Embassies
can help travellers who for some reason or another find themselves in need of assistance.

Consulates
In many countries, you will also find one or more consulates. These may also be able to assist in an emergency situation.

Honorary Consulates
By far, most consulates are honorary consulates. Many of the tasks processed by the consulate must be done in consultation with the embassy, which means that matters often take longer to process.
At those locations in the world where there are neither an embassy nor any consulate, you may - in an emergency - turn to another country’s embassy/consulate for help. Their addresses and telephone numbers are found in the local telephone catalogue. In these countries, you have the right to the same help on the same conditions as do citizen of the countries represented. When needed, they can also issue temporary travel documents in order to make it possible to travel home.

Embassies and Consulates

• can offer assistance and advice if you find yourself in an emergency situation. For example, they can contact relatives in your home country, issue passports or refer to lawyers, doctors and interpreters.
• in a non-self-induced emergency, they can issue temporary loans for journeys home.  
• cannot exchange currency, pay for any medical care costs or homeward journeys in the event of illness or accident.