This summary lists ways you can help yourself stay safe in the DRC and what help the U.S. Embassy can provide in the event of situations affecting Americans living or traveling in the DRC.

What You Can Do:

• Check the Department of State travel website.
• Follow news reports of any problems in the area(s) where you live or travel.
• Ensure that your passport is valid and contains necessary visas for the DRC and other countries you might need to transit in case of emergency. Fill in the next of kin details in your passport.
• Follow local, trusted advice about what is safe and unsafe, usual and unusual.
• American citizens should enroll with the consular section and update this information regularly.
• Leave copies of your important documents with trusted family or friends.
• Have adequate emergency funds immediately accessible.
• Get to know the areas in which you live and travel.  Find out about, and adhere to, local laws and customs.
• Avoid large crowds and demonstrations.
• Pay attention to what is going on around you.
• Prepare and practice your own emergency plan in advance of a crisis.
• In case of civil unrest or infrastructure breakdown, be prepared to remain in your personal safe haven for 3-5 days.
• Have adequate supplies of food, water, medicine and other emergency supplies on hand.

 What the U.S. Embassy Can Do:

• Communicate information that has been determined to be reliable as clearly and quickly as possible to all registered Americans and update it as needed.
• Determine as soon as possible what help can be provided in the event of major crises such as natural disaster, large-scale accident, conflict, or terrorism and assist American citizens in taking advantage of the available options.
• Provide emergency travel assistance loans, if necessary, in the event of the need to repatriate or evacuate American citizens.
• Relay messages about your welfare and whereabouts to family and friends in accordance with your Privacy Act waiver instructions.
• Provide updates on the local crisis to the Department of State for the information of family and friends outside of the DRC.

 What the U.S. Embassy Cannot Do:

• Provide personal protection and security services to individual American citizens, NGOs, or private businesses.
• Provide individual search and rescue missions.

 Who the U.S. Embassy Can Help:

• Emergency assistance, including help with evacuation is provided to all U.S. citizens.