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There is always an element of risk when living or travelling abroad. Something always can, and almost always will, go wrong. If worst comes to worst, how much help can you expect from your embassy? What happens if you lose all your money and end up stranded? What if you lose your passport? Or are accused of committing a crime? Or actually do commit a crime? What about more mundane, day-to-day services?

Unsurprisingly enough, embassies will not solve all your problems. There are, however, important advantages to consulting your embassy and maintaining a clear knowledge of what it can and can’t do for you during a time of need. On top of this, embassies can offer China-related expertise and insider knowledge, all delivered in the soothing tones of your native tongue. Firstly, however, it is crucial to have a clear idea of what embassies will not do, as misconceptions about an embassy’s power sometimes lead to difficulties. Embassies, for this reason, are usually as keen to tell you what they can’t do as what they can.

Things embassies WILL NOT do

1) Sadly, an embassy will not act as a legal or business advisor. If you are experiencing contract difficulties with an employer, or they are refusing to pay you, your embassy will almost certainly decline to step in and use their considerable diplomatic might to crush the offending party. For this reason, close attention to the written terms of all contracts, especially teaching contracts, is absolutely essential before arriving in China, or agreeing to any new job. It cannot be re-emphasised enough that these kinds of contractual disputes form the overwhelming majority of foreigner-problems in China.

2) Embassies will not support you if you are working without a working (Z) visa. If this is the case, you are breaking the law and may be fined up to 500 RMB a day, or detained, or deported by the Chinese government.

3) As should be self-evident, embassies provide no support for standard criminal offences. Legal support will not be offered, and it is the individual’s responsibility to demonstrate awareness of Chinese laws and legal protocols. In some rare cases, foreigners expect immunity to certain laws because of their foreign status; embassies will generally seek to dispel this myth. Having said this, many embassies will assist you in seeking to ensure fair treatment under the laws of China.

4) An embassy cannot provide a signature guarantee, which many US banks may often require for certain transactions. They cannot certify true copies of legal documents. The US embassy cannot serve legal documents in the US (under the Hague Convention), and this applies to all other countries. Due to complications in Chinese banking and law, such things are best taken care of on a visit home.

Things embassies WILL do

1) If all this talk of a one-party state is jarring a little, and you are yearning to vote for somebody or something, your embassy is here to help. Absentee voting registration can be a tricky business, and embassies will make it considerably less tricky for you to exert those hard-won democratic rights.

2) If you’ve been travelling a lot, your embassy will add pages to your passport. Your embassy will generally deal with all passport related issues (theft, loss, etc.), and the costs will vary both according to the embassy and the service required. A new passport, for instance, is around $110 at the U.S. embassy, compared to around $275 at the British Embassy. Having extra pages inserted in your U.S. passport will set you back $82.

3) Many embassies will provide notary services. This includes authenticating documents and helping to provide an affidavit. Whilst admittedly not the most fascinating of matters, these services are of great value if one is involved in certain business and financial transactions. This will often incur a cost; the US embassy, for example, charges $50 per service.

4) If you are from any Western country, you can register with the consular service. A consular service is a service a country provides for its citizens who are living in foreign countries. These services are usually free unless otherwise specified. The Canadian service, for example, is contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has a base in over 160 countries. This is highly recommended if you plan to stay for a prolonged period of time (over a year). It will allow you to be easily whisked to safety in the advent of some monstrous political upheaval or other apocalyptic event. It will also allow you to be easily contacted in case of family emergencies back home. Note that some countries (such as Kosovo, for example) do not provide this service. If you are unsure, please contact your embassy for details (see the bottom of this article).

5) If you have a niche requirement that may otherwise be difficult to deal with, your embassy can provide contact details for a huge number of government or private organisations in China, ranging from universities to healthcare providers to a list of lawyers. This level of expertise and internal knowledge is probably impossible to find outside of China or from another organisation that speaks your language, and is well worth taking advantage of. Such resources are especially relevant for those involved in business, where highly intricate and complex Chinese infrastructures may initially bamboozle you into abject failure. Accessing such resources without the help of an embassy may lead to initial uncertainty and misunderstanding.

6) If you have been the victim of a crime, it is important that you report this information to your embassy. This step may have an impact on how seriously local police take your claims. The Australian consular service, for example, will help the victims of serious crimes and inform nominated contacts (if you have given your consent).

Please note

The above support relates to most countries, but some details pertain mostly to the US, Canada, Australia and Western European countries. Many other countries will also provide similar support, but if there is any doubt, it is certainly worth contacting your embassy about the details of what it will and will not do. There are exceptions in a range of cases. Find a list of embassies in China here .
 

Related links
5 Things to NOT Do in China
9 Potentially Exasperating/Embarrassing Moments to Avoid in China
Do You Feel Safe? – A Look at Violence in China

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