UK Gov
Brits heading overseas this summer urged to check Travel Advice as the FCDO highlights unusual requests for consular assistance.
- FCDO highlights some of the more unusual enquiries received by consular staff to remind travellers what support they can provide British nationals overseas.
- Brits heading on summer holidays urged to check FCDO Travel Advice and sign up for email alerts before they travel.
- Travellers encouraged to take simple steps such as getting travel insurance, checking Travel Advice for information on local laws and keeping passports safe to avoid preventable problems while abroad.
As millions of Brits prepare to jet overseas for summer holidays, consular staff at UK embassies, high commissions and consulates around the world will be working around the clock to support British nationals abroad.
From lost passports to medical emergencies, staff at UK embassies and consulates overseas have dealt with more than 328,000 enquiries and requests for help over the past year - nearly 900 calls a day.
While the vast majority of enquiries are genuine requests for help or advice, a handful are more unusual. Some examples include:
- A British holidaymaker in Jordan asking if the Embassy knew where they could get blonde highlights.
- A caller contacting the Embassy in Paris asking how much duck pâté they could bring into the UK.
- An individual in France who asked if the Embassy could help locate where they had parked their car near the Eiffel Tower.
- A Brit in Georgia calling the FCDO to ask if their two pets could be granted British citizenship to guarantee diplomatic protection.
- A holidaymaker asking the Embassy in Egypt to do something about the temperature of the showers at their hotel.
- An individual planning to visit the UK asking their local embassy for assistance in trying to book tickets for Royal Ascot.
- A holidaymaker in Nigeria asking the Embassy for help seeking a refund for an unsatisfactory meal they had just eaten at a restaurant in Abuja.
- A Brit asking the FCDO consular service how to
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