Consular protection for EU citizens in Namibia
Consular protection refers to the support and assistance, which a country offers to its citizens who are living or travelling outside their home country when they encounter difficulties or require help. Consular protection is typically offered in situations such as:
- Loss of travel documents
- Serious accident or illness
- Relief and repatriation in case of an emergency
- Becoming a victim of crime
- Arrest or detention
- Death
The responsibility to provide consular assistance to EU citizens lies with the individual EU Member States. However, not every EU Member State has embassies or consulates in every country of the world. In such cases, ‘unrepresented’ EU citizens have the right to seek help from the embassy or consulate of any other EU Member State present in that country. The other EU Member State must assist ‘unrepresented’ EU citizens under the same conditions as they would to their own nationals. This mutual assistance is particularly important in case of a consular crisis.
Please see below which EU member states are present in Namibia. For questions of who to turn to in situations of need, you may contact the EU Delegation for help.
EU Emergency Travel Document
EU citizens whose passport or travel document has been lost, stolen or destroyed in a country outside the EU where their own EU Member State does not have an embassy or consulate are entitled to receive an EU Emergency Travel Document from any other EU Member State located in that country.
The EU Emergency Travel Document is issued for a single journey to the holder’s EU Member State of nationality or residence, or exceptionally, to another destination (such as a neighbouring country with an embassy or consulate of the holder).
The EU Emergency Travel Document is valid for a bit longer than the period required for completion of the journey for which it is issued. Normally, the validity will not exceed 15 calendar days. Persons receiving an EU Emergency Travel Document are strongly encouraged to complete the journey as quickly as possible, to follow any advice given by the consulate or embassy regarding the best route, and to immediately apply for a normal travel document. The EU Emergency Travel Document must be returned after arrival at the final destination.
EU citizens in need of an EU Emergency Travel Document must apply at the embassy or consulate of an EU Member State. The EU Emergency Travel Document will be issued after a verification of the applicant’s nationality and identity by the unrepresented EU citizen’s Member State of nationality. In normal cases, the issuance should not take longer than seven working days.
Member States may also choose to issue the EU Emergency Travel Document to other persons, such as their own nationals or EU citizens’ family members who already live in the EU. If an EU Emergency Travel Document is issued to a person who is not an EU citizen, a visa may be necessary.
Further reading
Resident Embassies
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Embassy of Finland 2 Crohn Street |
Embassy of France 1 Goethe Street |
Embassy of Germany 6th Floor Sanlam Building, 154 Independence Avenue |
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Embassy of Spain 58 Bismarck Street |
Embassy of Portugal 4 Karin Street, Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek |
Honorary Consulates
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Honorary Consulate of Austria Honorary consul Mr. Reinhard Laggner Hon. Vice Consul Mr. Bernhard Stadtherr 27 Hella Kuppe Street, Olympia, Windhoek +264 81 145 00 95 |
Honorary Consulate of Belgium Honorary consul Stephen Vlieghe 33, Schanzen Road, Windhoek +264 61 382 800 |
Honorary Consul of Czechia Ms. Selma-Penna Utonih Fristche Street 10 Pioneerspark, Windhoek +264811282523 |
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Honorary Consulate of Denmark Honorary consul Klaus Endresen 39 Schanzen Road, Windhoek +264 61 230 526 +264 61 237 565 |
Honorary Consulate of Italy 24 Schanzen Weg Klein Windhoek |
Honorary Consulate of the Netherlands Honorary Consul Servaas van den Bosch 17 Mozart Street, Windhoek West +31247247247 (24/7 crisis response) |
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Honorary Consulate of Sweden Honorary Consul Lena Brinkmann 17 Drakensbergstreet +264 81 122 1289 |