The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has published a list of the most unusual enquiries received by its consular staff, ranging from requests for blonde highlights to queries about duck pâté imports. The list aims to remind travellers of the kind of support embassies can and cannot provide.
Hair emergencies and culinary curiosities
One British tourist in Jordan called the embassy not for help with a stolen passport, but to ask where they could get their hair highlighted. Another Brit in Paris enquired 'how much duck pâté they could bring into the UK,' according to the FCDO. (For the record, there is no specific quantity limit for personal consumption.)
Lost cars and shower temperatures
A confused traveller rang the British Embassy in France to ask if staff could help locate where they had parked their car near the Eiffel Tower. In Egypt, one holidaymaker asked the embassy to do something about the temperature of the showers at their hotel. Another British tourist in Nigeria sought help seeking a refund for an unsatisfactory meal at a restaurant in Abuja.
Extraordinary requests for diplomatic aid
Consular staff have also received some truly extraordinary requests. One Brit travelling in Georgia asked if their two pets could be granted British citizenship to guarantee diplomatic protection. Another person rang the helpline to enquire how they could get in touch with their postman while they were away. And perhaps the most British request of all: one individual planning a future visit to the UK asked their local embassy for assistance in booking tickets for Royal Ascot.
What embassies actually do
According to the FCDO, consular staff handle more than 328,000 requests each year, juggling nearly 900 calls a day. The most common reason Brits contact an embassy is to report a lost or stolen passport. Embassies can arrange emergency travel documents and play a vital role in protecting British nationals who become victims of serious crime. While consulates cannot investigate crimes, they can provide referrals to interpreters or English-speaking lawyers. The UK has 167 embassies worldwide, from Uruguay to Oman, Namibia to Indonesia.
