Natural disasters, civil unrest, and pandemics aren’t far-fetched possibilities anymore. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way for U.S. citizens to let the embassy know where they were so they could be notified in case of an emergency? Well, there is, and it’s called STEP!
What is STEP?
Over the years, I’ve mentioned the STEP program to people, but most people were not even aware of the service! And now, there's a new (and improved) version as of September 2024.
According to the U.S. Department of State STEP website, the, “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals to enroll their trip abroad so the Department of State can accurately and quickly contact them in case of emergency.” By registering your trip, the website notes you can also,
Share your travel plans so the Department of State can contact or locate you if there's an emergency.
Get real-time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country.
Manage trip information and message preferences.
Get real time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country.
Plan ahead using information from the local U.S. embassy.
Help the embassy or consulate contact you if there's an emergency like a natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
Some of that sounds super intimidating, no? So why not make sure the U.S, embassy knows where you are.
How it works
First, you need to create an account. According the State Department’s website, it’ll take about 20 minutes to complete. Sounds like a long time, but the 20 minutes you spent creating an account may save you one day. Here are the basics of what you need to do.
Create your account with your email and password.
Enter your name, address, date of birth, gender, citizenship, telephone number, passport number.
Provide emergency contact information.
Add your travel plans by country not city. Once you add the country, the list of embassies in the country will appear and you can select the nearest embassy.
Subscribe to travel notifications.
If your plans change, you can modify them.
Can you use it for travel in the United State?
No. It’s only for travel abroad.
Is other information available through the State Department that may help me plan my trip abroad?
Yes, the U.S. State Department website has a checklist, covering subjects like driving and road safety abroad, required documents, health and safety, etc.
Have I ever needed the services of the STEP program?
Thankfully, no, but you never know…which is why I register my trips and so should you!
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