Emergency Services
The American Citizen Services unit can be of assistance in a variety of emergency situations.
Replace a Passport - If you lose your passport, a consular officer can process a new application and issue you an emergency replacement or another travel document, often within 24 hours. If you believe your passport has been stolen, report the theft to the local police and get a police declaration. The consular officer must verify your identity and citizenship before issuing the replacement. Typically this is done through examination of whatever citizenship and identity documents are available, plus an interview with the applicant. Normal fees generally apply. Replacement passports needed for urgent travel will be limited in validity, and cannot be extended. Bearers will be required to exchange, at no additional cost, their limited-validity passports for a full-validity digitized passports upon completion of their urgent travel. See the link at the right for passport application forms.
Help Find Medical Assistance - If you get sick, you can contact a consular officer for a list of local doctors, dentists, and medical specialists, along with other medical information (please see the download to the right for a current list of doctors). If you are injured or become seriously ill, a consul will help you find medical assistance and, at your request, inform your family or friends. Consider getting private medical insurance before you travel, to cover the high cost of getting you back to the U.S. for hospital care in the event of a medical emergency.
Help Get Funds - Should you lose all your money and other financial resources, consular officers can help you contact your family, bank, or employer to arrange for them to send you funds. In some cases, these funds can be wired to you through the Department of State.
Help Determine Welfare and Whereabouts - Your family may need to reach you because of an emergency at home or because they are worried about your welfare. They should call the State Department's Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. The State Department will relay the message to the consular officers in the country in which you are traveling. Consular officers will attempt to locate you, pass on urgent messages, and, consistent with the Privacy Act, report back to your family.
Visit In Jail - While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's law and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States. If you are arrested, you should ask the authorities to notify a U.S. consul. Consuls cannot circumvent the local legal process, but they can work to protect your legitimate interests and ensure you are not discriminated against. They can provide a list of local attorneys (please see the download to the right), visit you, inform you generally about local laws, and contact your family and friends. Consular officers can transfer money, food, and clothing to the prison authorities from your family or friends. They can try to get relief if you are held under inhumane or unhealthful conditions.
Make Arrangements After The Death Of An American - When an American dies abroad, a consular officer notifies the American's family and informs them about options and costs for disposition of remains. Costs for preparing and returning a body to the U.S. may be high and must be paid by the family. Often, local laws and procedures make returning a body to the U.S. for burial a lengthy process. A consul prepares a Report of Death based on the local death certificate; this is forwarded to the next of kin for use in estate and insurance matters.
Help In A Disaster/Evacuation - If you are caught up in a natural disaster or civil disturbance, you should let your relatives know as soon as possible that you are safe, or contact a U.S. consul who will pass that message to your family through the State Department. U.S. officials will do everything they can to contact you and advise you. However, they must give priority to helping Americans who have been hurt or are in immediate danger.
What Consular Officers Cannot Do - In addition to the qualifications noted above, consular officers cannot act as travel agents, banks, lawyers, investigators, or law enforcement officers. Please do not expect them to find you employment, get you residence or driving permits, act as interpreters, search for missing luggage, or settle disputes with hotel managers. They can, however, tell you how to get help on these and other matters.
Consular officers, as a general rule, also may not reveal information regarding an individual American's location, welfare, intentions, or problems to anyone, including the family members and Congressional representatives, without the expressed consent of that individual. Although sympathetic to the distress this can cause concerned families, consular officers must comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act.
