What You Need to Know About Travel Registration
Many travelers using cheap flights do not know about the travel registration service provided by governments around the world. The following article provides general information about travel registration services that governments provide to their citizens. This can be a life saver!!
What is the purpose of travel registration?
The reason for travel registration is that it allows governments to contact their citizens in the event of a disaster, emergency or other crisis. This is a free service. An example of when a traveler can benefit from this service was seen in the recent Israel/Lebanese conflict. Travelers that had taken the time to register with their government were able to be contacted by the local embassy and advised of evacuation plans.
What is Travel Registration?
Travel registration is available at no cost to residents and citizens of many Governments when they are going to be traveling on holiday in a country overseas or the service is for people who live in an overseas country. The registration service gives people the opportunity to record the contact and travel details about a planned trip or to supply an address if you are going to be living on an extended basis in an overseas country.
Why should you register?
With cheap flights available millions of travelers move about the globe and most encounter no problems. However at times events take place that result in the need for your government to contact you quickly. Your friends and family may have need to contact you urgently. If a crisis happens, or if civil unrest, natural disaster or terrorism takes place during your overseas travel your governments’ closest embassy or consulate can assist and help you or provide life saving information. By taking advantage of the travel registration service and voluntarily providing your details, you assist the embassy or consulates locate and contact you in a timely manner and this is vitally important.
How can an overseas mission provide assistance while I am traveling or living overseas?
The assistance provided by Consular officers may vary depending on which country you are from. In general Consular staff provide assistance to their citizens or permanent residents who run into serious medical, legal, or money difficulties. Although Consular officers are not allowed to act as a legal counsel be a representative, Consular staff are able to give you a list of contact details of local lawyers and medical service providers. They can also arrange emergency loans to needy citizens, and make available information on dangerous situations affecting your foreign travel or place you reside. Consular officers also carryout non-emergency services, helping citizens with absentee voting. US Consular officers assist with receiving federal benefits, and filing U.S. tax return forms. Consular officers are able to issue passports, notarize documents and register American children born out of the US. The majority of embassies and consulates publish web sites with contact information and a list of services they offer. See the following page for links to Government websites.
How will the information be used?
The information collected is only used by your government’s home department and overseas embassies and consulates to notify and help its citizens traveling or living in overseas countries. For US citizens all personal information that you supply as part of travel registration will be secured and protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. Your personal information will stay active on files for a twelve month period after the conclusion of your trip, your latest registration action, or your departure date from your overseas country of residence. Around that time you should receive an e-mail letting you know that your registration data records, log-on, and password will be automatically removed after a three month period unless you do something to keep your travel registration in force. No information from theUnited States IBRS system will be kept long term in an archive. Imprecise travel registrations of long-term overseas residents will stary in the file indefinitely unless changed or removed by the travel registrant. For other countries it is likely that your information is protected by a Privacy Act.
Information for US citizens already living abroad
You may register as a Long-Term Traveler. You then are able to provide details about your overseas residence, and you may choose to receive information from the nearest embassy or consulate. If you setup a password, you are able to update your personal information on the State Office website at any time.
While living overseas if you have a home or address used for contact in the United States., go ahead and supply this address as your Personal Information address, and list the foreign place you live as your Long-Term Trip address. If you do not have a United States. home or address for contact, use your overseas address as the Personal Information address and Long-Term Trip address.
Summary and further information
Remember that the travel registration service is optional. You may decide to not register. If so you should regularly check the travel advice or warnings relating to the country/ies you will visit or currently reside. A list of government websites is available here. Links to travel registration services are listed below.
Australia
Canada
New Zealand
United Kingdom
United States of America
About Us - Bookings - Cheap Flights - Cruises - Travel Tips - Cheap Fare Tips - cheap flight to Beijing - cheap flight to Las Vegas - adventure cruise to Alaska - Royal Caribbean Cruises - More Info - Press Releases - Travel Registration - Contact Us - CFC Links
