Registration at the an Embassy or a Consulate (in the country you are visiting) makes your presence and whereabouts known. This is important in case it is necessary for your government representatives to contact you in the event of an emergency. During a disaster overseas, government officials will often assist in the evacuation of their citizens and coordinate with other states. But they cannot assist you if they do not know you are in the region, and more importantly know where you are!

U.S. Citizens can register here!

Registration is particularly important for those who plan to stay in a country longer than one month, or will be traveling to a country where one or more of the following applies:

A country that is experiencing civil unrest or has an unstable political climate.

Anyone who will be traveling to a country where the political climate is unstable or where there is civil unrest should be aware of the risks. Your countries state department will often publish lists on what countries they do not recommend travelling to and what countries are deemed to have a higher risk associated with them. Check with your government before you leave.

A country undergoing a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or a hurricane.

Traveling to a country where there is an ongoing disaster or where the occurrence of one is imminent should be avoided. If you are traveling to such a country do no forget to register with your Embassy or Consulate in that country.

A country where your country is not represented.

In the event that you are planning to visit a country where your government is not represented, you should register at the Embassy or Consulate in an adjacent country. Do not forget to leave an itinerary with them and if possible a way for them to get in contact with you. Ask about conditions in the country that you will visit and ask about the third country that may represent your governments interests there.

Check out your governments website and see if there is an online registration form for international travel. If not you should put in a call to an information service or otherwise visit your local representatives prior to your trip.