Assistance for New Zealanders overseas
If you’re a New Zealand citizen, staff at New Zealand embassies can help you in several ways if you get into difficulties overseas – see www.safetravel.govt.nz/our-services(external link)
Consular staff at Embassies can:
- give advice, with the aim of helping you to help yourself
- help with a lost or stolen passport(external link)
- help you contact relatives or friends to request emergency funds(external link)
- provide a list of English-speaking lawyers, and help you contact family and friends, if you are detained or arrested(external link)
- help you contact family and friends if you are ill or injured(external link)
- help with arrangements following a death overseas(external link)
- in certain circumstances, provide notarial services such as witnessing affidavits, statutory declarations and other documents for use under New Zealand law
- help during crises, such as civil unrest and natural disasters.
Consular staff at Embassies cannot:
- pay your hotel, travel or other bills, legal or medical expenses, or costs of returning a body to New Zealand
- give you legal advice, including on family law matters such as child custody, international surrogacy and adoption issues
- investigate a crime or get you out of prison
- get you better conditions in prison or hospital than a local citizen would receive
- arrange visas or work/residency permits for you
- operate a personal mail service for you including through the diplomatic bag or store your belongings
- compel another country to overturn your travel ban
- become involved in commercial disputes or civil litigation
- secure access to or administer vaccines to New Zealanders who are located offshore
For more detail, see the section When things go wrong.(external link)
For more information, please visit www.safetravel.govt.nz(external link) and www.facebook.com/SafeTravel.govt.nz(external link)