Consular protection
Help for EU citizens outside the EU
If you need consular assistance abroad, you should first contact the local embassy or consulate of your EU country of nationality, or your foreign ministry.
If you need assistance in a country outside the EU where your own EU country does not have an embassy or consulate, you can seek assistance from the embassy or consulate of any other EU country. You are entitled to receive the same support as citizens of the EU country whose embassy or consulate you contact.
In this case, you will prove your identity (through a passport or identity card). If your travel documents have been lost or stolen, your nationality will be checked by other means (such as through a check with the authorities of your EU country of nationality).
In some cases, your EU country will have concluded an arrangement with a specific other EU country to provide consular assistance. In this case, you might be requested to approach that EU country, unless the situation requires urgent assistance.
Types of assistance
The embassy or consulate may assist you, for instance, if you lose your travel document, in case of serious accidents or illness, if you are a victim of crime or are arrested, or if you require repatriation in case of an emergency.
If you have lost your travel documents, you will be issued an EU Emergency Travel Document that allows you to return home.
Embassy or consulate staff can also provide support and help if a loved one dies (registration, informing next of kin, repatriation of remains).
Be aware that there are limits to what embassies and consulates can do for you, in particular in crisis situations.
Before you travel
Before you travel, check if your EU country has an embassy or consulate in the non-EU country to which you are travelling. If your country is not represented, check the details of the embassies and consulates of other EU countries and keep this information handy in case you need it.
You should also verify the entry requirements (such as passport validity, visa) and any other restrictions that might apply in the country you are travelling to as well as any conditions when re-entering your home country. Finally, make sure to check your EU country’s latest travel advice (provided by national authorities) regarding your destination and register your trip with your EU country, if it provides a platform to do so.
See also:
Factsheet on consular protection