5 Tips to Stay Safe While Traveling Abroad for Spring Break

With warmer weather approaching, spring breakers can benefit from tips for staying safe while traveling abroad. Here are the top travel safety tips from the U.S. Department of State.  

Research the destination 
Travelers should research the laws, customs, and regulations of the destination they’re visiting. Even unintentional violations can have serious consequences, such as possession of certain substances, traveling with ammunition, or posting certain content on social media. Information about each country can be found on state.gov. 

Save the local U.S. Embassy’s contact information 
Another great tip is for travelers to write down the address and contact information of the closest U.S. Embassy to where they’re staying and keep it handy in case of an emergency. Travelers could also take photos of their passport and other important documents and save them digitally for safe keeping. 

Understand your health insurance coverage 
Travelers should also know which medical services their health insurance covers while they’re abroad, as well as what their travel insurance covers if they have it. Medicaid and Medicare do not cover travelers outside of the U.S., and travelers should consider purchasing travel insurances for illness or injuries that occur while abroad, which could cost upwards of $100,000. 

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) 
Signing up for the STEP program on state.gov provides travelers with important security updates. Enrolling in the program also makes it easier for the U.S. consulate to contact you in case of an emergency. 

Check passport and stay connected 
Travelers should ensure that their passport is valid and not expired. Some countries require that a U.S. passport be within six months of validity to enter. Travelers can also stay connected by following @TravelGov on social media for updates and other travel tips.