How can I find more information regarding planning and
preparing for an international trip? See the
US State
Department
website for travel recommendations and country warnings. For
pre-trip vaccinations, travel health warnings, and tips for traveling healthy check
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international traveler's hotline
at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or visit
the CDC Traveler’s Health webpage.
How can I find more information regarding how to obtain
assistance from a US embassy or consulate when traveling abroad? There are U.S.
embassies in more than 160 capital cities of the world. Each embassy has a consular
section. Consular officers in consular sections of embassies do two things:
- They issue visas to foreigners
-
They help U.S. citizens abroad with replacing
a passport, medical emergency, access to temporary funds, assistance if you are
arrested, and evacuations.
For more specific country information go to
US Emergency Help
in a foreign country. Replace a Passport
- If you lose your passport, a consul can issue you a replacement, often within
24 hours. If you believe your passport has been stolen, first report the theft to
the local police and get a police declaration.
Find Medical Assistance - If you get sick, you
can contact a consular officer for a list of local doctors, dentists, and medical
specialists, along with other medical information. If you are injured or become
seriously ill, a consul will help you find medical assistance and, at your request,
inform your family or friends. (Consider getting private medical insurance before
you travel, to cover the high cost of getting you back to the U.S. for hospital
care in the event of a medical emergency.)
Help Get Funds - Should you lose all your money
and other financial resources, consular officers can help you contact your family,
bank, or employer to arrange for them to send you funds. In some cases, these funds
can be wired to you through the Department of State.
Help In An Emergency - Your family may need to
reach you because of an emergency at home or because they are worried about your
welfare. They should call the State Department’s Overseas Citizens Services
at 1-888-407-4747. The State Department will relay the message to the consular officers
in the country in which you are traveling. Consular officers will attempt to locate
you, pass on urgent messages, and, consistent with the Privacy Act, report back
to your family. This will be facilitated if you have registered your trip with the
US State Department at Trip Registration.
Visit In Jail - If you are arrested, you should
ask the authorities to notify a U.S. consul. Consuls cannot get you out of jail
(when you are in a foreign country you are subject to its laws). However, they can
work to protect your legitimate interests and ensure you are not discriminated against.
They can provide a list of local attorneys, visit you, inform you generally about
local laws, and contact your family and friends. Consular officers can transfer
money, food, and clothing to the prison authorities from your family or friends.
They can try to get relief if you are held under inhumane or unhealthful conditions.
Make Arrangements After The Death Of An American
- When an American dies abroad, a consular officer notifies the Americans family
and informs them about options and costs for disposition of remains. Costs for preparing
and returning a body to the U.S. may be high and must be paid by the family. Often,
local laws and procedures make returning a body to the U.S. for burial a lengthy
process. A consul prepares a Report of Death based on the local death certificate;
this is forwarded to the next of kin for use in estate and insurance matters.
Help In A Disaster/Evacuation - If you are caught
up in a natural disaster or civil disturbance, you should let your relatives know
as soon as possible that you are safe, or contact a U.S. consul who will pass that
message to your family through the State Department. Be resourceful. U.S. officials
will do everything they can to contact you and advise you. However, they must give
priority to helping Americans who have been hurt or are in immediate danger. In
a disaster, consuls face the same constraints you do - lack of electricity or fuel,
interrupted phone lines, closed airports.
Should I register my trip with the US State Department?
Yes! When an emergency happens, or if natural
disaster, terrorism, or civil unrest strikes during your foreign travel, the nearest
U.S. embassy or consulate can be your source of assistance and information. By registering
your trip, you help the embassy or consulate locate you when you might need them
the most. Registration is voluntary and costs nothing, but it should be a big part
of your travel planning and security. To register your trip go to
Travel Registration
at the US State Department.
How can I find more information regarding replacing
stolen credit cards, ID, or passports when traveling? For lost or stolen passports,
contact the US Department of State by clicking on the following link:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/lost/lost_849.html
. In addition, you can
contact the State Department at the following telephone number, toll free at: 1-877-487-2778
(TTY 1-888-874-7793). Operators are available 7 a.m. to midnight, ET, Monday-Friday,
excluding Federal holidays.
For lost or stolen credit cards. report the loss or theft of your credit cards and
your ATM or debit cards to the individual card issuers as quickly as possible. Many
companies have toll-free numbers and 24-hour service to deal with such emergencies.
It's a good idea to follow up your phone calls with a letter. Include your account
number, when you noticed your card was missing, and the date you first reported
the loss. Here are some telephone numbers:
Visa Global Customer Assistance Center toll-free
(800) 847-2911. For international numbers go to
Visa Global Assistance
.
MasterCard Global Service - For an emergency within
the United States call 1-800-MasterCard (1-800-627-8372). Outside the United States
call the following telephone number collect to the United States in the event of
an emergency 1-636-722-7111. For additional international locations go to
Master Card Global
.
Discover Card 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683)
American Express Card - call American Express
Customer Service at 1-800-268-9824. In the U.S. call 1-800-528-4800. For Travelers
Cheques call Customer Service at 1-888-412-6945. If you are traveling outside of
the United States, please call Customer Service collect at 1-801-945-9450.
Diners Club Customer Service at 1 800 2 DINERS
(1 800 234.6377) in the U.S. or call collect: 702 797.5532 from outside the United
States.