General Information

Are you a German citizen who finds himself/herself in an emergency situation? Visit the Federal Foreign Office’s website to find out who can provide you with assistance, what steps you can take yourself, and what kind of assistance is available in typical situations:

Do you need help outside the opening hours of the missions? Please contact our emergency number.

The travel and safety advisories for India are also constantly updated and provide information in the event of a crisis. You can find the current travel and safety advisories here.

Crisis Preparedness List (ELEFAND)

All German citizens, even if they are only temporarily abroad, can be added to a crisis preparedness list (ELEFAND). Information about the crisis preparedness list can be found here.

In addition to crisis preparedness, electronic registration allows you to receive information on federal elections and European Parliament elections, as well as other information from the competent mission abroad. Registration is therefore generally recommended for longer stays abroad.

You can register here.

Sicher-Reisen - Your Travel App

Do you travel frequently? You can find all information from the Federal Foreign Office for safe travel abroad in one app here.

Lost Passport

Have you lost your passport and need a new travel document as soon as possible for your return or onward journey? Read here to find out what steps you need to take and how long the process is likely to take.

Loss of Money

If you lose money or encounter other financial difficulties while abroad, various money transfer services offer a fast and reliable way to send money overseas. For competitive reasons, we generally cannot recommend specific money transfer companies. For more information, visit the websites of providers such as Western Union or MoneyGram.

Important Information:

If your credit cards have been lost or stolen, you should have them blocked immediately—every minute counts!

The central emergency blocking hotline is available 24 hours a day, toll-free in Germany at 116 116, and for a fee from abroad at +49 116 116 (the cost of calls from abroad depends on the terms and conditions of the foreign provider or network operator). In addition, many banks and credit card providers also offer their own cancellation hotlines.

Arrest / Detention

Please notify the mission immediately. Information on the legal system and lists of partly German-speaking lawyers and translators can be found here (New link to English article on lawyers in India).

Upon request, we can notify friends or family members. However, we cannot hire a lawyer, cover legal fees, perform legal services, represent you in court, act as a translator, pay fines, penalties, or bail, intervene in ongoing legal proceedings or give instructions to local authorities.

Illness / Accident / Medical Care

Information on medical care and lists of doctors and hospitals in India can be found here or missing LINK to English version of this article)

If you have exhausted all your own options for assistance, we can, upon request, notify your next of kin and contact your travel insurance provider. However, we cannot pay any outstanding hospital or doctor bills.

Death

The death of a family member or friend is a cause for grief. In the event of a death abroad, organizational matters must be addressed in addition to the grief. In the event of the death of a German citizen, the mission can arrange to notify the next of kin, provide advice on completing the necessary formalities on site, and put you in touch with local funeral directors.

The urn or the body may be transported to Germany for burial. The Indian and German funeral homes will handle the formalities. Please contact the relevant mission for assistance.

Missing Persons

If a German citizen is missing and you, as a close relative, fear that something may have happened to him or her, please contact your local police station. If necessary, the German police station will forward the missing persons report to Interpol via the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). German missions abroad cannot conduct their own investigations, but they can, for example, assist relatives in their communication with local authorities or provide information on other search options.

You can find out which mission is responsible for you using our Consulate Finder.