STEP ( Smart Traveler Enrollment program)

We complete the info before every trip, just in case.

I find it just an extra layer of information for me so sign up my trips before each one. I have received a couple of text alerts-one in Istanbul and one in France-. All they do is alert you to expected activity in certain areas so you make your plans accordingly. Both alerts were for planned student protests in parts of the cities I wasn't planning on visiting anyway. Can't hurt.....

"Necessary" isn't the right word. It's a form of insurance. If there is any problem in a country and the US Embassy wants to notify US citizens, using STEP to give your details means they can contact you easily. Of course, most of the time the US Embassy has no reason to contact US tourists, so filling it out changes nothing. But for those times when they do...

For the reasons Andi and Harold stated above, I send in my information when we travel.

Ditto. My theory is if you do it, you won't need it. If you don't, well, good luck.

Never heard of it before, and have no interest. I figure if there's something important to know, I'll find out in some way. What I consider the more important things -- such as train strikes, volcano-disrupted flights -- would not be covered by this.

such as train strikes, volcano-disrupted flights -- would not be
covered by this.

How do you figure that??? Strikes and natural disasters are indeed part of the STEP notifications.

STEP probably saved my life. Was in China a few years ago during a wave of severe smog over the city. They sent out an email strongly warning of this and advising Americans to stay indoors, I followed the advice and even indoors in my modern hotel with functioning central AC I was still struggling to breath. I have asthma which is typically under control with medications, but even my rescue inhaler had very little effect. I had been to Beijing a few times in the past with moderate smog and it didn't bother my asthma, but on this day the smog was in another league. Without that warning I certainly would have gone out sightseeing, no doubt bad things would have happened to me without that warning.

I know of another instance of an American who was volunteer teaching in a remote part of Lebanon when the Israel-Hezbollah war broke out in 2006. Because she registered her stay, the US embassy was able to find her, and transport her to an evacuation ship to safety to Cyprus.

In yet another episode I was in Mexico City with a thousand other US soccer fans when the national team was playing a World Cup qualifying match. After the match a bunch of smart-ass US fans decided to hang a large American flag outside the window of the hotel the traveling fans were staying in, which happened to be across from a monument where Mexican fans congregate to celebrate a victory. The locals didn't take the flag well and hundreds of fans attacked the hotel and riot police had to surround the hotel and literally beat back the mob. The US embassy was adjacent to the hotel, they placed a spotter on the roof, and texted minute by minute details of exactly where the mob was and how to navigate around the police line for Americans stuck out in the streets.

While the above scenarios are unlikely in Western Europe, natural disasters can happen anywhere.

sally,

The Canadian government has a similar program called Travel Smart and there's a handy App to go with that - https://travel.gc.ca/mobile

I haven't registered in the past but likely will on future trips abroad. I normally travel solo so it's probably a good idea.

Thanks for your feedbacks. I will register for STEP.

More importantly for others not aware get travel insurance.
But what about the old school folks who travel without smart internet cell phone thingy or email; do we need this technology to know that we are in trouble on vacation or traveling if we enroll in STEP? or is this just for the tech savvy like my 2 year old great grand son who can troubleshoot anything?

We don't. Our only connection to the world is the hotel wifi in the evening. If we turn on the ipad and the wifi is working. Doesn't always happen.

do we need this technology to know that we are in trouble on vacation
or traveling if we enroll in STEP?

Without some sort of device one obviously wouldn't be able to receive alerts via text or email. But when you register you give the site your hotel details so in the event of some sort of serious "disaster" like an earthquake, the consulate can "physically" reach out to you to see if you are okay and need assistance. Also the service is an alternate method for your friends and relatives in the US to have in consulate contact you in case they have concerns for your welfare.

Strikes and natural disasters are indeed part of the STEP notifications.

I looked at the STEP web site, and it doesn't look like strikes are covered. Maybe if it was a crippling or violent nationwide strike. Natural disasters would probably be covered if it was actually in the country you're in. However, something like the Icelandic volcano that crippled air traffic for several days might or might not. I could see how it would be useful to some people who might need to be contacted in an emergency, but since we take a laptop and a phone for email and calls, we wouldn't need that.

laptop and a phone for email and calls, we wouldn't need that.

In the event of a natural disaster don't assume that you will have reliable internet/phone service, or even electricity to keep you devices charged.

Of course I can't find it now but I SWEAR I have received notices from the STEP program advising of big strike actions here in France.

Traveling in Europe, I don't use the program at all, never have, not interested.