Consular assistance is help and advice provided by the diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country who are living or traveling overseas.
Such assistance may take the form of:
- provision of replacement travel documents
- advice and support in the case of an accident, serious illness or death
- advice and support to victims of serious crime overseas, and arranging for next-of-kin to be informed
- visitation contact with incarcerated nationals
- liaison with local police officials in the case of nationals abducted or missing overseas
- loans to distressed travellers
- help during crises, such as civil unrest and natural disasters
- facilitating the overseas payment of social welfare benefits
- registering citizen births abroad
- providing a list of local doctors and lawyers
- supervising their flag vessels in foreign harbours
Such assistance commonly does not extend to:
- storing luggage or valuables
- intervening in commercial disputes on behalf of their nationals
- providing travel agency, banking, or postal services
- money changing
- translation and interpreting services
- legal advice or advocacy
- negotiation of special treatment, bail, or early release from prison
- criminal investigation
- employment services
Read more about Consular Assistance: Vienna Convention On Consular Relations
Famous quotes containing the word assistance:
“Surely life, if it be not long, is tedious, since we are forced to call in the assistance of so many trifles to rid us of our time, of that time which never can return.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
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