What kind of help we can provide if you get into difficulty

This page gives advice about what help we can provide. The services offered are appropriate to the individual circumstances of each case, including:

• issuing  replacement passports;
• providing information about  transferring  funds;
• support & guidance if you have suffered rape or serious assault, are a victim of other crime, or are hospitalised whether for physical or mental illness;
• providing details of local lawyers, interpreters, doctors and funeral directors;
• doing all we properly can to contact you within 24 hours of being told that you have been detained;
• offering support and help in a range of other cases, such as child abductions, death of relatives overseas, missing people and kidnapping;
• contacting family or friends for you in cases of need; and
• making special arrangements in cases of terrorism, civil disturbances or natural disasters.

UK law requires that we charge for some services. Consulates display the current fees and the standards of service you can expect under Service First.

We cannot...

• get you out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings; 
•  help you enter a country, for example, if you do not have a visa or your passport is not valid, as we cannot interfere in another country’s immigration policy or procedures;
• give you legal advice, investigate crimes or carry out searches for missing people, although we can give you details of people who may be able to help you in these cases, such as English-speaking lawyers;
• get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people;
• pay  any bills or give you money (In very exceptional circumstances we may lend you some money from public funds, which you will have to pay back);
  make travel arrangements for you, or find you work or accommodation; or
• make business arrangements on your behalf.