Stay in Touch

Enroll Your Trip. If you’re planning to travel abroad, enroll your trip with the Department of State. No, Big Brother is not trying to keep tabs on you. The Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP) makes it possible to contact you if necessary. Whether there’s a family emergency in the United States, or a crisis in the country you’re visiting, enrollment assists the Embassy or Consulate in reaching you. STEP is free and can be done online.

Worried about confidentiality? Well, put your mind at ease. In accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information about those registered without their express written authorization.

If your family needs to reach you because of an emergency, they can pass a message to you through the Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS). OCS will contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you are traveling to pass the message to you.

Leave a copy of your trip itinerary with family or friends at home. Having a copy of an itinerary and other documentation will save them valuable time if they need to contact you in an emergency. Better safe than sorry.

• Make two copies of your passport (just the identification page), your airline tickets, driver’s license and the credit cards you plan to take. Leave one copy of each with family or friends at home, and pack the other copies separately from the originals.
• Leave a copy of the serial numbers of your travelers’ checks with a friend or relative at home. Carry your copy with you in separately from the actual checks. As you cash the checks, cross the numbers off the list.