Enrollment in the U.S. State Department’s STEP program is a crucial step in preparing to travel internationally.
Supplying your contact information and travel details through the STEP program enables the State Department to quickly contact you in case of emergency. It provides you assistance and possible evacuation when necessary.
Almost everyone is aware of the war between the U.S. and Iran, which began on February 28, just over a week ago. For Americans traveling in the Middle East region, the conflict has created chaos and serious danger.
Hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of the globe have been stranded across the Middle East region since the attacks began against Iran. As the war has escalated, flight cancellations and airspace closures have required travelers to scramble to exit the region for their safety. It’s not just adults who have been stranded. Families with young children have found themselves unable to depart the region.
Stranded Americans enrolled in STEP were able to be immediately contacted by the State Department and quickly get help evacuating the Middle East region safely.
I’ve been recommending that Americans should enroll in the U.S. State Department’s STEP program (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) for years. Had the stranded Americans been enrolled in STEP, the State Department could have immediately contacted them to give them assistance as the destabilizing and disrupting attacks began. Air travel has been particularly impacted in the Middle East, making State Department help essential for many.
Numerous travelers in the region found their initial and rebooked flights home canceled. The costs of being stranded are high. Many travelers successfully canceled some future reservations they could no longer use while awaiting evacuation. Travelers with prepaid, non-cancelable reservations were not as lucky. Many families have been especially hard-hit by the increased costs of being stranded, due to extended hotel stays, food, and other expenses. Remaining in harm’s way while stranded takes a mental toll on many.
The U.S. State Department reports that more than 32,000 Americans have been successfully evacuated from the Middle East region and returned to the U.S.
Too many Americans are still stuck in countless locations in the Middle East region. According to Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson, as of March 8, more than 32,000 American citizens have safely returned home from the Middle East. These figures don’t include the many Americans who relocated to other countries and those who have departed the Middle East but remain in transit.
The Department of State is working hard to safely evacuate the thousands of Americans still stranded in the Middle East. As of March 8, the State Department has already flown nearly two dozen charter flights to safely evacuate Americans from the region.
The U.S. State Department has directed American citizens and nationals currently in seven Middle East countries to complete their Crisis Intake form to help the State Department contact them and assist them.
The Department of State has directed American citizens and nationals who are currently in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel who need help to get home to complete and submit the State Department’s “Crisis Intake” form. American citizens in those countries will hear directly from the State Department about charter flights and ground transportation options. They can travel back to the United States.
In 2011, friends of mine became trapped in Patagonia, in southern Chile. Roadblocks by locals protesting fuel price rises sometimes became violent. Fortunately, in behind-the-scenes efforts, the U.S. State Department arranged for an evacuation of U.S. citizens from the area. My friends were flown out on chartered flights.
Many travelers were caught in Cairo during the Arab Spring protests in 2011 which turned very violent. We, my wife and I, were fortunate. We had a 5 a.m. flight out of Cairo, just hours before the protests in Tahrir Square began to get violent.
We drove through the square on our way to the airport. The climate was getting very dicey. Our guide had an armed escort for us whenever we left the hotel. Soon after our takeoff, all flights were canceled at Cairo International Airport.
Friends in our group were scheduled to leave Cairo the next day. They said that their initial and rebooked flights were canceled. Communication home was almost impossible, except through the U.S. State Department. Eventually, with the help of the State Department, the friends we left behind were able to get out of Cairo by land. They flew out of another Egyptian city to Europe, where they got flights back to the U.S.
I enrolled in STEP starting in 2011. Thank goodness I’ve not had to use it to return home.
As a frequent traveler, I first enrolled in the STEP program in late 2011. It was modernized under the Obama Administration and updated in 2024, requiring re-enrollment. I was about to travel to Europe, and problems in Cairo and in Chile prompted me to join STEP.
Prior to each international trip, I put in my complete itinerary, including dates, hotels, cruise ports, etc. I enter all my contact information and my emergency contacts. In case of trouble, the State Department can locate me quickly and help me and those with whom I’m traveling.
I use the free Smart Traveler app on my iPhone. It enables me to access my STEP information and country-specific information. Plus, I get travel warnings and alerts while I’m on the go.
The main benefits of STEP are significant for planning an international journey and staying safe while on the journey.
The main benefits of the STEP program, a free service of the State Department, are:
• Real-time updates and alerts about health, weather, safety, and security, plus destination information to help make decisions regarding next steps.
• Essential information about local embassy and consulates at destinations.
• STEP provides essential information and assistance during emergencies, such as what is happening now in the Middle East. Evacuation information and medical assistance will be passed along.
The State Department gives international travelers crucial country-specific information pertaining to entry, exit, and visa requirements, safety and security information. There’s information on crime and terrorism, local laws and customs that would affect travelers. It includes local health resources and vaccination requirements. You’ll also find internal transportation issues, weather, and potential disaster issues. STEP also includes passport requirements, currency information, and embassy and consulate information.
These days, there is so much unrest in the world, and with many potential unknowns. We travel where we aren’t familiar with the law, land, or language. We need to prepare for times when our health and safety are at unusual risk.
U.S. citizens and nationals traveling internationally should enroll in STEP. They should review the destination details provided by the State Department. It is a way to learn about destinations before departing.
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After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
