When you’re traveling abroad, it’s important to stay safe in unfamiliar territory, especially if you’re traveling solo. The U.S. Department of State has a program that lets you register your trip, stay updated on travel alerts, and keep in touch with friends and family during an emergency.
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is free. You enroll your trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and once enrolled, you’ll receive travel alerts and safety conditions for your destination country. The service makes it easier for the Embassy to contact you in case of an emergency, even if it’s a family emergency. The program makes it easier for family members to find and get in touch with you, too. According to the Department of State:
The information you provide in
STEP
will make it easier for consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to contact you and your loved ones during an emergency — including situations where your family or friends in the U.S. are having difficulty contacting you with important news.
Of course, you could just look this information up on your own and send your family details about your trip yourself, but this tool makes it easy to do that in one place and get automatic alerts and updates. You can either enroll a single trip or register as a user if you’re a frequent traveler. Check it out for yourself at the link below.
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program | U.S. Department of State
Photo by Yuya Tamai.