smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
We undertake to deal with you fairly, honestly, equitably and courteously. We will provide you with all available relevant information that we obtain about your case – if through doing so we do not violate the rights of anyone else whose interests we may also have a duty to protect.
We also expect you to deal with us fairly, honestly and courteously and provide us with all relevant information about your case to enable us to help you.
We are committed to providing an effective, prompt and courteous consular service to all Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents. We will do all we can to help for as long as our help is necessary, including, in relation to emergency consular matters, after hours, weekends and public holidays.
In cases where we are not able to assist you, we will always try to explain fully to you the reasons why. If we cannot help you, we will do our best to advise where you can obtain the assistance you are seeking.
Our consular staff include trained and dedicated people from many ethnic backgrounds, including nationals of the countries in which you are travelling. You can be confident that staff dealing with your problem or providing you with assistance have the skills and experience required to carry out those tasks effectively.
Many Australian posts overseas include staff from other government departments including Austrade, the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Defence and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. While these officers will also try to assist in certain circumstances, they may not be trained as consular officers.
It is the responsibility of individual travellers to make informed travel choices. The Australian Government takes very seriously its consular responsibility to ensure Australians overseas are aware of the safety and security environment of their destinations. As situations vary from country to country, there may be constraints, which can limit the ability of the department to provide consular assistance, particularly in countries where the potential for violent conflict or political instability is high.
You have a right to privacy and a right to be provided with all available information relevant to your case. We will respect your right to privacy in accordance with Australian privacy legislation.
In the event you need the help of consular officials while overseas, you should be aware that your rights to privacy are protected by the Privacy Act 1988. In accordance with this Act, information about you cannot be disclosed, even to you immediate family or friends, except in certain circumstances such as when you provide your consent.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been granted a waiver under the Privacy Act that permits personal information to be disclosed in certain limited circumstances. These include serious threats to someone’s health or life, where there are humanitarian reasons, in a crisis situation, or to confirm, correct or clarify media reports that an Australian citizen has been arrested or imprisoned overseas. The waiver is rarely used. The full text of the Privacy Commissioner’s limited waiver affecting consular work can be found at smartraveller.gov.au/tips/privacy.html.
More about the Consular Services Charter