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  1. Home
  2. While you’re away

While you’re away

Last Updated
Wednesday, 05/06/2024

 

When Australians travel, we're far from our regular support networks. Learn what you can do, and how and when consular services can assist you.

The pages in this section provide information on a range of topics. This includes:

  • What to do when when things go wrong overseas
  • What happens when you're a victim of a crime overseas
  • Advice if there’s a crisis or national emergency in your location
  • Consular services and emergency support overseas
  • Advice on returning to Australia

These pages are for Australians who are already overseas. They include both urgent and non-urgent matters. If you’re looking for information about how to prevent problems in the first place, see our general advice before you go.

When things go wrong

In most cases when things go wrong, your immediate concern is to ensure your personal safety. You may need to contact local police, ambulance or other emergency services. We list these details in the travel advice for each destination.

Contact your friends and family back home – and your travel insurer. Most insurers have 24-hour emergency lines and processes to help you in a wide range of situations. Topics are:

  • how to  get medical assistance
  • what to do if you're arrested or jailed
  • dealing with money problems
  • passport services overseas
  • dealing with lost or damaged property
  • what to do if someone is missing
  • what do do if someone has died.

Victim of a crime overseas

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

We've prepared practical advice for what to do when there's a crime overseas. Learn what to do if you've been:

  • sexually assaulted
  • scammed
  • robbed or mugged
  • assaulted.

Crisis and national emergencies

We’ve prepared general advice about what to do when there’s a crisis or national emergency. This includes what to do during, or immediately after, a crisis or emergency. We also explain how and when the Australian Government can help overseas.

See our general advice on what to do if there's a:

  • hurricane or cyclone
  • demonstration or civil unrest
  • terrorist incident
  • earthquake
  • volcanic eruption.

Consular services overseas

We deliver a range of consular services for Australians through our embassies, consulates and high commissions overseas. We also provide urgent support through our 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre.

It’s important to understand when it is appropriate to seek support from us. It’s also important to understand the limits of consular support, and in what situations we can and can’t help you.

  • Read the Consular Services Charter to understand when and how we can help.
  • If urgent, contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre.
  • Learn about how to vote while overseas at an embassy, consulate or high commission.
  • Learn how to get Australian documents legalised (notarised) overseas.
  • See what to do if you have a lost, stolen or damaged passport.
  • Find contact details for Australian embassies, consulates and high commissions.

Returning to Australia

We provide advice on reducing your risk of experiencing problems when heading home to Australia. This includes information on customs and biosecurity, and where you can find more information.

See our general advice on returning to Australia.

Related content

Terrorism

Terrorism remains a threat to Australians living and travelling overseas. Before you travel overseas, it's important to understand the risk of terrorism worldwide.

View details
Protests and civil unrest

Protesting can range from a few people at a small local rally to a large demonstration with thousands of people. Read more to learn how to stay safe if there are protests or civil unrest while you're travelling.

View details
Crises

Crises that affect a large number of Australians overseas usually require a response beyond our normal consular services.

View details

Emergency consular assistance

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

Enquiries and feedback

For non-urgent enquiries, or to provide feedback on consular services that you've recently received, contact us online.

For information on notarial services, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au

To report a vulnerability you’ve identified on this website or to find out more about the department’s Vulnerability Disclosure Policy visit the DFAT website

About us

Smartraveller is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

For more information go to about us.

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Main navigation

  • Home
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Europe and the Schengen Area
      • Getting a foreign visa
      • Travel insurance
      • CHOICE travel insurance buying guide
    • Who you are
      • Academics
      • Colour, race, ethnicity, or religion
      • Dual nationals
      • Journalists
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Mature and older travellers
      • School leavers
      • Travelling with children
      • Travelling with a disability
      • Travelling with pets
      • Women
    • Activities
      • Adoption
      • Antarctica and the Arctic
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
      • Retiring overseas
      • Sports and adventure
      • Studying
      • Surrogacy
      • Volunteering
    • Major events
      • Cultural events
        • Travel overseas for Anzac Day
      • Religious events
        • Travel overseas for Ramadan
        • Travel overseas for Hajj
      • Sporting events
        • Rugby League Las Vegas 2025
    • Health
      • Infectious diseases
      • Going overseas for a medical procedure
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medication and medical equipment
      • Mental health
      • Organ transplant tourism
      • Pregnancy
      • Reciprocal health care agreements
      • What happens if you die overseas
    • Staying safe
      • Armed conflict
      • Assault
      • Cyber security
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Protests and civil unrest
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Middle East
    • Pacific
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Volcanic eruption
      • Bushfire
      • Nuclear incident
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
  • Urgent help
  • Our services
    • Consular State of Play
      • Data
      • Case studies
      • Images
      • Videos
      • Audio
      • Historical data
    • Consular Services Charter
      • ميثاق الخدمات القنصلية (Arabic)
      • 领事服务章程 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 領事服務章程 (Chinese Traditional)
      • Panduan Layanan Konsuler (Indonesian)
      • 領事サービス憲章 (Japanese)
      • 영사 서비스 헌장 (Korean)
      • กฎบัตรว่าด้วยบริการต่าง ๆ ของกงสุล (Thai)
      • Quy định về Dịch Vụ Lãnh Sự (Vietnamese)
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
      • 日本語 (Japanese)
      • 한국어 (Korean)
      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
    • Crises
    • News and updates
    • Notarial services
      • Documents we can legalise
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Passport services
    • Resources
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement
    • Subscription
    • Travel advice explained
    • Voting overseas