CURRENT
ISSUES
Family and
Friends in Canada
If
you are a relative or a friend of a Canadian experiencing a serious
problem abroad, you should contact the Emergency
Operations Centre.
During
business hours other expert personnel are also available to provide advice
and guidance in resolving problems. They work on a geographic basis and
their telephone numbers are located in the Contact
Us section.
List of
Potential Problems
What
You Can Do to Help Yourself and Others
The
Consular Affairs Bureau of the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade assists thousands of Canadians each year in dealing
with problems in foreign countries. The range of such problems is wide.
Accidents, natural and civil disasters and emergencies, illnesses,
arrests, child abductions and custody issues, stolen or lost travel
documents, deaths, missing persons... all these problems have been
encountered by Canadians travelling or living abroad. The Consular Affairs
Bureau in Ottawa, working through more than 270 offices in other
countries, provides assistance and support to all.
Consult
the Country Travel
Reports before your departure to find out about security and safety
conditions, health questions and entry requirements for the country or
countries you are going to. The Department publishes reports for over 225
destinations around the world.
If
you encounter a serious problem abroad, you should immediately contact the
nearest Canadian
government office abroad. If you are unable to contact one of our
offices abroad, you can call collect at (613) 996-8885 to
our Emergency
Operations Centre in Ottawa. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a
week.
If
you are calling from Canada, to report a serious problem abroad, you
should call the Emergency Operations Centre at 1-800-267-6788 or (613)
944-6788.
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The
Operations Centre of the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An
experienced officer is always available to respond to emergency
calls from anywhere in the world.
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Canadian
citizens outside Canada can call collect to
(613) 996-8885.
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For
calls originating in Canada and the U.S., call
1-800-267-6788, or (613) 944-6788.
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In
a number of countries, you can also call the 24/7
Operations Centre toll-free.
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You
can also communicate with us via TTY by dialling (613)
944-1310
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Contact
us directly via our online
e-mail form
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You
can also reach the Operations Centre by e-mail at: sos@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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The
Operations Centre receives approximately 100,000 calls a year, and is
busiest in the early evening, Eastern Time. The Centre uses a modern
Automatic Call Distribution system. And your call will be automatically
sequenced and will be answered as quickly as possible in the order in
which it entered the call-waiting queue. It may be necessary, due to a
large number of incoming calls, to request that you leave a message.
Please do so by listening carefully to the instructions on the voice-mail
system and ensure you provide the area code and telephone number where you
can be reached. An Operations Officer will return your call within 15
minutes.
SOS
Online Form. Please use only incase of EMERGENCY
Canadians
who require emergency assistance regarding travel outside Canada, can
contact the 24/7 Operations Centre directly via this on-line form.
Please note that if your message is a question about Canadian
immigration or how to obtain a Canadian visa or the status of your visa
application, please address your queries to Citizenship
and Immigration Canada. The Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade does not deal with Canadian immigration issues.
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