The U.S. Government has a service called The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. It 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.

Here are some of the benefits of enrolling in it:

• 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. citizens’ legal obligations (taxes, selective service registration, etc.).

You just set up one account, and then add trips later for all your future travel plans! Enrolling in STEP will help the U.S. embassy contact you and provide assistance during an emergency overseas. And, if your family or friends in the U.S. are having difficulty contacting you with urgent news while you’re traveling, the program can use the information in STEP to try and reach you. So if you’re intested, or want to learn more about it, here’s the link: STEP