Information

If you find yourself caught in a foreign crisis and need information, you can take the following actions:

• Register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get local updates from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your area. This also gives the Embassy a way to contact you.
• Check the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Travel Advisories page for general updates.
• Check local and social media for announcements.
• For federal government employees: Get a country clearance and stay in contact with the U.S. Embassy.

If you’re in the U.S., but are concerned about family who may be caught in a foreign crisis, please read Ways to Locate Your Loved Ones in a Crisis Abroad. You may also call the Department of State to learn about conditions that may affect safety and security. They can give you travel warnings and alerts and country-specific information as well.

• 1-888-407-4747 (From the U.S. and Canada)
• 1-202-501-4444 (From Overseas)

If you or your family were affected by a terrorist attack in a foreign country, the International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP) may be able to help. The program reimburses certain expenses if you're a qualified victim of a designated incident. You can view the Terrorist Incident Designation List to check for your incident.

If you want to help disaster survivors in a foreign country, it’s best to donate to a trusted humanitarian group working in that area. Visit the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) How to Help page. This page can help you learn about groups that do the most with cash or material donations.