How to Have a Safe and Healthy Trip - Know Before You Go...
As you travel, keep abreast of local news coverage. If you plan a stay in one place for longer than a few weeks, or, if you are in an area where communications poor, experiencing civil unrest or some natural disaster, you are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate. Registration takes only a few moments, and it may be invaluable in case of an emergency.

Other useful precautions are:

• Leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers of you passport or other citizenship documents with a friend or relative in the United States.
• Bring either a U.S. passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate and photo identification.
• Carry your photo identification and the name of a person to contact with you in the event of serious illness or other emergency.
• Keep photocopies of your airline or other tickets and your list of travelers checks with you in a separate location from the originals and leave copies with someone at home.
• Leave things like unnecessary credit cards and expensive jewelry at home.
• Bring travelers checks, not cash.
• Use a money belt or concealed pouch for passport, cash and other valuables.
• Do not bring firearms or ammunition into Mexico without written permission from the Mexican government.

Consular Information Program
Before traveling, obtain the Consular Information Sheet for Mexico and any other countries you plan to visit. You should also check to see if the Department of State has issued a Travel Warning or public Announcement for the country or countries you will be visiting. Travel Warnings are issued when the Department of State decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that all Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions which would pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Consular Information Sheets are available for every country in the world. They include such information as the location as the location of the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. A description of political disturbances may be included in the Consular Information Sheet under an optional section entitled "Areas of Instability." On limited occasions, the Department also restates in this section U.S. Embassy advice given to official employees. Consular Information Sheets present information so that travelers can make knowledgeable decisions concerning travel to a particular country. Countries where we suggest that you not travel will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular Information Sheets.