Online Government Resources
The United States government provides resources on health and safety overseas. You should investigate these resources as part of a comprehensive plan to learn about the places where you will be living and studying.
- Students Abroad – A comprehensive resource for students from the U.S. State Department
- The Center for Disease Control
- The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs
The State Department’s website regularly posts consular information sheets and travel updates. You can also find useful information on services for Americans abroad, travel publications, passport information, judicial assistance overseas, and embassy and consulate addresses.
Consular Information Sheets
Consular Information Sheets are available for every country of the world. They include such information as location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the subject country, immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties.
If an unstable condition exists in a country that is not severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning, a description of the condition(s) may be included under an optional section entitled “Areas of Instability.” On limited occasions, they also restate U.S. Embassy advice given to official employees. Consular Information Sheets generally include information in a factual manner so the traveler can make his or her own decisions concerning travel to a particular country.
Visit travel.state.gov for more information.
Travel Warnings
When the Department of State recommends avoiding travel to certain countries, they issue an official Travel Warning. Syracuse Abroad monitors consular reports and travel warnings on a regular basis.
Consular information and travel warnings are available from the State Department via phone or email. To hear messages, please call the State Department’s Overseas Citizens Services number, 202-647-5225. You can receive selected State Department updates via email by subscribing to their listserv. More information at http://travel.state.gov.