For Americans planning to travel abroad itâs worthwhile to have contact information for the local embassy or consulate. The American Embassy can be a lifesaving resource for Americans traveling abroad. For a US citizen the local embassy is a wealth of information and resources. They can notify you in the event of an emergency, provide you with medical resources such as physicians, air ambulance companies and hospitals, or help you if you have been the victim of a crime.
If youâve ever seen the television show, â24â or any of the âBourne Identityâ movies you may believe that the embassy is a place of non-stop political action and adventure. The reality is far less heart stopping but they can be a useful resource for an American traveling in a foreign country.
Before you travel you can register with the Embassy in the country where you will be traveling at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/home.asp. This will ensure your safety in the event of an emergency as officials will know where to contact you.
When disasters happen abroad, American consular officers can assist you in evacuating the country, if they know where to locate you. When you register you will provide them with a detailed itinerary and passport information for all in your party. If you are traveling with a tour group, they will likely register the tour group but do ask.
Registering with the embassy is especially important if you plan on an extended stay or if you are traveling to countries subject to natural disasters, civil unrest or political instability. You can also contact the embassy in advance to check on conditions in the country.
The embassy will not serve as a personal concierge but in an emergency, they can assist you with much needed help. For example, if you were injured or became ill while traveling they could provide you or your family with the information for an air ambulance service. The air ambulance company could then coordinate with the local hospital and safely transport you to a hospital in your home location.
The embassy can help not only in medical emergencies but also personal emergencies. If your passport was lost or stolen while traveling the embassy could help you to secure replacement documentation.
Many people travel abroad without incident. However, it pays to plan in advance by having a list of emergency resources just in case. This can be particularly important for medical emergencies. Make sure that you have an emergency list of contacts that includes your local physician, pharmacy (if taking prescribed medication), insurance company, medical evacuation company (they will have a 24 hour line accessible worldwide), hospital and of course the local U.S. Embassy.
Tags: Abroad, American, citizens, Emergency, Help, Traveling
This article is about the American travel info for the Chinese citizens. You can find some useful information in it if you are booking your American flights now. (you can get more New York,Los Angeles,San Francisco, Chicago flights and airfares info at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)
Since the open of the American travel to the Chinese citizens, more and more Chinese are planning to travel to the U.S. now. The U.S. is a totally new tourist destination for the Chinese citizens and there are some rules for the bags the travellers can bring with them.
The U.S. has no strict limits for the travellers’ daily necessities they can bring. The travellers can bring currencies (U.S. dollars or other currencies) or traveller checks with them. All you need to do is to file the Custom Declaration if it is more than 10,000 U.S. dollars. In China, lots of people don’t like to wait in line. But you will need to get used to it here in the American customs. You can choose the shortest line to save some time. Usually, the entry customs can take 1 or 2 hours, depending on the number of the travellers. Once you wait in a line, don’t change to another line. This will cause some unnecessary troubles to yourself ( you will be questioned by the customs officers ). When the officer ask you questions, just answer what they ask. Talking too much here in the customs will cause you some other troubles too. If the officers ask you to open your bags, just do it. If you are in hesitation, this will make yourself suspicious. By the American law, the customs officers don’t have the right to open your bags without your permission. But if you refuse to do the check they ask, they can get the right to open your bags. If you bring some stuffs which are not allowed to bring to the U.S., the custom officers can confiscate them if they find out. When you go through the customs, always take good care of your bags. Don’t agree to bring other people’s bags in the customs. Your kindness may be used by other people to bring dugs to the U.S. (you can get more New York,Los Angeles,San Francisco, Chicago flights and airfares info at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)
Here are some helpful sentences for the first time travellers to the U.S. :
Your passport and declaration card, please.
Do you have anything to declare?
Please open this bag.
What are these?
These are for my personal use.
These are gifts for my friends.
This is a souvenir that I’m taking to Toronto.
Do you have any liquor or cigarettes?
Yes, I have two bottles of whisky.
The camera is for my personal use.
You’ll have to pay duty on this.
Do you have any other baggage?
OK. Please give this declaration card to that officer at the exit.
Some rules for the bags to bring to the international planes: Usually, every traveller can check in 2 bags ( for each bag: length + width + height < 158 cm, weight < 23 kg ). You can not put liquor, lighter, match, currency, stock to these bags. To prevent the lose of the bags, you can put a little card (with your name, phone number, destination city, address in it) in your bags.
Other tips for your American travel: Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months when you enter the American customs. You will need to show your round-trip plane ticket to the custom officers. You will have the risk to be refused to enter to the U.S. if you only have a one-way trip ticket. (you can get more New York,Los Angeles,San Francisco, Chicago flights and airfares info at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM)
By Shane Lee. Date: 07/09/2009.
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Tags: American, Chinese, citizens, Flights, info, Travel