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During any holiday abroad, it is good to know from where to obtain advice and find help should anything untoward happen.
If you are on holiday with a tour company or travel company that uses the services of a holiday rep, these are the people you should call upon in an emergency.
If you are travelling independently, unless you are in an English speaking country, or you have some semblance of the local language, the first port of call would be your nearest British Consulate.
As a Brit abroad, consular staff are there to help you, up to a point, but contrary to popular belief, they do not cater to every whim of every tourist.
Listed below are the do's and don'ts of the ways in which consular staff can help a tourist when in trouble abroad.
BRITISH CONSULAR STAFF CAN HELP YOU WITH
Issuing lost or stolen passports.
Arranging the services of English speaking lawyers, doctors and interpreters.
Arranging for you to use telephone and internet services to contact friends or relatives back home.
Informing relatives and friends back home for you, if you are unable.
Making prison visits.
Help with the arrangements of the death of a fellow traveler
Help with repatriation in extreme circumstances. *
Arrange a loan for repatriation under extreme circumstances. *
BRITISH CONSULAR STAFF CAN NOT HELP YOU WITH
Legal advice.
Paying any bills for you.
Paying any travel costs for you.
Paying any medical costs for you.
Organising travel arrangements.
Finding you work or accommodation.
Getting you out of prison in the event of an arrest.
* Extreme circumstances can include, a military coup, occupation or war or major natural disaster such as an earthquake.
Consular staff would help where able under these circumstances with instructions from the British government, and services would be offered on an en mass basis to all British subjects.
You can find the address of any British Consulate around the world by visiting
- www.fco.gov.uk/find-an-embassy.
To find a complete list of foreign consulates based in the U.K, please visit
Google Sites
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