Once you've made the decision to travel abroad, booked your flights, decided where to stay, and what dive sites you want to see, you might think all you've got left to do is give your gear a final once-over and begin packing. There's another step you should take before setting out on an overseas adventure, and that is to get to know a bit more about U.S. Embassies and Consulates in the nation or nations you'll be visiting. Here, we'll take a very brief look at how these important services can help you if you find yourself in a pickle.
Advice and Other Services
While you may never require any type of formal assistance, it's comforting to know that a Consulate or U.S. Embassy is capable of providing you with what you need to get your vacation back on track, or even to make it home in the event of a disaster. The United States has diplomatic relations with nearly 200 countries worldwide. In most of these nations, you'll normally find an embassy, and that will usually be located in the capital city. Branch offices of the embassy are called consulates or consulate generals, and are located in other places throughout a region or country. In all, there are over 250 consular posts scattered across the globe. Here, consular officials issue travel visas to non-American citizens, and provide assistance to Americans who live or travel abroad. A wide range of emergency and non-emergency services are offered at each location.
Emergency services include things like replacing a lost or missing ID, helping travelers find medical assistance, and helping to secure funding in the event you lose your credit card or other monies. In case your passport is stolen, you'll first need to get a police report, then you'll need to hurry to the embassy or consulate so they can begin processing your case immediately. If your travel needs are urgent, you may be able to acquire a temporary or limited passport.
If you become ill or are injured, you may require consular services. Be prepared by carrying travel insurance that will help cover the costs associated with transporting you back to the U.S. in the event a medical emergency occurs.
In the even you've lost credit cards or other money, a consular office can help you contact your bank, or even your family or employer, and arrange to have money wired securely via the U.S. State Department. In addition, if you need to contact your family for an emergency, the embassy can help you get in touch, and if people at home need to contact you, even when you're out in the middle of nowhere, the consulate can help to track you down and get an emergency message to you. Be sure people at home know how to contact consular offices, and leave detailed travel plans so contacting you in case of emergency is easier. In case of some other emergency, such as a natural disaster, a death, or even an arrest by local authorities, consular officials will do all they can to help and advise you.
A number of non-emergency services are provided by consulates and embassies. Such services include information on absentee voting, notary services, tax services, and even estate and property claims. You'll find a complete list of services and embassy locations on the U.S. State Department website; in addition, you'll find plenty of other helpful information pertaining to specific travel destinations.
Be sure to register with the consulate's office when traveling abroad, and it will make interacting with officials much easier if the need arises. In addition, be sure to familiarize yourself with the Consular Information Program, which can help you make important decisions about whether it's safe to travel to certain places where weather and civil unrest can cause difficulty. The U.S. State Department also issues travel warnings, which essentially serve as official notice that there is no consular help available in certain locales for a variety of reasons. In addition, the State Department issues public announcements whenever short-term travel risks exist. If you're planning a trip to the Caribbean, or if you're going all the way across the planet in search of your next dive adventure, remember you've got friends in high places. The more you learn about U.S. Embassies and Consulates, and the better you understand the services available, the more you'll be able to relax and enjoy the travel experience - and the easier it will be to get assistance in the unlikely event that you will need it.