Important Tips for Traveling Abroad

Karen Winston, ADS Planner

The Bureau of Consular Affairs provides important travel safety information so that you can make informed decisions about whether to travel, and to ensure that any trips you decide to take are as trouble-free as possible. Representatives from the Bureau travel throughout the U.S. conducting outreach to older Americans and persons with disabilities who may be traveling abroad.

During a recent presentation at Horizon House, Viki Lopatkiewicz, a representative from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, shared how her agency assists U.S. citizens who travel or reside overseas, and provided practical travel and safety information, with a focus on older Americans.

Tips for Traveling Abroad

Enroll your travel plans so the State Department can better assist you in an emergency. You can enroll your plans through a free online service on the State Department website. This will help them contact you if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or if there is a crisis where you are traveling. You will also automatically receive important travel safety information for the countries you plan to visit. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts will not be released to others without your express authorization.

Sign your passport, and fill in the emergency information. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport, and a visa, if required, and fill in the emergency information page of your passport.

Leave copies of itinerary and passport data page. Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends, so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

Check your overseas medical insurance coverage. Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, the State Department strongly suggests supplemental travelers' insurance.

Familiarize yourself with local conditions and laws. While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. The State Department web site  has useful safety and other information about the countries you will visit.

Take precautions to avoid being a target of crime. Do not wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry, and do not carry excessive amounts of money. Also, do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.

Know the emergency contact information. Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Contact information for U.S. Embassies and Consulates appears on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. Also note that the Office of Overseas Citizen Services in the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs may be reached for assistance with emergencies at 1-888-407-4747, if calling from the United States or Canada, or 202-501-4444, if calling from elsewhere.

Special Planning Considerations for Older Americans

Older American travelers should discuss any planned trips with their physician, review this important information sheet from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and consider the following additional tips:

Know local conditions. Be aware of any effects the local topography or climate may have on you; if you are sensitive to altitude or to humidity, or to other attributes of your destination, consult with your physician.

Don't over-program. The additional physical activity undertaken during travel can be quite strenuous, and sudden changes in diet and climate can have serious health consequences for the unprepared traveler.

Pack wisely. Don't pack so much that you will end up lugging around heavy suitcases. Dress conservatively—a wardrobe that is flashy may attract the attention of thieves or con artists, while clothing that is very casual may result in being barred from some tourist sites overseas. Include a change of clothing in your carry-on luggage.

By following these simple, but important, travel tips your trip abroad will be safe and fun too. Bon voyage!