smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
6. Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.
Consular officers help Australians in trouble. Working across 24 time zones, sometimes in countries where local facilities and systems differ enormously from those in Australia.
Our staff make the best of things in the face of poor medical or transport facilities in remote or less-developed locations. There can be real communications challenges when phone lines are poorly maintained, or when political or economic conditions are unstable. Differing climates, cultures and local religious beliefs may limit the options available to consular officials, particularly when they are handling cases of death or dispute over child custody involving an Australian parent.
Consular staff cannot use their position to influence unduly or bypass local laws or processes, even when these would appear by Australian standards to be unfair or unnecessarily arduous. While consular staff can sometimes use their knowledge and understanding of the local environment to facilitate support, they must work within the legal and administrative constraints applying in their host country.
In carrying out their duties in other countries, our staff are bound by a set of international rules governing consular work. These are set out in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963. Most countries, including Australia, are parties to the Convention.
Australian consular officials:
Consulates headed by an Honorary Consul provide only some of the above services.
Australian consular officials:
See also