Many Americans rank personal safety and well-being as their top priority when booking travel. With heightened tensions around the world, being informed about your destinations—including their levels of safety—can help you enjoy your trip as planned.
Registering for the U.S. Department of State’s STEP program is one way to help stay safe when traveling internationally.
What is STEP?
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, is a free service for Americans (U.S. citizens and nationals) to register a trip or move abroad with the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Americans can enroll in the program by creating an account on the U.S. Department of State’s dedicated website and completing a profile. During enrollment, you’ll provide the details of your trip(s), including the address(es) of where you’ll be staying while abroad.
Once you’ve registered, you can log in to add upcoming travel plans and keep your profile and contact information up to date.
Why should American travelers enroll in STEP?
Enrolling in STEP offers travelers two primary benefits: (1) local U.S. Embassy and Consular personnel know where to find you if an emergency situation arises, and (2) you receive pertinent alerts, such as demonstration and security alerts, updates to travel advisory levels, and flight departure/evacuation information.
Benefits of enrolling in STEP
- Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
- Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
- Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
What else can travelers do to stay safe while traveling?
- Share your travel plans with someone back home
- Trust your instincts
US Department of State STEP FAQs
Safe Travels!
