The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP,) is a free service that allows U.S. Citizens traveling or living abroad, to receive the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
The benefits of enrolling in STEP are:
You’ll receive the latest safety and security information for your destination country, so you can make informed decisions about your travel.
The information you provide enables the U.S. embassy or consulate to contact you in an emergency.
When you enroll in STEP, you will receive current information about your destination country, including:
Alerts from the U. S. Embassy about safety and security situations.
Updates to the country’s Travel Advisory.
Messages about U.S. Embassy events and services, such as town hall meetings, voting information, federal benefits and U.S. legal obligations ( taxes, selective service registration, etc.)
Set up one account and then add trips later for all of your future travel plans.
Enrolling in STEP will help the Embassy contact you and provide assistance during an emergency overseas. If your family or friends in the U.S. are having difficulty contacting you with urgent news while you’re traveling, the information in STEP can be used to try and reach you.
Your Privacy is Paramount
The U.S. Department of State is committed to ensuring that any person information received by the overseas U.S. embassies and consulates via the STEP process, whether in person or otherwise, is safeguarded against unauthorized disclosure. The data provided to the U.S. Department of State is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act (5 USC 552a). This means the U.S. Department of State will not disclose the information provided in the STEP application to any third parties unless you have given written authorization to do so, or unless disclosure is otherwise permitted by the Privacy Act.
