Travel documents

Secure travel documents before you leave

Do not rely only on the cloud. Keep essential documents accessible offline too — in case you have no data, a dead battery, or a lost phone.

Field tip

Save your accommodation address offline before landing. If you arrive with no data connection, you cannot load Google Maps or your booking confirmation. A screenshot or downloaded PDF in your camera roll requires no internet.

Documents to back up before departure
DOCUMENT → WHY YOU NEED IT ACCESSIBLE
Passport or national ID Required for hotels, some transport, consular emergencies
Flight tickets and boarding passes Needed at check-in even if Wi-Fi is unavailable
Hotel and accommodation booking Address, check-in instructions, confirmation number
Travel insurance certificate Policy number and emergency contact needed immediately if something goes wrong
Driving licence (if renting a car) Required at the rental desk — originals and copies
Emergency contacts Someone to call if your phone is lost or you need help
Prescription medication list (if applicable) Needed if medication is lost or you require medical attention
Cloud backup — what it covers and what it does not

A secure cloud folder (Proton Drive, pCloud, iCloud, Google Drive) lets you access documents from any device — useful if your phone is lost. But cloud access requires an internet connection. If you land with no data and no Wi-Fi, your cloud is unreachable.

SITUATION → CLOUD SUFFICIENT?
You have mobile data or Wi-Fi at all times Cloud works fine
You land with no eSIM installed and no airport Wi-Fi Cloud unreachable — need offline copies
Your phone is lost or stolen Cloud accessible from another device — useful
Phone battery is dead with no charger available Cloud inaccessible — printed copies or borrowed device needed
How to prepare offline copies
Screenshot or download PDF versions of each document to your camera roll or local storage.
Save the accommodation address as a contact in your phone — no internet needed to open Contacts.
Download an offline map of your destination in Google Maps or Maps.me before departure.
Consider a printed copy of your insurance certificate and one other key document — particularly useful if your phone is lost.
Store a photocopy of your passport separately from the original — in your bag, not just your wallet.
Secure cloud options

For documents containing sensitive personal data, a cloud service with end-to-end encryption adds a layer of protection if the cloud account is ever compromised.

OPTION → NOTES
Proton Drive End-to-end encrypted. Free tier available.
pCloud Lifetime plan option. Encryption add-on available.
iCloud / Google Drive Convenient, widely used — not end-to-end encrypted by default.

The most important thing is that documents are accessible — not which cloud provider you use. A standard iCloud folder accessed immediately is better than a secure vault you cannot open under pressure.

The rule is simple

Keep each critical document in two places: one online (cloud), one offline (downloaded to device or printed). Ten minutes before departure is enough to cover the most common failure scenarios.

See the complete pre-departure checklist →
Complete your travel kit
eSIM for mobile data
VPN for public Wi-Fi
Password manager
Cloud + offline docs
See the full checklist →