What to bring from Pakistan — and what to buy after you land
This guide applies whichever country you are going to. The weather section is written for Poland and Germany, the two coldest destinations; adjust for Italy or Spain.
The rule that makes packing easy: bring what cannot be replaced, buy what can. Documents cannot be replaced from Europe. A jumper can.
Documents: the part you cannot fix later
Every document below should travel in your hand luggage, in a folder, with two attested photocopies of each. Once you are in Europe, getting a board-attested copy of your Matric certificate means asking a relative in Pakistan to queue for you.
| Document | Originals | Attested copies | Also scan to phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport with visa | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| Admission / offer letter | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| Matric, Intermediate and degree certificates (attested by board, HEC, MOFA as required) | Yes | 2 each | Yes |
| Transcripts / mark sheets | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| IELTS / language certificate | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| Proof of funds / bank statements shown to the consulate | Yes | 1 | Yes |
| Housing contract or dormitory confirmation | Yes | 1 | Yes |
| Health insurance proof for the visa | Yes | 1 | Yes |
| CNIC and B-form | Yes | 2 | Yes |
| Passport photos (biometric size) | 10–15 | — | — |
| Vaccination record | Yes | 1 | Yes |
The exact attestation chain differs by country and is covered in our attestation guides. Whatever the chain, do it before you fly.
Medicine
European pharmacies are strict. Many medicines sold over the counter in Pakistan need a prescription there, and a doctor's appointment takes days.
- If you take any regular medicine, bring 3 months' supply in original packaging with a doctor's letter in English naming the drug and dose. Keep it in hand luggage.
- Bring a small kit: paracetamol, an antihistamine, ORS sachets, a basic antibiotic cream, and whatever you normally use for a cold. Enough for the first weeks, not a pharmacy.
- Glasses or contact lenses: bring a spare pair and your prescription. An eye test in Europe costs money and time.
- Do not bring large quantities of any prescription medicine, and nothing containing codeine or tramadol without a prescription — it can be confiscated at the border.
Clothes: what people actually notice
You will not look odd in Europe for what you wear. Students wear jeans, trainers and a hoodie everywhere from Warsaw to Milan. Shalwar kameez on Eid or at a community event is completely normal. What people notice is being cold — someone in a thin jacket and sandals in November stands out, and is miserable.
| Bring from Pakistan | Buy after you land | Leave at home |
|---|---|---|
| Jeans, trousers, T-shirts, shirts — enough for two weeks | A proper insulated winter coat (−10°C rated) | More than 2–3 pairs of shoes |
| Underwear and socks — a lot; thermal underwear if you can find it | Waterproof, insulated winter boots | Formal suits (one at most) |
| One or two shalwar kameez for Eid and events | Gloves, a warm hat, a scarf | Heavy blankets — dorms provide bedding |
| A light jacket for the first weeks | An umbrella (it will break; buy cheap ones there) | Kitchen appliances — the voltage is 230 V but plugs differ |
| Comfortable trainers you already own | Slippers for the dorm | Books you might read |
Why buy the coat there: a coat made for Lahore winters is not made for −10°C, and a real one in Pakistan costs as much as in a European discount store (Decathlon, Primark, Lidl and the local equivalents). Buy it in the first week of November, not the first week of December when the prices go up.
Food from home
- Spices are the one thing genuinely worth the weight: a kilo of your family's masala mix, garam masala, and whatever you cannot cook without. Bring them sealed and labelled; unlabelled powders get questions at customs.
- Rice, lentils, atta, and halal meat are available in every European city with a Turkish or Indian shop — do not carry them.
- Do not bring fresh food, meat, or dairy of any kind. EU customs will confiscate it.
- A small pressure cooker is worth bringing if you cook daal — they are hard to find and expensive in Europe.
Electronics and money
- Europe uses 230 V and the two-round-pin plug (type C/F). Pakistani three-pin plugs need an adapter; bring two, they are cheaper in Pakistan.
- Laptop, phone, chargers, a power bank. Do not buy a new laptop in Pakistan "for Europe" — the same models cost the same or less there, with a European warranty.
- Carry €300–500 in cash for the first week (taxi from the airport, SIM card, food, deposit if needed). Open a local bank account in week two; card payment is universal after that.
- A Pakistani debit card usually works at European ATMs but the fees are high. Use it once, then switch to the local account.
Small things that save you
- A prayer mat and a small compass app. Prayer rooms exist, but you will pray in a dorm room most days.
- A photo of your family. Genuinely.
- Your university admission office phone number and email written on paper — your phone may be dead when you land.
- A padlock for the dorm locker.
- Any Pakistani medicine you trust for stomach upsets. The first month of new food is hard on everyone.
Pack for the first two weeks, not for two years. Everything you forget can be bought, posted, or done without. Everything on the documents list cannot. Put the folder in your hand luggage, and go.