Consular Services: Financial

Consular officials can:

  • contact relatives or friends to request assistance in sending you money or airline tickets
  • help identify sources of private funds by facilitating communication between your and your family or friends
  • provide a list of local providers of electronic funds transfer services
  • help you transfer funds privately if you require urgent financial assistance and local service providers are not available or you cannot access funds through online banking, an electronic transfer or other means
  • after exhausting all other financial options, issue a temporary loan of public funds from the Distressed Canadian Fund, subject to consular fees and strict conditions

Consular officials cannot:

  • pay your hotel, medical, travel or other expenses
  • issue pension or social security benefits
  • issue a loan of public funds to pay expenses (legal, accommodation, penalties, fines, detainee repatriation, routine medical or hospital costs) ineligible under the Distressed Canadian Fund
  • request funds on your behalf from family or friends without your permission
  • obtain an electronic funds transfer through a local service provider on your behalf
  • lend personal funds