If you are abroad or anywhere outside the US, there are many reasons why you might need to find a US consulate or US embassy:
1) You have lost your passport and other identifying information.
2) You have been the victim of a crime while traveling and need help.
3) You have been accused of a crime or arrested outside the US.
4) While traveling, civil conflict or natural disaster has made your stay unsafe and you need to evacuate the country.
5) You run into any legal trouble or any serious problems and require assistance.
6) You cannot leave the country or re-enter the US for some reason.
7) You are not a US citizen or permanent resident but wish apply for a visa to travel to the US.
A US consulate or US embassy can help you in all of these cases, provided that you are a US citizen or permanent resident or are traveling to the US. However, if you are facing a serious problem abroad – such as a natural disaster or an arrest – it can be hard to find your nearest US consulate, USCIS office, or US embassy. Some countries have only one or two US consulates or embassies, and you may be miles away. As well, you may simply have a hard time learning where your consulate is.
Before you leave the US, it’s a good idea to note down the numbers of the US embassy, US consulate, and USCIS office and the locations of these offices at your travel destination. Place this information in your wallet, luggage, or somewhere where it will not easily get lost. This way, if you need to contact the US embassy or US consulate at your destination, you will have the contact number available.
Be sure to leave contact information for the US embassy or consulate at your destination with a close friend or family member. This way, if you lose the information, you can contact your friend or family member to ask for the information. This is also useful, as it allows your loved one to be alerted to the fact that there is a problem. Your friend can contact local authorities to ensure that you get help at your destination as well.
If you have not written down the location of the nearest US consulate or US embassy and find yourself stuck aboard, you can also find a list of US embassies online at the US Department of State: http://www.usembassy.gov/. Most airports and libraries will also contain this information, although the language barrier at your destination can make it hard for you to find out the exact location of the nearest US consulate or US embassy.