Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Electricity
Embassies & Consulates
It's important to realise what your own embassy can and can't do to help if you get into trouble. Remember that you are
bound by the laws of the country you are in and this is very much the approach your embassy will take. Your embassy
will not be sympathetic if you end up in jail after committing a crime locally, even if such actions are legal in your own
country.
In genuine emergencies you might get some assistance, but only if other channels have been exhausted. For example,
if you need to get home urgently, a free ticket home is extremely unlikely - the embassy would expect you to have in-
surance. If you have all your money and documents stolen, it might assist with getting a new passport, but a loan for on-
ward travel will be out of the question.
Some embassies used to keep letters for travellers or have a small reading room with newspapers and magazines from
home, but few provide these services any more.
Note that in some parts of Africa, countries are represented by an 'honorary consul' who is not a full-time diplomat
but usually an expatriate with limited (and rarely visa- or passport-issuing) duties. If your country does not have an em-
bassy in a particular country, another embassy will likely be designated to look after your interests (eg Canadian em-
bassies often have an 'Australian interests' section).
