Do I need both a passport and a visa to travel?
In almost all cases yes. You need a valid passport first because the visa is issued into it or linked to its number, and a visa without a usable passport is worthless.
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Why the passport comes first
A visa application asks for your passport number, issue date and expiry date, and the visa itself is either stuck onto a passport page or held as an electronic record against that number.
So a visa without a valid passport cannot be used. Renew a passport that is close to expiry before you apply, not after, or you may have to sort out a transfer or a new application.
When a passport is enough on its own
- Short visa-free visits for your nationality, where your passport meets the destination's validity rule.
- Visa-free travel that needs an online authorisation first, such as ESTA for Visa Waiver Program nationals, which costs about $40, is valid for two years or until your passport expires, and covers stays of up to 90 days.
- Europe's ETIAS, which is expected to start in late 2026, is planned to cost around EUR 20 and to be valid for three years. Check travel-europe.europa.eu for the current status.
- Countries that grant a visa on arrival, where you still need a passport that meets their rules.
The honest exceptions
EU and EEA citizens can travel between EU and Schengen countries on a national ID card instead of a passport. Non-EU travellers cannot, and airlines outside Europe often expect a passport anyway.
A few land borders and regional agreements accept other documents, such as local border traffic permits. These are narrow schemes, so confirm on the official government site for the country you are entering rather than assuming.
Neither document promises anything. A passport and a visa let you reach the border and ask to enter, and the officer there decides and sets how long you may stay.
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Passport and visa together - FAQ
No. Many nationalities can make short visits to some countries visa-free, sometimes with an online travel authorisation instead of a visa.
The passport. Visa applications need your passport details, and the visa is issued into that passport or linked to its number.
EU and EEA citizens can travel within the EU and the Schengen area on a valid national ID card. Travellers from outside the EU need their passport.
Sometimes, and you may have to carry both the old and the new passport. Rules differ by country, so confirm with the government that issued the visa before you fly.