You should do your homework before you go to a foreign country. Readily available are embassy and consulate information along with web sites for your holiday country. In most sites, there will also be forums with local residents and tourists providing current information and available to answer your questions.
When it comes to security. Available for every country of the world is the Department of State's Consular Information Sheets. There are descriptions about entry requirements, currency regulations, unusual health conditions, the crime and security situation, political disturbances, areas of instability, and special information about driving and road conditions. They also provide addresses and emergency telephone numbers for U.S. embassies and consulates. This means that generally, the Sheets do not give advice. They instead describe conditions so that travelers can make informed decisions about their trips.
But in some dangerous situations, the Department of State recommends that Americans defer travel to a country. A Travel Warning will be issued for the country in addition to its Consular Information Sheet during such a case.
A means to disseminate information about relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers are public announcements. These will be issued in case there is a perceived threat, even if it does not involve Americans as a particular target group. In the past, Public Announcements have been issued to deal with short-term coups, pre-election disturbances, and violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.
You can access Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements 24-hours a day in several ways.
What about the Internet?
The Consular Affairs home page is the most convenient source of information about travel and consular services. The address of the website is travel.state.gov. Your local library may provide access to the Internet if you do not have access to the Internet at home, work or school.
By Mail or In Person
Available at any of the regional passport agencies and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, or, by writing and sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Office of American Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC are Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements.
A closer look at local laws and customs. You are subject to the laws of the country where you are when you leave the United States. This is why you should learn as much as you can about the local laws and customs of the places you plan to visit before you go. Your library, your travel agent, and the embassies, consulates or tourist bureaus of the countries you will visit would be good resources. Aside from this, you should also keep track of what is being reported in the media about recent developments in those countries.
When it comes to security. Available for every country of the world is the Department of State's Consular Information Sheets. There are descriptions about entry requirements, currency regulations, unusual health conditions, the crime and security situation, political disturbances, areas of instability, and special information about driving and road conditions. They also provide addresses and emergency telephone numbers for U.S. embassies and consulates. This means that generally, the Sheets do not give advice. They instead describe conditions so that travelers can make informed decisions about their trips.
But in some dangerous situations, the Department of State recommends that Americans defer travel to a country. A Travel Warning will be issued for the country in addition to its Consular Information Sheet during such a case.
A means to disseminate information about relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers are public announcements. These will be issued in case there is a perceived threat, even if it does not involve Americans as a particular target group. In the past, Public Announcements have been issued to deal with short-term coups, pre-election disturbances, and violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.
You can access Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements 24-hours a day in several ways.
What about the Internet?
The Consular Affairs home page is the most convenient source of information about travel and consular services. The address of the website is travel.state.gov. Your local library may provide access to the Internet if you do not have access to the Internet at home, work or school.
By Mail or In Person
Available at any of the regional passport agencies and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, or, by writing and sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Office of American Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC are Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements.
A closer look at local laws and customs. You are subject to the laws of the country where you are when you leave the United States. This is why you should learn as much as you can about the local laws and customs of the places you plan to visit before you go. Your library, your travel agent, and the embassies, consulates or tourist bureaus of the countries you will visit would be good resources. Aside from this, you should also keep track of what is being reported in the media about recent developments in those countries.
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