A Safe Trip Abroad
Courtesy of the U.S. Department of State
The odds are in your favor that, when you travel abroad, you will have a safe and incident-free trip. Most foreign states maintain public order. Nevertheless, the U.S. consular officers who work in the more than 250 U.S. embassies and consulates around the world do have to answer calls from Americans in distress. To help you avoid unhappy meetings with consular officers, there are certain practices that the U.S. Department of State advises for travel preparations, travel precautions, and overseas assistance.
Pack to avoid the appearance of affluence, to dress conservatively, and to travel light. Carry valuables in a pouch or money belt worn under your clothing. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country first. Leave your itinerary and a copy of the serial numbers of your travelers' checks with family or friends at home. Make a set of photocopies of your passport identification page, airline tickets, driver's license, and credit cards to leave at home and another set to keep in a place separate from your valuables.
It is a smart idea to understand the country's local laws and customs to which you will be subject (libraries are a good source). In some countries, for example, sexually-explicit materials are illegal. You can consult the Consular Information Sheets that the State Department prepares for every country of the world. They describe unusual entry, currency regulations or unusual health conditions, the crime and security situation, political disturbances, areas of instability, special information about driving and road conditions and drug penalties. They also provide the addresses and emergency telephone numbers for U.S. embassies and consulates. A Travel Warning is issued for countries that the State Department recommends Americans avoid. Public Announcements disseminate information about terrorists and other threats to the security of Americans.
Have your affairs at home in order by leaving a current will, insurance documents, and power of attorney with your family or a friend. Consider making guardianship arrangements for your minor children. Beware that, in some countries, Americans have been arrested for innocently exceeding their credit limit. Check if your health insurance covers you abroad. Medicare and Medicaid do not provide payment for medical care outside the United States. Consider purchasing one of the short-term health and emergency assistance policies designed for travelers. Make sure that the plan you purchase includes medical evacuation in the event of an accident or serious illness.
Be cautious especially in crowded subways, train stations, elevators, tourist sites, market places, festivals and marginal areas of cities. Do not discuss travel plans or other personal matters with strangers. Beware of strangers who approach you, offering bargains or to be your guide. Pickpockets come in all ages, genders, and partnerships; they like to distract you. In the worst case, give up your valuables. You cannot be replaced but your money and passport can be.
The Consular Information Sheets will indicate, under the "Crime Information" section, if a country has a pattern of tourists being targeted by criminals on public transport. Only take taxis clearly identified with official markings. Use the hotel safe. Be especially cautious on trains along popular tourist routes, especially at night and on overnight trains. Do not accept food or drink from strangers (it could be drugged). Tourists have also been drugged and robbed while sleeping on buses or in bus stations. In many places frequented by tourists, including areas of southern Europe, victimization of motorists has been refined to an art. In cities around the world, "defensive driving" has come to mean more than avoiding auto accidents; it means keeping an eye out for potentially criminal pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders. Statistics indicate that road accidents are the single greatest cause of death and serious injury to healthy Americans traveling abroad, far exceeding the number of deaths resulting from disease, violence or terrorism. Consult the Association for Safe International Road Travel for more information.
Countersign travelers' checks only in front of the person who will cash them. Avoid flashing large amounts of money when paying a bill. Make sure your credit card is returned to you after every transaction. Never change money on the black market. If your possessions are lost or stolen, report the loss immediately to the local police. Report the loss or theft of travelers' checks to the nearest agent of the issuing company, credit cards to the issuing company, airline tickets to the airline or travel agent, and passport to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Keep a copy of the police report for insurance claims.
Overseas you can be arrested for actions that may be either legal or considered minor infractions in the United States. The Consular Information Sheets include information on unusual patterns of arrests in various countries. Americans have been arrested abroad for drug violations (more than one third of incarcerated Americans abroad are held on drug charges), for firearm possession, for photography, and for purchasing antiques. A number of Americans have been arrested for possessing prescription drugs, particularly tranquilizers and amphetamines, that they purchased legally in certain Asian countries and then brought to some Middle Eastern countries where they are illegal. Americans have encountered firearm difficulties in Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean. In many countries, you should ask before you photograph. In Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico, certain antiques are considered to be national treasures.
Avoid traveling to unsafe areas where there has been a persistent record of terrorist attacks or kidnapping. Be aware of what you discuss with strangers or of what others could overhear. Avoid luggage tags, dress and behavior that could identify you as an American. If you should ever be in a gunfire situation, stay down as low as possible and do not move. The U.S. Government has a firm policy of not negotiating with terrorists; otherwise the taking of hostages would only increase. The most dangerous phase of a hijacking or hostage situation is in the beginning when the terrorists typically are high-strung and nervous. In such a situation you are best off remaining calm, alert, and managing your own behavior. Avoid direct eye contact, comply, and keep your answers short. Think positively and avoid a sense of despair. The U.S. looks to the host government for help when Americans are abducted.
If you are in an area experiencing civil unrest, a natural disaster, or if you are planning travel to a remote area, register yourself at the Consular Section of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the event that you are ill or injured for a list of local physicians and medical facilities. Payment of hospital and other medical expenses is your responsibility. If you are detained, remember that under international agreements and practice, you have the right to talk to the U.S. Consul. Consular officers cannot serve as attorneys, give legal advice, or get you out of jail, but they can provide you a with a list of local attorneys who speak English and who may have had experience in representing U.S. citizens.
These excerpts are from the State Department's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad," available on the Internet. The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20420, tel. 202-512-1800 sells pamphlets, at a dollar or more, for specific geographical areas. Be informed!
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