Request your European Health Insurance Card from your health insurance fund, check that your ID card or passport is valid for the whole trip, and set up mobile data before you leave home. Those three tasks take the longest to fix once you are abroad, so do them first. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is free, and it gives you necessary medical care in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom at the same price local residents pay. It does not replace travel insurance. This travel checklist covers what to sort two weeks before you go, what to pack and what to do on the day you leave, with a printable overview at the end.
The European Health Insurance Card: request it first
Ask for the EHIC at your health insurance fund, online, in its app or at the office, at least two weeks before you travel. The card is free, every family member needs their own card, children included, and in Belgium it is usually valid for two years. Check the date on the back of your current card, because many travellers only notice it has expired when they need it.
The EHIC covers | The EHIC does not cover |
|---|---|
Necessary medical care during a temporary stay | Private clinics and private doctors |
Care for chronic conditions, pregnancy and childbirth | Planned treatment abroad |
Public hospitals and doctors at local prices | Repatriation to Belgium |
The EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK | Countries outside Europe, such as Turkey, Morocco or the United States |
Under the EHIC, you pay the same as a local resident, and that is not always free. In some countries you pay the doctor first and claim the money back afterwards, either locally or through your health insurance fund in Belgium. Keep every receipt, and take a photo of the card on your phone as a backup.
Why you still need travel insurance
Take out travel insurance as well, because the EHIC stops where the public system stops. A rescue from the mountains, a private clinic or a flight home after an accident can cost thousands of euros, and only travel insurance or travel assistance pays for that. Many Belgian bank cards and car insurance policies include travel assistance, so check what you already have before you buy a new policy.
Documents: check the dates before you book
Check the expiry date of every travel document before you book, not the evening before you leave. Getting a new passport or card from your municipality takes time.
Document | When you need it |
|---|---|
Belgian eID card | Enough for travel inside the EU and the Schengenzone |
Passport | For the UK and for most countries outside Europe, often valid for at least six months after your return |
Kids-ID | For children under 12 travelling abroad without a passport |
UK ETA | For every trip to the UK, £20 per person, including children |
ESTA | For a holiday in the United States |
Driving licence | For a rental car, and in some countries also an international driving permit |
Register your trip on Travellers Online, the service of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, so the embassy can reach you in an emergency. Read the travel advice for your destination there too.
Money and bank cards
Tell your bank where you are going, and check that your bank card works abroad. Inside the eurozone, paying by card costs the same as at home. Outside the eurozone, your bank can charge a fee for every payment and every cash withdrawal, so compare before you leave. Take a second card and a little cash in the local currency for the first taxi or bus ticket.
Mobile data: sort it before you fly
Set up mobile data at home, because your boarding pass, your hotel booking, your maps and your taxi app all live on your phone. Inside the EU, the roam like at home rules let you use your Belgian plan at no extra charge. Outside the EU, roaming with a traditional plan quickly becomes expensive, and zones, daily rates and fair use limits are hard to compare.
With Firsty, you set up once in the app and your phone connects to local networks automatically wherever you land. There is no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember, no zone chart to check and no surprise bill.
You also need less data than most people think. Typical figures, based on Firsty's guides on Google Maps, WhatsApp and ChatGPT:
What you do | Data used |
|---|---|
Boarding pass in an airline app | Under 1 MB to download, nothing once saved |
Google Maps to your hotel | 3 to 5 MB per hour |
WhatsApp message / voice call | Under 1 KB / 0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute |
Taxi app | A few MB per ride |
ChatGPT text chat | 1 to 5 MB per hour |
A light travel day | Under 100 MB |
A week of light use | Around 1 GB |
Download offline maps of your destination and save your tickets and the photo of your EHIC on your phone, so the most important things still work without a connection.
Your printable travel checklist
When | What to do |
|---|---|
Two weeks before | Request the EHIC, check ID cards and passports, apply for an ETA or ESTA, check travel insurance |
One week before | Register on Travellers Online, tell your bank, set up Firsty, download offline maps |
The day before | Check in online, save boarding passes, charge your phone and power bank |
On the day | ID or passport, EHIC, bank cards, a little cash, chargers and a plug adapter |
Tick off your connection as well
Your EHIC protects your health and your ID gets you across the border, so your phone should be just as ready when you land. Firsty works for you, not against you: one app, local networks wherever you go and no surprises on your bill. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
What should be on a travel checklist?
A good travel checklist includes a valid ID card or passport, the European Health Insurance Card, travel insurance, bank cards with a little cash, and mobile data set up before you leave. For the UK you also need an ETA, and for the United States an ESTA.
How do I get a European Health Insurance Card in Belgium?
You request the European Health Insurance Card from your health insurance fund, online, in its app or at the office. The card is free, every family member needs their own card, and it usually arrives by post within a few days.
How long is the European Health Insurance Card valid?
In Belgium, the EHIC is usually valid for two years, but the exact period depends on your health insurance fund. The expiry date is on the back of the card, so check it before every trip.
In which countries can I use the EHIC?
You can use the EHIC in all EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It does not work in countries such as Turkey, Morocco or the United States, where you need travel insurance.
Does the EHIC replace travel insurance?
No. The EHIC only covers necessary care in public healthcare at local prices. It does not pay for private clinics, mountain rescue or repatriation to Belgium, so you still need travel insurance or travel assistance.
Can I travel with my Belgian ID card instead of a passport?
Yes, inside the EU and the Schengenzone your Belgian eID card is enough. For the UK and most countries outside Europe, you need a passport, and children under 12 without a passport travel with a Kids-ID.
How much mobile data do I need on holiday?
A light travel day with maps, WhatsApp, a taxi ride and a boarding pass uses under 100 MB, and a week of light use stays around 1 GB. With Firsty, you set up once in the app and your phone connects to local networks automatically wherever you land.
