How to Get Emergency Alerts While Traveling Overseas for Free

Over the weekend, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a shelter-in-place order amid violence after the death of a powerful cartel leader, leading American travelers to confront the reality that global trips can change in an instant—even in popular tourist destinations. With travel warnings constantly changing, those heading abroad may be searching for added peace of mind. That’s where the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) comes in.

STEP is a free service that provides urgent alerts and allows the U.S. State Department to more easily locate and contact American travelers in an emergency. The program, which travelers can enroll in for each international trip they go on, takes about 20 minutes to sign up for.

Once travelers sign up, STEP provides important information from updates on extreme weather conditions to safety information, travel alerts, and potential health outbreaks in the destination they are traveling in. The program also makes it easier for the local embassy or consulate to contact travelers in the event of emergency like a natural disaster, civil unrest, or even a family emergency.

STEP advisories include security information and alerts about terrorism, health, weather, and more.

When signing up, travelers have the option of disclosing if their trip is a solo adventure or group travel, the location of their planned travels, and the duration of their trip. 

In addition to the notifications, the State Department also offers an international travel checklist where travelers can learn about their destination, see active travel advisories, understand potential visa requirements, and more. The travel checklist also offers tips on organizing important travel documents and the benefits of travel insurance.

The State Department also continually evaluates international destinations under a traveler advisory system. These destinations are classified from Level 1 to Level 4. The lowest Level 1 indicates travelers should exercise normal precautions, Level 2 indicates travelers should exercise increased caution, Level 3 tells travelers to reconsider travel, and Level 4 is the State Departments “do not travel” warning.

Destinations classified under Level 1 and 2 are reviewed annually, while Level 3 and 4 are evaluated every six months.

Beyond the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updates its own health travel advisories for both country-specific concerns along with global health issues. Recently, the agency has warned travelers to be aware of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus in the tropical paradise of the Seychelles, has warned about the spread of rabies in India, and has an ongoing global warning for polio in countries around the world, including Finland, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and more.