“I’m with the government and I’m here to help.”
While that phrase has been fodder for late night comedians and movie comedies, it is something that thousands of Americans each year are glad to hear as they travel abroad. Most international trips are without incident, but occasionally things happen where an American needs help.
The U.S. State Department, through its global network of embassies and consulates, provides emergency help to Americans in various ways. These include assisting those who become ill, replacing lost passports, organizing evacuations in a regional crisis, helping crime victims, arranging legal help, and more. They can also relay information to family/friends in the States if something happens to you. The government handles 200,000 welfare and whereabouts inquiries each year for citizens traveling abroad.
It is important to keep in mind that while U.S. officials may help with various arrangements, the do not pay for them. So if you get sick they can help you find medical care or even arrange a medical evacuation, but you have to pay for it. This is one reason we recommend that our clients always take out travel insurance. A medical evacuation could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
If your passport is lost or stolen, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. If you are scheduled to leave the country shortly, be sure to provide the official with details of your departure schedule. Note that although embassies often have duty officers available on weekends and holidays, they may not be able to replace your passport until the office reopens for business. However, if you are scheduled to travel right away back to the U.S., they may be able to alert the airline and U.S. Immigration officials that you will be attempting to travel without a passport. So be sure to contact them even if it is the weekend.
As we discussed in our last blog post, it is important to register with the U.S. Embassy in the country where you are traveling and keep their contact numbers with you. You also should provide relatives at home with your travel contact information and the phone number for the Office of American Citizens Services, which is (202) 647-5225. If they can’t reach you otherwise, your family can call that number for assistance in case of an emergency.
Hopefully you will never need it, but if you do, then “I’m with the government and I’m here to help” may be music to your ears.