You agree on vacation with your employer, book a guesthouse at a good price, and cross off days in the calendar. Finally, the long-awaited trip. Before you can enjoy sweet laziness, there is still a less pleasant part of the vacation – packing. A packing list usually comes to the aid of travelers. Special attention should be paid to documents, which may turn out to be necessary at the least expected moment.

Passport or ID card for a child

If you are traveling with your family, do not forget about documents for children. Since 2012, it has not been possible to include a child in the parents’ documents. A little traveler should have an ID card if you are going to the Schengen area countries or a passport for further journeys.

It is worth applying for a child’s passport a month before the planned trip, especially during the holiday season. For issuing a document for a child under 13 you will pay 30 PLN (holders of the Large Family Card can count on a 50% discount). Remember that when submitting the application, both parents with valid identity documents should be present. If one of you cannot appear at the office, a written consent from the absent parent, certified by a notary, passport authority, or consul, will be necessary.

Issuing an ID card is free. The only cost is taking a photo. Unlike a passport, since 2015 the application for this document may be submitted by one parent. If the child is older than 5, they must be present at the office. Again, it is worth taking care of the formalities earlier, as the waiting time for a child’s ID card is 30 days.

Driver’s license and third-party liability abroad

Polish third-party liability insurance (OC) is valid throughout the EU and the EEA. If you plan to travel to Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Morocco, Moldova, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine, take the Green Card (International Motor Insurance Card). Most insurers offer it free of charge with liability insurance. Just report your trip in advance. If you forget, you can purchase 15- or 30-day border insurance, but the cost can be up to 90 EUR depending on the country’s rates.

Also prepare a Polish-English version of the accident statement. We also advise not to sign any documents in a language you do not understand.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

Anyone entitled to NFZ benefits can obtain the EHIC free of charge at the nearest NFZ branch. It entitles you to treatment in public facilities that have agreements with the local NFZ equivalent and is valid in EU and EFTA countries. We recommend preparing a list of facilities in the given country. The list is available at http://www.nfz.gov.pl/.

Remember that in many cases having the card may not be enough. It only covers emergencies necessary to save health and life. If co-payments are required in a given country, you will have to cover them.

Remember, EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance, as it does not cover:

• medical transport to Poland
• consequences of accidents
• rescue and search costs
• consequences of high-risk or extreme sports

The ideal solution is a combination of EHIC and travel insurance. The cost of purchasing it is relatively low, especially compared to potential expenses. Every year, there are media reports about Poles who had to cover huge medical bills, sometimes reaching hundreds of thousands of PLN.

When choosing travel insurance, inform your advisor about:

• the destination (affects coverage and sum insured)
• whether you want to cover your luggage
• whether you plan to drink alcohol (a special clause allows coverage even after drinking)
• the age of all participants
• whether you plan to do sports

With this information and a personalized offer, you will be sure that you return from vacation with only photos, a tan, and beautiful memories.

Copies of documents

Make sure to prepare copies of your passport, ID card, driver’s license, and other important documents before the trip. Unfortunately, thieves do not take vacations and you may lose them. In case of theft, go to the nearest police station and then locate the Polish consulate.

There you will receive an ETD – Emergency Travel Document and possibly a financial loan to return to Poland. Do not forget to block your stolen ID card and payment cards.

We hope this guide proves useful in the pre-holiday rush. Sunscreen or an extra swimsuit can be bought anytime. Peace and safety of your family should be taken care of much earlier.