U.S. Embassy travel registration online

A recent post-tsunami USA Today article alerted me to the fact that American travelers can now register their trip itineraries with the State Department online. Registration allows you to record information that the Department of State can use to assist you in case of an emergency.

Full information and online registration forms are available here, and I’ll outline a few frequently asked questions from the state.gov website here:

Millions of Americans travel abroad every year and encounter no difficulties. However, U.S. embassies and consulates assist nearly 200,000 Americans each year who are victims of crime, accident, or illness, or whose family and friends need to contact them in an emergency. 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.

U.S. consular officers assist Americans who encounter serious legal, medical, or financial difficulties. Although consular officers cannot act as your legal counsel or representative, they can provide the names of local attorneys and doctors, provide loans to destitute Americans, and provide information about dangerous conditions affecting your overseas travel or residence. Consular officers also perform non-emergency services, helping Americans with absentee voting, selective service registration, receiving federal benefits, and filing U.S. tax forms. Consular officers can notarize documents, issue passports, and register American children born abroad. Most embassies and consulates have web sites with more information.

Register as a Long-Term Traveler. You then have the opportunity to provide information about your foreign residence, and you can opt to receive information from the nearest embassy or consulate. If you create a password, you can update your personal information on this website at any time.

If you have a residence or contact address in the U.S., use that address as your Personal Information address, and your foreign residence as your Long-Term Trip address. If you do not have a U.S. residence or contact address, use your foreign residence as both your Personal Information address and your Long-Term Trip address.