Consular assistance is help and advice provided by the diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country who are living or traveling overseas. The diplomats may be honorary

consuls A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

, or members of the country's diplomatic service. Such assistance may take the form of: * provision of replacement

travel document A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international entity pursuant to international agreements to enable individuals to clear border control measures. Travel documents usually assure other governments that the beare ...

s * advice and support in the case of an accident, serious illness, or death * advice and support to victims of serious crime overseas, and arranging for next-of-kin to be informed * visitation contact with incarcerated nationals * liaison with local police officials in the case of nationals abducted or missing overseas * loans to distressed travellers * help during crises, such as

civil unrest Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, civil strife, or turmoil, are situations when law enforcement and security forces struggle to maintain public order or tranquility. Causes Any number of things may cause civil di ...

and natural disasters * facilitating the overseas payment of

social welfare Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance p ...

benefits * registering

citizen Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...

births abroad * providing a list of local doctors and lawyers for medical and/or legal issues * supervising their flag vessels in foreign harbours Such assistance commonly does not extend to: * storing luggage or valuables * intervening in commercial disputes on behalf of their nationals * providing travel agency, banking, or postal services * money changing * translation and interpreting services * legal advice or advocacy * negotiation of special treatment, bail, or early release from prison * criminal investigation * employment services

Vienna Convention on Consular Relations

At Article 5, the

Vienna Convention on Consular Relations The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines a framework for consulate, consular International relations, relations between sovereign states. It codifies many consular practices that originated from Customar ...

gives the most broad, detailed, and internationally accepted definition of 'consular functions':Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1973] ATS 7)

References

{{Diplomacy Consular affairs Passports Assistance

Vienna Convention on Consular Relations

See also

References