What embassies, consulates can and can’t do for expatriates

Whereas many individual concerns linked to living overseas for a long period are usually the domain of the host nation's administration including social security and health insurance matters and can be easily taken care of, thus greatly contributing to a hassle-free stay, there are nevertheless more than just a few good reasons why it is highly recommended to establish at least an informal link with your embassy or if applicable nearest consulate.

In this regard the most obvious one is often not taken into serious consideration until it may be too late: a violent conflict or a natural disaster has occurred, and your government has decided to evacuate its citizens or at least to get in touch to make sure they are safe. But where is everybody?

What to do in an emergency

To be evacuated quickly and safely your diplomatic mission needs to know how many of its citizens are in the country, although expatriates should not expect to be babysat. Every new crisis is different from the one before. Example: During the recent protests in Egypt the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) was prepared to help those nationals who wanted to leave. However, at the same time it told British nationals to either try to arrange to depart the country by commercial means of transport wherever possible, or if planning to remain to stay away from the centers of unrest in the north of the country.

Libya is an altogether more complicated matter as the British government automatically assumed that not just some but all of their nationals wanted to leave the troubled country and as quickly as possible. Initial evacuation proved much more cumbersome.

In a separate category, the March 11 8.9 mega-earthquake that devastated Japan's northeastern coast is a sad reminder that disaster can strike anywhere and that expatriates need to be accounted for, perhaps re-located within a city or country, or in the worst case scenario repatriated.

What can be done beforehand? Locate your nearest diplomatic representation (EU citizens in a nation without their own state's embassy or consulate should contact any other local EU country's mission) including e-mail, telephone and fax numbers and of course the physical address, not just the mailbox number. If living in another city inquire about how to get there. In a crisis public transport will not operate as it would under normal circumstances. Remember, phone services may be down, too. Check out your mission's contingency plans in case of an emergency. Find out about commercial alternatives to leaving the country and keep the required monies in cash -- ATMs may not work in case of power cuts or government enforced bank closures.

Many embassies offer you the chance to register with them voluntarily to try and reach you should a crisis erupt. However, as helpful as this tool may be (LOCATE for British citizens, available online) expatriates should not solely rely on receiving that all-important phone call because the embassy holds their contact details.

Some national governments' foreign office website, for example www.fco.gov.uk, offer constantly updated nation-by-nation travel alerts and even more important the option to register for regular e-mail alerts that will help you to decide for yourself whether it is safe to stay where you are or not. It cannot prevent conflict from happening or a leader not to declare a curfew -- yet an hour or two after it happens you will see it on your screen, uncensored. Libya serves as perfect example: Expatriates had all relevant details dispatched to them by e-mail including how to reach ports, airports, names of carriers, et cetera. They learned as well whenever another EU air or sea carrier would have empty spaces and told British nationals to get in touch with them.

Another reason for establishing contact – at least electronically – is to find out about your mission's support network with regards to individual legal problems and much more common, in the case of an unfortunate traffic accident. How to obtain your land registry document, where to find a solicitor: Your embassy will have the details, but be warned that it is not necessarily part of an embassy's mission statement to bail out their own nationals who are in legal trouble. They will, however, extend logistical support and help to secure fair treatment by local law enforcement authorities should something have gone wrong and of course help to establish contact with relatives back home. Do not expect cash handouts when you lose your wallet, though.

All is well? Stay connected, too!

A much more enjoyable reason for getting in touch with your own or another country's mission is to find out about their cultural and social activities, and Turkey is the perfect place for this. Cultural centers can be found in many cities (think British Council, Cervantes Institute, French Institute, to name only a few) and the Turkish-American Association -- TAA -- based in Ankara is another venue at which I have attended many memorable evenings.

You reconnect with both your native language and perhaps much missed aspects of daily life back home or socialize with nationals of other nations; most importantly, though, is you make friends with citizens of your adopted country.

Running a business? The embassy may help to facilitate visits for reciprocal trade delegations or individual companies. The first secretary of trade or an equivalent head of department will be more than willing to lend a helping hand. Do not forget that it has become standard that prime ministers, portfolio ministers and often other dignitaries, too, invite a sizeable group of domestic businesspeople to travel with them in order to meet with foreign counterparts. Perhaps the next business deal is yours!

Were you a civil society activist back home? Although more difficult to obtain in times of austerity measures almost everywhere your embassy may provide micro-grants for local projects. You might as well become involved in one of them and do something good for your host country's people.

Planning on giving a public seminar for fellow expatriates, or offering salsa lessons? Your consulate or embassy may run you through the process as it is not always possible to simply take to the dance floor and/or microphone. You may need official approval.

Indulge -- but enjoy responsibly

And yes, there is, of course, the Red Lion social club at the British Embassy in Ankara. By invitation only, and/or seconded by two existing members, once accepted it is probably as close as British expatriates and all others with a feel for all things a good British public house must feature – including a game of darts -- will come anywhere in Turkey.

But whether for arranging preventive emergency measures or the odd tipple with fellow expatriates we should not forget that living in a foreign country should allow us to immerse ourselves in the culture and the way(s) of life of our host nation instead of socializing only with fellow expatriates. Being someplace else grows a personality – as long as we give it a constant try.

Diplomacy: more transparent whilst sticking to core business

Besides managing bilateral relations in the field, staying in touch with its own nationals is what by now your embassy will have learned to approve of as this has become part and parcel of their brief. Diplomacy simply had to become much more civic society oriented. In the 21st century foreign offices and their representatives are much more visible, regularly tweet and use other social media, too.

However, it is probably in your own and your diplomatic mission's best interest not to overdo it – refrain from calling or e-mailing them every week.