One of the most important roles of the US State Department is to protect and assist US citizens who are traveling internationally. US Embassies and Consulates overseas provide a number of services to US citizens who are traveling or residing abroad, and they encourage travelers to “enroll” with the Embassy so they can be contacted and located in case of emergency.Traditionally, this would be done by visiting the Embassy in person or sending a request by mail, but travelers today can register their trip online in minutes using STEP, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. |
What is STEP?
STEP, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, collects basic information from travelers, including their contact information, trip details, and emergency contact information for a relative or friend in the United States. Travelers can register on the STEP website, and the pertinent details are available to the US Embassy and Consulates in their destination country.
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program also allows travelers to receive emails with updated Travel Alerts and Travel Warnings for countries of interest to them.