A first trip abroad always begins in the same place: a person looks at the map, picks a city, and then hears the words visa, ticket, hotel and insurance and gets lost. Yet the process is simple when it goes in the right order and fits into a few weeks. The mistakes come from breaking that order, buying a ticket without a visa for instance. Below I have written the steps in their proper sequence.
The right order for a first trip abroad
The first step is the passport. Look at its validity; most countries require six months after the return date. The second step is learning the destination’s visa regime, because some countries are visa-free for us and there the process goes entirely differently.
The third step is collecting the documents and the fourth is making the application. Buy the ticket and the hotel only after that, when the visa is in your hands. Buying a non-refundable ticket in advance for a country that requires a visa is the most expensive beginner’s mistake.
Which country to choose for a first trip abroad
If you have never been abroad, starting with a visa-free destination is the most comfortable route. Georgia, Turkey and Russia are simple options for us: the language barrier is low, the flight is short and the cost is modest. After one or two such trips your Schengen application also gets stronger, because the traces of past travel appear in the passport.
On a first Schengen application, though, choose one country and go only there. A five-country route is both expensive and tiring for a first time. To see how the flight price moves in advance, look at ticket prices by destination while you are still at the planning stage.
Which documents you will need
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months, 2 blank pages |
| Photograph | On a white background, the size requirement varies by country |
| Bank statement | The last 3–6 months, in your name |
| Employment letter | Position, salary, leave dates |
| Booking | Hotel and flight booking, an unpaid option is possible |
| Insurance | 30 000 euros of cover for Schengen |
Read more: A Georgia travel guide: Tbilisi, Batumi, Kakheti, Kazbegi, Borjomi and getting there by train
The most common mistakes on a first trip abroad
The most common mistake is planning too much. Someone who wants to visit eight museums in three days remembers none of them. Two main points a day is enough; the rest is found by itself in the street.
The second mistake is replacing cash entirely with a card. In some countries small cafes and markets take cash only. The third is being left without internet, because without maps and transport apps you lose time in the city. Loading an eSIM package suited to the country onto your phone before the flight settles that completely.
Going independently or on a tour
For a first time a package tour is not a bad choice. The flight, the hotel, the transfer and the guide come at one price and all you do is pack a suitcase. Independent travel is cheaper and freer, but you have to settle every step yourself. Weighing ready tour programmes against an independent route side by side and then deciding is the soundest approach. Official consular information is on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs site.
In brief
A first trip abroad is a matter of order. First the passport, then the country’s visa regime, then the documents and the application, and the ticket is bought last of all.
Start with a visa-free country, choose a single city and do not plan more than two points a day. To prepare the documents together, fill in the application form.
Note: visa requirements vary by country, so check the consulate’s current list before applying.
