In
consultation with lrish Embassies and Consulates abroad and,
sometimes, those of our EU partners, the Consular Section of
the Department of Foreign Affairs provides a range of services
relating to the consular protection of Irish citizens visiting
or resident in other countries. The principal consular
services provided are:
issuing emergency
passports
assistance to
victims of serious accidents, illnesses or crime
assisting people
detained, arrested or imprisoned abroad
transferring funds
to Irish citizens abroad where conventional means are
unreliable or non-existent
repatriation of
Irish citizens in distress
assistance in
connection with deaths abroad and the return of remains
to Ireland.
Other services of a
consular nature provided by the Irish Government to Irish
citizens are:
advice and
information about immigration to and employment and
living conditions
in foreign
countries
advising intending
travellers about conditions in particular countries
assistance in
cases of disputed custody of children
following up
inquiries about the welfare or whereabouts of Irish
citizens abroad
attesting and
legalising signatures on documents
administering
oaths, taking affidavits and doing notarial acts and
The
Consular Section and Irish Embassies and Consulates abroad
accept applications from certain non-nationals for Irish
citizenship. Irish citizens in Ireland or in another country
(provided they are not also citizens of that country) are
entitled to consular services on request to the Consular
Section or to an Irish Embassy or Consulate abroad. Certain
foreign-born persons of Irish descent and foreign spouses of
Irish citizens may apply for Irish citizenship.
Irish
Embassies and Consulates play a major role in the provision of
consular assistance to Irish citizens. There are 40 Embassies
and 70 Consulates-General or Consulates throughout the world.
Embassies are staffed by full-time officials. Most
Consulates-General and Consulates are headed by honorary
appointees and may not always be able to provide a full range
of consular services.
The Addresses and
Telephone and Fax numbers of Embassies and Consulates are here.
In
countries where there is no Irish consular representation
Irish citizens may seek emergency assistance from Embassies or
Consulates of other European Union countries i.e. Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the
U.K. An information leaflet "Consular Protection for
Citizens of the European Union" is available from the
Consular Section on request (tel: +353 (0)1 4082302).
Your
passport is a valuable document. Without it you may be
prevented from travelling,including
to lreland. You must carry your passport
when travelling abroad, including on visits to other Member
States of the European Union except the U.K., although it is
advisable to bring some form of identification when travelling
to the U.K. You will often have to produce your passport when
registering at hotels or cashing travellers cheques. It is
advisable to carry your passport separate from other forms of
identification so as to reduce the risk of losing them all at
once. To carry some form of official identification at all
times is a legal requirement in many countries.
lf you lose your
passport abroad you should immediately report the loss to the
local police and then to the nearest Irish Embassy or
Consulate or, if there is none in the country concerned, to an
Embassy or Consulate of another EU Member State. An Emergency
Passport or Emergency Travel Document (for which there is a
fee) can be issued to you.
Having
citizenship of another country may have implications for you
as an Irish citizen when you travel abroad. For example, if
you are visiting the country of your other citizenship you may
be subject to laws which apply only to citizens of that
country. In those circumstances, Irish consular staff will be
able to give you only very limited assistance. If you travel
abroad using the passport relating to your other citizenship
you will be treated accordingly by the authorities of the
countries you visit.
Irish
citizens can visit, reside or work in other countries of the
European Union without the need to obtain visas or work
permits. Comprehensive information for people interested in
living, working or studying in another EU Member State is
available from the Commission of the European Communities, 18
Dawson Street Dublin 2 (free-phone 1-800-55 31 88) or here.
It is obligatory in some Member States to register with the
authorities when remaining for more than three months.
Information leaflets
and practical advice about living and working in other EU
countries and in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and
the U.S. are available from FçS offices throughout the
country. FçS can also provide country-specific information
about employment opportunities in other EU countries and in
Norway.
If you wish to live and
work in a country outside the EU you must meet the entry and
res-idency requirements of that country. Some non-EU countries
require Irish visitors to have visas and/or, where relevant,
work permits, prior to arrival; to enter such a country as a
tourist and then take up employment or other activity may be
unlawful. If in doubt you should contact the Embassy of the
country concerned and obtain as much information as you can
before you finalise your travel plans.
Consular staff in Irish
Embassies and Consulates can also provide general information
and advice to people living, working or studying in their
countries of accreditation as well as specific information
regarding employment laws relating to foreigners and about the
local education, health and social services. They can also
give addresses and contact details of local Irish
organisations and places often frequented by Irish people.
However, Embassies and
Consulates are unable to obtain visas or work or residence
permits for people or to arrange employment or accommodation
for them.
Prior
to travelling abroad for an extended period you should
consider consulting your doctor in order to discuss known or
possible health risks. This is particularly important if you
have an existing medical condition or are visiting a tropical
region or a country where the conditions exist for the spread
of infectious diseases. If you take medication on a regular
basis you should ask your doctor to prescribe an amount
adequate for your visit and bring it with you. It is also
advisable to bring a letter from your doctor outlining your
medical condition and the type of medication you require.
Certain diseases are
prevalent in particular world regions. Malaria is present in
parts of Africa, Cental and South America, Asia and the
Pacific. If you are proposing to visit any of those regions
you should seek specific medical advice on how to protect
against insect bites and make arrangements to obtain any
recommended preventative or curative medication. Some diseases
or illnesses - e.g. cholera, dysentry, hepatitis A, typhoid,
various types of food poisoning - can be contracted from
consumption of contaminated food or water, especially in areas
where standards of hygiene are low. If you are visiting such
areas you should avoid certain foodstuffs, particularly dairy
products, salads, seafoods and untreated water.
If you do not already
know them, you should make yourself familiar with the
precautions which should be taken to avoid contracting
sexually transmitted diseases. AIDS, in particular, can also
be contracted through use of infected needles or by recipients
of blood transfusions. Your doctor can provide advice on these
issues.
Being
abroad can greatly increase the distress of being injured or
becoming unwell. Having adequate insurance cover for medical
treatment will help lessen the impact. If you already have
private medical cover you should check with your insurer that
you are covered for foreign travel and find out how to avail
of it.
If you are visiting
another Member State of the European Union you are entitled to
receive emergency medical treatment on the same basis as a
national of the country concerned but you must bring with you
a form E111 issued by your local Health Board.
Irish consular staff
can provide some assistance in cases involving accidents or
serious illness abroad. There are certain things we are unable
to do.
We
CAN advise relatives or friends about
accidents or illnesses.
We
CAN offer general advice on the local medical
services.
We
CAN provide a list of local English-speaking
doctors.
We
CAN assist in liaising with doctors or
hospitals.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay medical or hospital bills.
We
ARE UNABLE TO provide medical advice.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pursue insurance companies
about payment of or refund of the cost of medical
treatment.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pursue claims for compensation
relating to negligence, injury or any other matter.
When
abroad you are subject to the laws of the foreign country
concerned. Most other countries have legal and law enforcement
systems very different from those in Ireland and they must
always be respected. Some Irish citizens travelling abroad may
be arrested or even imprisoned for contravening local laws.
There are certain
services which Irish consular staff can provide to Irish
citizens in such situations about whom we are notified or
contacted, but there are also certain things in such
circumstances which we cannot do.
We
CAN visit you or arrange for you to be
visited by a representative of an Embassy or Consulate
of one of our EU partners.
We
CAN, if necessary, provide you with
a list of local English-speaking lawyers.
We
CAN advise you about the prison system and
about your entitlement to visits, mail and other
facilities.
We
CAN bring details of any medical problem to
the attention of prison officials.
We
CAN pursue with the prison authorities on
your behalf complaints about ill-treatment or
discrimination.
We
CAN pass messages to and from your family.
We
CAN advise you about applying for a transfer
to a prison in Ireland where that possi-bility exists.
We
ARE UNABLE TO secure better treatment for
Irish citizens than local or other nationals receive.
We
ARE UNABLE TO give nor pay for legal advice,
nor try to interfere with nor influence the local
judicial system.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay for prison
"comforts" nor provide other financial
assistance.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay bail bonds nor fines.
AS
IN IRELAND, DRUG-RELATED OFFENCES IN PARTICULAR CARRY SEVERE
PENALTIES IN MOST FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Generally,
travellers cheques and international credit cards are the
safest way to carry funds when travelling abroad. In more
remote areas, however, you may not be able to use them. Check
with your travel agent prior to departure about the best way
to carry funds. It is advisable always to carry a small amount
of local currency to pay bus or taxi fares or make small
purchases or telephone calls.
Due to unforeseen
circumstances, Irish citizens travelling abroad sometimes
experience financial difficulties. Such situations can usually
be resolved easily and quickly by transferring money from
Ireland through well known commercial agencies (advice about
which is available from Embassies and Consulates and from
Consular Section). If necessary, we can contact your relatives
or friends in Ireland to ask them to send you funds either
direct, or through us. A statutory fee of £25 (E31-75)
applies to the transfer of funds through the Department.
We are unable, under
any circumstances, to give you a loan or to pay any hotel or
other expenses which you may incur.
Only
in very exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the
Department and subject to stringent conditions are Irish
citizens repatriated by the State. The conditions include a
written undertaking to repay all the expenses incurred as well
as a statutory fee of £25 (E31-75) and the withholding of
passport facilities until repayment is made.
The
trauma for the bereaved is always greatly increased when
sudden deaths of loved ones occur abroad. Consular staff in
Irish Embassies and Consulates and the Consular Section assist
families in coping with the practical difficulties which can
arise.
We
CAN and often do arrange to have the next of
kin of the deceased informed.
We
CAN assist with regard to the appointment of
a local undertaker.
We
CAN assist with regard to documents such as
death certificates or medical or police reports.
We
CAN assist with autopsies, when relevant.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay expenses relating to local
burial or cremation.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay the cost of repatriating
the remains.
We
ARE UNABLE TO pay for relatives to travel to
where the death occurred or to accompany the remains to
Ireland.
Some simple
precautions can help avoid difficulties when travelling
abroad:
Purchase a return
or onward ticket.
Invest in adequate
travel / medical insurance.
Bring enough money
for your trip, but limit
the amount of cash you carry - by using
travellers cheques, Eurocheques or international credit
cards.
Ensure
that your passport is valid for longer
than the duration of your trip.
Bring a photocopy
of the personal information pages of your passport.
Ensure that you
obtain in advance any visas
you require.
Do
not overstay the period of your
permitted visit.
Never
carry items for others.
Never
leave your luggage unattended.
If staying at a
hotel, consider leaving valuables in the hotel safe or a
safety deposit box.
Seek
advice locally about places to visit and
to steer clear of; at night, avoid
dark or isolated areas.
Keep
in touch with home and let family or
friends know when they can next expect to hear from you
and how they can contact you in the event of an
emergency.
Plan
the routes of car journeys in advance, keep car doors
locked, do not give lifts to hitch-hikers, park in safe
and well-lit areas.
Embassies
have telephone answering machines which are usually monitored
outside office hours. The Department of Foreign Affairs also
has an after hours Duty Officer contactable in genuine
emergencies at (+ 353-1) 4780822.
