Visiting your long-distance partner abroad: the checklist for a trip you'll both remember

After weeks of video calls, the trip is the part you both count down to. A little preparation makes the days together feel longer and the goodbye a little lighter. Here's the checklist couples in long-distance relationships use before flying to see each other.

6–10 weeks before: dates, documents and budget

• Check that your passport is valid for the whole trip (many countries ask for 3–6 months beyond your return date).
• Look up entry rules for their country: visa, electronic travel authorization, proof of return.
• Agree on dates that work for both of you, avoiding their busiest work weeks.
• Set a budget together: flights, local transport, dates out, and who pays for what.
• Book flights early; midweek departures are usually cheaper.

Stay connected from the moment you land

The first message after landing (“I'm here!”) shouldn't depend on airport Wi-Fi. Roaming can get expensive fast, and buying a local SIM means queues and paperwork. A travel eSIM is the simplest option: you install it on your phone before you leave, and you land already online. For the eSIM, you can use Wigoo: it gives you data in over 190 countries, installs in a few minutes and lets you pay in your own currency.

• Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked.
• Install the eSIM at home, over Wi-Fi, and switch data on when you land.
• Keep your usual number active for calls and texts if you need it.
• Share your live location with your partner on arrival day.

What to plan together (and what not to)

1. One special day: the restaurant, the view or the trip you've talked about on calls.
2. Their everyday life: their café, their friends, their commute. It's what you miss most.
3. Cooking together the dish you've been sending each other photos of.
4. A quiet evening with no plans at all.
5. Something for the next visit: start the countdown before you leave.

What to bring

• A small gift from your city: a snack, a print, something from your neighborhood.
• Adapters and a power bank for long days out.
• Printed or offline copies of bookings and documents.
• A letter for the goodbye, to open on the way home.

The goodbye

The last day is the hardest part of every visit. Leave something they can open after you've gone: a letter in their drawer, a playlist of the trip, or a page with the photos you took together and a counter of the days until the next visit.