Posted on Wednesday, 2 January 2019

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is available to help UK citizens who encounter problems travelling abroad. According to the FCO, in 2018 more than 3,400 people contacted them after being hospitalised and 4,900 after being arrested.

However, reasons for contacting the FCO are not always legitimate, as the government body was keen to highlight in a recent press release.

Among some of the stranger enquiries the FCO received were:

1. One Dutch caller who had just seen Braveheart and had some queries about the film's storyline.

2. An individual in Italy who asked the embassy for help planning a wedding; they also asked for tickets to see the Pope.

3. A person in the US phoned the FCO to ask which contestant had been voted off Strictly Come Dancing.

4. One man found a piece of wood in the USA which he believed came from an old British warship - he wanted to know where to send it.

5. A person in the Canary's wanted the FCO to ask his hotel for a different room, as a cat had entered his current accommodation and micturated in the bed.

6. A person in Delhi called the British embassy with an interest in vegetarian sausages, which he had been told were for sale at the embassy premises.

7. One man wanted to know if there were vampires in Poland, because he'd met a Polish woman who had asked about his blood type.

8. A person in Kuwait wanted to know if the embassy staff wanted to give his puppies a home.

9. One man had a massage in Bangkok but fell asleep - he wanted the embassy to tell the parlour to waive the fee.

1. Another man wanted to know if the embassy in Argentina could provide him with a list of marriage-ready women.

What can the British Embassy actually help with?

l  If you've lost touch with loved ones who are on holiday

l  To provide details of lawyers, interpreters, doctors and other key services.

l  Providing information about how to transfer money.

l  Provision of an emergency travel document should you lose your passport.

l  Help with visiting those who have been hospitalised or imprisoned.

The FCO says in the course of 2018 it received in excess of 330,000 calls from UK citizens in need of help. More than 29,600 emergency travel documents were issued in 2018 alone.

Speaking on the BBC2 programme Inside the Foreign Office, an FCO spokesman said:

"I can regretfully confirm that the Foreign Office isn't able to offer advice on vampires, rogue stray cats or ‘Strictly' contestants. And our capacity to deploy veggie sausages remains sadly lacking.

"But in all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting. If you find yourself in an emergency in another country, contact the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate and our consular staff will do everything they can to help."

Those in the UK who are concerned about someone they know overseas can call the FCO in London on 020 7008 1500.

The FCO recommends those travelling abroad take out comprehensive travel insurance.

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