Overseas Emergencies

Travelling can be a stressful venture, and having an emergency while travelling can morph into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. If something goes wrong on your trip, remain calm and refer to these great tips on dealing with overseas emergencies.

Prepare for an Emergency

While no one likes to tempt fate, preparing for an emergency on your trip is a smart idea. Before you leave home, make sure that you:

• Make photocopies of your passport identification page and all insurance information. Leave copies with a trusted friend or relative, and carry copies with you in a separate location from the originals.
• Take down embassy phone numbers, fax numbers and addresses for the countries in which you will be travelling.
• Have passport photos taken. Again, leave a few at home and carry a few with you. These will be invaluable if your travel plans change and you need new visas.
• Register with your embassy in your host countries. This lets your government know where you are, and it also means that those at home can get in touch.
• Leave you itinerary with loved ones.
• Take out travel insurance.
• Enter all of your host country's emergency numbers into your mobile phone.
• Obtain insurance claim forms, just in case.

Theft and Money Emergencies

The worst feeling in the world is releasing that you have been robbed. Aside from the violation of your privacy and property, the hassle of replacing your items can take weeks and even months. If you are travelling abroad, this hassle only multiplies. If you are the victim of theft while abroad:

• Report the incident to the police immediately.
• Contact your embassy to report the incident and solicit advice.
• Begin the process for replacing your passport at this time.
• Make insurance claims immediately.
• Let family and friends at home know of this development.
• Notify airlines immediately if tickets are stolen.
• Cancel your credit cards.
• If you are left with no cash, you have still have several options:
  • Call your embassy to inquire about money transfers and wires.
  • Reverse the charges on a call home and ask for money to be sent.
  • Break out the emergency stash you left in a separate location.

Physical or Sexual Assault and Medical Emergencies

Even worse than being a victim of theft is being injured while abroad. Dealing with such an emergency is only compounded by the fact that you may be physically or emotionally unable to care for yourself. If you are the victim of physical or sexual assault, or a medical emergency, while abroad:

• Call your host country's emergency numbers to summon an ambulance.
• Report the incident to the police immediately.
• Call your insurer's local number to find out about your coverage.
• Request English speaking medical staff, or the services of a translator.
• Request medical staff of your own gender if you so desire.
• If there is a delay in translation, request paper so that you can write down all of your memories of the event.
• Contact your embassy and request a representative to discuss your rights and legal procedures.
  • Embassy representatives can also be invaluable in arranging medical care, finding specialists to discuss STI/HIV/AIDS with you, and provide information on abortion if needed.
  • Embassy representatives will also contact your family at home if you request this.

Arrested Abroad

While it is rare that foreign citizens are arrested abroad, it does happen. If you are arrested while abroad, remember:

• Many countries still operate on a "guilty until proven innocent basis."
• In many countries, prisoners have no rights.
• As a foreign citizen, you always have the right to contact your embassy.
  • Remind the arresting officials that under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, you must have access to a consular official.
  • An embassy official will be able to inform your family of your situation.
  • Embassy officials can explain local laws and the legal system to you.
  • Embassy officials can monitor your treatment and welfare while imprisoned.
  • Embassy officials can provide a list of English speaking legal professionals.
  • Embassy officials can not usually act as or pay for legal representation.

Emergencies abroad are a traveller's worst nightmare. If you find yourself in a sticky situation while travelling, remember that the "big three" of contact information is the local police, your insurance company, and your embassy. Hopefully you will never need to worry about such situations, but it is better to be prepared and not need the information than to need the information and not have it!