Consular Services are provided to Australian citizens living or travelling in the United States by the Australian Embassy in Washington and the six Consulates-General in Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
Assisting Australians Overseas
The Consular Services Charter outlines what help we may provide, and what we can't do.
While the Australian Government will do what it can to help you, there are circumstances in which our ability to provide assistance will be limited.
Need help?
Many questions or requests for assistance can be resolved by contacting your family, friends, airline, travel agent, bank, tour operator, travel insurance provider, hotel front desk, or by spending a few minutes searching the internet.
Answers to commonly asked questions can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions and other useful information page and in Smartraveller’s guides to Travelling and Living and Working Overseas.
In an emergency situation, or if you have exhausted the above options and still require assistance, you can contact your nearest Australian mission. Outside the regular business hours of our locations in the United States, you can contact the 24/7 Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305.
If you are currently in Australia and seeking assistance for family or friends who are in the United States, you can contact the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra on 1300 555 135.
Smartraveller.gov.au - Be informed > Be prepared
The Australian Government’s Smartraveller website provides a range of information and advice to help you make well-informed travel decisions and stay safe while you’re overseas. This includes travel advice for the United States, and advisories for more than 170 other destinations worldwide.
Smartraveller offers a subscription service that allows you to sign up to receive the latest updates to our travel advice and news by email.
Following Smartraveller on X (Twitter) and Facebook is another easy way to stay up to date while you are travelling.
Be insured - Take cover before you travel
Accidents happen and things go wrong. Before travelling to the United States, take out comprehensive travel insurance that covers where you plan to go and what you plan to do.
Remember: if you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to travel!
To help you choose the right cover, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has teamed up with independent consumer advocate CHOICE to produce a helpful travel insurance buyer's guide.
For more information, visit www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/the-basics/insurance.
Privacy Collection Statement
We may collect, use and disclose your personal information, including to overseas recipients, where we reasonably believe it is necessary to provide you with consular assistance.
Important information about the privacy of your personal information is contained in our Consular Privacy Collection Statement, which you should read and understand. Further information can be found at Smartraveller and at www.dfat.gov.au/about-us/corporate/privacy/Pages/privacy.