Stay Informed! Stay Connected! Stay Safe!
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service of the Department of State that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trips with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Enrollment in STEP allows you to record destinations and dates about your upcoming trips abroad. Consular Officers can use this information to contact and assist you in case of an emergency. If the embassy/consulate is not aware of your presence or whereabouts, they may not be able to assist you in a crisis.
Find out more, and enroll in STEP at https://step.state.gov/step/.
Tips to enroll in STEP:
- Create an account, instead of enrolling a single trip, so that you can quickly enroll new trips, and easily modify any changes to your itinerary or your contact information.
- Provide an email address so that you can receive important up-to-date Travel Advisories and Alerts about your destinations.
- Provide the local address, or the city and name of the hotel, where you will be staying.
- Provide a phone number you will have access to during your travels.
- Provide an arrival and departure date as the information you receive is tailored to your destinations and dates of travel.
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 back home.
By enrolling in STEP, you become part of the American Liaison Network (ALN) and are assigned to an ALN zone. The ALN is a key component of U.S. embassies and consulate’s efforts to share information and render assistance to U.S. citizens living and traveling abroad. Learn more about the ALN at https://bg.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/the-american-liaison-network-and-citizen-liaison-volunteers/.
