International Travel Resources

The international travel services and resources listed below are provided for U.S. citizens who travel abroad. The websites listed will help you plan a safe and secure trip to your international destination.

International Travel Health

CDC, Cruise Vessel Sanitation Program
The Green Sheet lists cruise ships’ most recent inspections scores and the Vessel Sanitation database. Make sure the cruise ship you plan to board is up to par.

CDC, National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases (NCPDCID)
The mission of NCPDCID is to prevent illness, disability, and death caused by infectious diseases in the United States and around the world. Get up-to-date reports on health problems around the world.

The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM)
In cooperation with national and international health care providers, academic centers, the travel industry and the media, ISTM advocates and facilitates education, service, and research activities in the field of travel medicine.

Official Pandemic Influenza Website
One-stop access to U.S. Government H1N1, avian and pandemic flu information.

The World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

International Travel News

News – Foreign News Service
World News Connection® (WNC) is an online news service, that provides you with the power to identify what really is happening in a specific country or region.

News – International Broadcasting
The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) encompasses all U.S. civilian international broadcasting, including the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio and TV Martí, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN)—Radio Sawa and Alhurra Television.

News – State Department Daily Press Briefings
Daily briefings made by a State Department spokesperson that you can either read or watch. Each statement lists important decisions and actions taken by the U.S. government in various parts of the world and a question and answer session.

International Travel Regulations

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Importing food, plant, animal products, clearing goods through customs, and more. A Department of Homeland Security site.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS)
Information about bringing food, plants, or animal products into the U.S. List of prohibited items and those you can bring in when you return to the United States.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
The goal of WHTI is to facilitate entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors, while strengthening U.S. border security.

International Travel Safety

Emergency Services for U.S. Citizens Abroad
List of emergency services provided to United States citizens when abroad by U.S. consulates. Topics include death abroad, arrest, victim of crime, emergency passport and more.

Embassy Registration for Americans Abroad
Travel registration is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. Registration allows you to record information about your upcoming trip abroad that the Department of State can use to assist you in case of an emergency.

Travel Alerts
Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information about short-term conditions, generally within a particular country, that pose imminent risks to the security of U.S. citizens. Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations or violence, and high-profile events such as international conferences or regional sports events are examples of conditions that might generate a Travel Alert.

Travel Warnings
Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

World Destinations

CIA World Factbook
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities.

Currency Exchange Rates
This quarterly report reflects exchange rates at which the U.S. government can acquire foreign currencies for official expenditures as reported by disbursing officers for each post on the last business day of the month prior to the date of the published report.

Embassies and Consulates of the World
Directory & Search Engine Of Every Nation's Embassies & Consulates.

Flags of the World
Flag images of countries worldwide. Includes description of and information about each flag.

National Websites Listed by Country
Links to country-specific sites. There are some good resources available although the list has not been updated since 2002.

Telephone
Instructions on how to make international long distance phone calls to every nation in the world.