comprehensive travel insurance. Depending on the destination, deductibles, return transport, or private treatment, additional protection may be useful. For everyday life, a simple rule applies here: check the e-card, make a conscious decision about travel insurance, and put the emergency number in the folder.
Power of attorney for children: better to clarify beforehand
If children are traveling with grandparents, friends, one parent, or a caregiver, it should be clarified in advance whether a power of attorney or declaration of consent is necessary. This applies especially to trips abroad. Requirements differ by country, and some checks ask for confirmation from the legal guardians.
A power of attorney with travel dates, accompanying person, contact details of the legal guardians, and copies of ID cards is practical. Whether an additional notarization or translation is useful depends on the destination country. Here, the current country information counts, not what was sufficient on the last holiday.
Secure digitally, but keep paper at hand
Additionally, save important documents digitally: booking confirmations, passport copies, insurance policies, tickets, and emergency numbers. Nevertheless, the most important things should also be available offline. A dead battery, poor network, or a blocked mobile phone are bad times to look for the hotel address or insurance number.
A double solution has proven effective: originals in a secure inner pocket, copies in the holiday folder, digital copies encrypted or at least well-protected on the mobile phone or in secure cloud storage. Do not leave sensitive documents lying around openly in messenger chats or unprotected photo albums.
Use the folder on the day of departure
On the eve of departure, everything is put on the table. Then it is sorted by category: people, travel, accommodation, health, money, emergency. On the day of departure, the folder stays where it is needed: in hand luggage, in the driver's bag, or in the adult companion's backpack. Do not put it in the suitcase that is out of reach on the train, plane, or in the trunk.
If several adults are traveling, at least a second person should know where the folder is. This is especially helpful if someone gets sick, a child needs to be looked after, or a booking number is needed quickly on the go.
What else fits before departure
The holiday folder complements other preparations: checking the apartment, packing medication, planning the route, and using up food in time. For these points, the "," the "driving in heat" fits. Anyone who wants to pack classically will also find an older "Vacation check for the apartmentQuick check: 15 minutes for less stressFirst-aid kit in summer and Passports and identity cards valid?Children's travel documents available?Travel checklist.
Declaration of consent or power of attorney necessary?
- e-card/EHIC valid?
- Travel insurance consciously checked?
- Bookings saved offline?
- Emergency numbers noted?
- Copies stored separately from originals?
- Anyone who completes this list a few days before departure takes a lot of pressure off the last evening. The holiday folder is not a bureaucracy project, but a simple protection against search stress, forgotten documents, and unnecessary costs.
- ÖAMTC: Holidays in Austria and Europe
- ÖAMTC: Travel checklist
ÖAMTC: Traveling with children
Read also
- Holiday check for the apartment: 12 things to do before departure
- Travel first-aid kit in summer: What families should pack for vacations and excursions
- Driving in the heat: How families stay safe on trips and vacations
- Travel checklist: What do you need on vacation?
Sources and further information
- ÖAMTC: Power of attorney for children traveling alone
- oesterreich.gv.at: Passport for minors
- oesterreich.gv.at: European Health Insurance Card
- Packing your suitcase is one thing. Having your documents together in time is often more important. Especially before the start of the summer holidays on July 4, 2026, in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland, a simple holiday folder is worth it: everything that might be needed on the go is then in one place and does not have to be searched for on the eve of departure between emails, drawers, and
- oesterreich.gv.at: Reisepass für Minderjährige
- oesterreich.gv.at: Europäische Krankenversicherungskarte
- BMEIA: Before the trip
Article image: AI-generated symbolic image.
