Emergency Abroad 2026: What to Do Immediately

No traveller plans for an emergency. But those who have a plan act faster. The first 30 minutes after an emergency abroad often determine costs, health outcomes and how quickly you get home.

This guide covers the four most common travel emergency scenarios: medical emergency, accident, lost passport, and no money at all.

What do you do in a medical emergency abroad?

Step 1: Call the emergency number.

Europe: 112 (works in all EU countries on any mobile network)
USA and Canada: 911
Australia: 000
United Kingdom: 999
Japan: 110 (police), 119 (ambulance)
India: 112

If you’re unsure: 112 works worldwide on GSM networks even without a SIM card or credit.

Step 2: Call your insurance. Your travel health insurance has a 24-hour emergency line. The number is on your insurance card or in your policy document. The insurer then coordinates treatment and communicates directly with the hospital. This saves enormous bureaucratic problems on the ground.

Step 3: Accept treatment. Even if you’re unsure what it will cost. Medical care comes first. Keep all invoices and receipts. The insurance will sort out the rest.

Why travel health insurance is essential: travel health insurance guide. For a broader look at travel coverage: travel insurance: what’s worth it.

How do you respond to a serious accident or natural disaster?

Safety first. Leave dangerous areas if possible. Notify people back home.

Contact your embassy or consulate. Most countries operate a 24-hour emergency line for citizens abroad. Find yours before you travel and save the number. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has a 24-hour crisis line as does the US State Department (+1-888-407-4747 from the US, +1-202-501-4444 from abroad).

Practical checklist after a natural disaster:

Find emergency shelter (embassy, hotel, police station)
Call travel health insurance (evacuation coordination)
Contact someone at home
Check official social media channels (government emergency updates)

Recommended apps:

STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) for US citizens
Crisis24 for worldwide security alerts
Smartraveller for Australian citizens

What do you do if your passport is lost or stolen?

This is fixable. It takes 1 to 2 working days. But you need to do it right.

Step 1: File a police report. Without a report you can’t get a replacement document. Report theft or loss at the nearest police station. Get written confirmation.

Step 2: Go to your country’s embassy or consulate. They issue emergency travel documents. Bring: photo ID (driving licence works), 2 passport-sized photos (many embassies can direct you to a nearby photo shop), police report, and a copy of your old passport if you have one.

Cost: An emergency travel document typically costs £20 to £50 depending on your nationality and the issuing country.

Find your nearest embassy at your government’s official consular website. The US Embassy Locator is a useful reference.

No photo with you? Most embassies know the nearest photo shop. The consular staff are experienced with exactly this situation.

What do you do if you have no money left?

Card blocked or stolen: Your bank can arrange an emergency cash advance. In some countries, a replacement card can arrive within 24 hours.

No money, no card: Several options:

Western Union or MoneyGram. Someone at home sends money. You collect it at the nearest agent in minutes with a code. Operates in almost every country, including smaller cities.
Bank transfer. Takes 1 to 2 working days, cheaper than Western Union.
Your embassy. In an absolute emergency (no passport, no money, alone), your embassy can arrange an emergency loan that is repaid after you return home.

Set up an emergency contact: Always tell someone at home where you are. Give that person your key numbers: insurance, embassy, bank.

Zercy builds live flight prices into every travel plan. Enter your destination and get instant comparison links. Save your shortlist in your Zercy Logbook so you have all options handy when booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which emergency numbers should you save before every trip?

At minimum: 112 for Europe, the local emergency number for your destination, your travel insurance 24-hour emergency line, blocking numbers for all credit cards you carry, and your country’s embassy emergency line. Screenshot the list on your phone and keep a small paper copy in your wallet.

What does travel registration with your government do?

Most governments offer a voluntary registration service for citizens travelling abroad (STEP for Americans, LOCATE for British nationals, etc.). In a crisis, the embassy can contact registered travellers by text or email with situation updates and evacuation options. Free, takes 5 minutes, can be critical in an emergency.

How do you get cash fast if everything is stolen?

Call someone at home. They send money via Western Union or MoneyGram. You give them a code, go to the nearest agent, have the cash within 15 minutes. Western Union has agents in almost every country, including smaller cities and rural areas.

How can you prepare yourself against emergencies abroad?

No full prevention is possible, but preparation helps: travel health insurance with emergency repatriation, trip cancellation insurance for expensive trips, digital copies of all documents saved to the cloud, emergency numbers saved before departure, money split across three locations, and always telling someone at home where you are.

Emergency Abroad: What to Do in Accident, Illness or Lost Passport