Jan 3rd 2008, 19:46

Help for U.S. Citizens Abroad

Get financial help and return home safely

U.S. citizens in financial distress while living or traveling abroad may be eligible for temporary assistance from the government. This kind of help is valuable in cases of robbery and other circumstances where the U.S. citizen do not have other means to support himself or herself.

American embassies in other countries usually provide assistance in contacting the U.S. citizen's family members and friends back home and connecting the citizen to resources that could send him or her money while abroad.

In some cases, a loan can be extended via the Repatriation Loan Program. The kinds of temporary assistance given under this program include:

• Port-of-entry assistance
• Domestic Travel Assistance
• Assistance for Medical and/or Psychiatric Care,
• Assistance to Unaccompanied Minors, and
• Resettlement/ Maintenance/ Other Assistance.

Since this is a loan, the recipient is expected to repay the costs of the assistance given to him or her during this time of need. The loan program is mainly geared towards helping destitute U.S. citizens abroad to return home safely.

This program is open to those who are:

• U.S. citizens (established by clear documentary evidence such as passport, birth certificate, etc.);
• Destitute and would experience hardship if not returned to the U.S.;
• Without relatives or friends in the US or abroad who will provide assistance; and/or
• Involved in, or the cause of, a situation which may damage the prestige of the US Government or which may provide some other compelling reason to effect the applicant's prompt repatriation, without meeting the subparagraphs above.

For more information about this program, you can get in touch with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you are located. You can also call the Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management at (202) 647-5225.

 

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