If something goes wrong while you are on holiday and you need help, you can contact the Embassy in Singapore on +65 6238 7616 and the Honorary Consulate General in Manila on +63 2 896 4468 or call the Consular Assistance Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin on +353 1 4082000.
Before travelling to Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei or Timor-Leste, you should read our “Know Before You Go” travel advice for tips on safety and security, local laws and customs, precautions against petty crime, and more.
Consular Duty Service Out of Hours
If you require emergency assistance, please contact us at the Embassy on +65 6238 7616. If you call outside normal working hours, you will be given instructions to call another number to speak to a Duty Officer.
You may also wish to call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin directly at +353 1 408 2000.
Please note that the Duty Office cannot deal with routine passport queries. The Duty Officer cannot issue passports except in exceptional circumstances, such as the serious illness or the death of a family member.
Please note that the Embassy cannot offer assistance relating to problems with visas. If you require help of this type, please make contact with the Embassy or immigration authorities of the country in question.
It is essential to acquire comprehensive travel insurance before you travel. Your travel insurance policy should cover the entire period you are abroad until you arrive home. Always check the conditions and exclusions of your policy; most policies will not cover drink or drug-related incidents.
Your policy should at the very minimum cover the following:
Accident/assault victims
We will do everything possible to assist you if you have been the victim of an accident or assault.
We can provide information on where to find a lawyer, but we cannot give you legal or medical advice, or formally recommend or pay for doctors or lawyers.
All cases are treated in confidence. We can also help you to contact friends and family and assist with arrangements to get you home, if that is your wish. All persons who have been assaulted or in an accident must report the incident to the Police.
Arrest
If you are arrested, you may ask the authorities to inform the Embassy of your arrest by making a request for consular access.
The authorities do not automatically inform us of the arrest of an Irish national, but they are legally obliged to inform all detained foreign nationals of their right to consular assistance. It is therefore your right to ask the arresting officer to inform the Irish Embassy or your nearest Irish Consulate of your situation as soon as possible.
The Embassy can:
However, the Embassy cannot:
Legal Representation
We strongly recommend any Irish citizen who is arrested to take professional legal advice, and we can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers specialising in different areas of the law. Unfortunately the Embassy is not in a position to provide legal advice, or to pay legal fees.
Free Legal Aid is unlikely to be available to an Irish citizen in Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei or Timor-Leste.
Death Abroad
If a member of your family dies while abroad, the Irish Embassy will provide all possible assistance in dealing with the formalities that arise in these situations.
The Embassy can:
However, the Embassy does not:
If the deceased was covered by travel insurance, it is important for next of kin to contact the insurance company without delay. If there is no insurance cover, the cost of repatriation or burial will have to be met by the family. Costs for repatriation of remains from Singapore, Philippines, Brunei and Timor-Leste are usually in the region of €5,000 - €10,000.
Families should be aware that the time required to repatriate remains to Ireland varies depending on the circumstances of a death. A minimum of two weeks is quite usual. However, there may be circumstances where repatriation can be delayed for longer.
Illness/Hospitalisation
In an emergency, please go to the nearest reputable hospital. The Embassy can provide a list of medical services which serve particular needs.
If you become ill or require hospital treatment, you or your friends/family can contact the Embassy/nearest Consulate for assistance if you need help in dealing with the situation.
The Embassy can:
It is important to stress that the Embassy does not have funds to pay hospital bills or meet other medical expenses on your behalf.
Also, the Embassy does not: