I need urgent help

If you’re an Australian citizen, permanent resident or Australian visa holder currently in Afghanistan and you need urgent assistance, call +61 2 6261 3305.

If you're a citizen of Afghanistan seeking information about visas, visit the Department of Home Affairs or call +61 2 6196 0196.

• I need urgent consular assistance
• There's a crisis or emergency
• I'm the victim of a crime

• I need a passport
• Something else has gone wrong
• I need help subscribing
• I need help using this website

There are limits to how and when the Australian Government can help. Read this information in conjunction with the Consular Services Charter.

If you’re a dual national, there may be limits to the level of assistance we can provide in the country of your other nationality.

Emergency consular assistance

If you’re in a life-threatening situation or need immediate assistance, contact the local emergency authorities. Find the local emergency numbers under ‘Local contacts’ in the travel advisory for your destination.

If you, or someone you know, needs urgent help or you have significant welfare concerns, emergency consular assistance is available 24 hours a day by calling the Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) in Canberra on:

• 1300 555 135 (within Australia)
• +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas)

For non-urgent assistance during working hours, you can contact the  Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate for the destination you're in. 

Help in a crisis or emergency

A crisis is a major event that may affect the safety and well-being of a large number of people. Crises can follow natural disasters, large-scale accidents, civil unrest, terrorism or conflict.

If there's a crisis in or near your location, you have options in your destination and from back home to get help.

Local authorities

If you’re in a life-threatening situation or need immediate assistance in a crisis, contact the local emergency authorities. Emergency services contacts are listed in the 'local contacts' section of the travel advisory for your destination. 

Family and friends

Reach out to your family and friends and ask for help. Especially if you need money, or if you need someone to help coordinate flights out.

The Australian Government

The Australian Government decides if a major overseas incident is a crisis event impacting Australians.

If we declare a crisis, we can help through a formal crisis response. We'll activate a crisis page on Smartraveller. It will provide current information and advice on the situation and what you should do.

If a crisis occurs while you or someone you know is travelling, you can contact us for urgent help in several ways:

• using the online emergency form that is available when the crisis page is activated on Smartraveller
• by calling 1300 555 135 (in Australia) or + 61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas)

If we haven't declared a crisis but you still need consular assistance, contact the closest Australian Embassy or Consulate, or the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 from anywhere in the world.

It's important you understand our limits, especially in a crisis. Read the Consular Services Charter.

Travel insurance

Contact your travel insurer. If you can't find their emergency number, look them up on Find an Insurer (Insurance council of Australia).

Help if you're a victim of a crime

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of a crime overseas, you may need urgent support. This can be from local police, medical professionals or the CEC. Local emergency numbers are available under ‘Local contacts’ in the travel advisory for your destination.

You can also seek support from family and friends back home, as well as your travel insurer.

We've prepared these pages with practical advice for what to do if you're a victim of a crime overseas.

• Assaulted
• Sexually assaulted
• Scammed
• Robbed or mugged
• Piracy
• Someone has been kidnapped

Help if something else has happened

Most Australians have a great time overseas and don't have health, safety or other problems. However, sometimes things don't go as planned.

Explore these pages for general advice about what you can do when things go wrong overseas.

• Arrested or jailed overseas
• Lost or damaged property overseas
• Passport problems overseas
• Medical assistance overseas
• Money problems overseas
• Someone has died overseas
• Someone is missing overseas

Help with other consular services

The Australian Government can provide some notarial services. The services we provide depends if requested in Australia or overseas. We charge fees for our service. Learn about our notarial services.

If you'll be overseas on the day of an Australian election, you can still have your say. Learn more about voting while overseas.

Read more about our services.

Help with passports

We offer passport services in Australia through the Australian Passports Office. We deliver passport services overseas through our embassies, high commissions and consulates.

Help with subscription

Subscribing gives you travel advice updates straight to your inbox. You can also opt in to receive SMS ‘critical alerts’ for crises overseas.

We strongly encourage you to subscribe so you’re well-informed for your trip overseas.

For assistance with subscribing or unsubscribing, see our Subscription page.

Help with this website

We aim to meet accessibility guidelines. We strive to ensure Smartraveller meets the highest accessibility level possible. Visit our accessibility page to learn more.

Email your feedback about our website using our online contact form.