This section contains advice and information for Irish citizens who encounter difficulties in France.
1. General information and out-of-hours service
3. Loss or theft of money / bank cards
General information and out-of-hours service
If you need emergency assistance from the Embassy, then contact us
immediately. Our telephone number is: + 33 1 44176700. If you
telephone at the weekend, on a bank holiday or after we have closed
for the evening, you will be given the option to leave a
message on the emergency answering machine if you are an Irish
citzien in need of emergency assistance before the Embassy
re-opens. The emergency answering machine is monitored
regularly, and the Duty Officer at the Embassy will contact you as
soon as possible. When you leave a message, remember to state your
name, the nature of the problem, where you are now, and the details
of how the Duty Officer can contact you (e.g. leave your mobile
phone number, or the phone number of the hotel/hostel where you are
staying). If necessary, contact the police also.
Loss/Theft of Passport
If your passport is lost or stolen, you should firstly report the
loss or theft to the nearest police station or gendarmerie, as soon
as possible after the event. The police/gendarmes will issue
you with a “Declaration de perte ou de vol” confirming that you
have made the report. You will be required to present this
when applying for a replacement travel document.
Secondly, contact the Embassy or nearest Honorary Consulate. A police report is accepted by some airlines in lieu of a passport, but always check with your airline before going to the airport. If your airline will not accept the police statement, the Embassy or the Honorary Consulate can issue you with an Emergency Travel Certificate. You will need to present the police report and two passport photographs to apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate. There is a fee of €15 for this service.
Loss or theft of money / bank cards
If you are the victim of a crime while in France or in Monaco, please contact the nearest police station or gendarmerie as soon as possible. Normally, reports are only accepted if made in person and it is very difficult to make a report once you have left the country. You will be asked to sign the draft report and will normally be given a copy of it to keep. Please keep the copy carefully; it is not easy to get a duplicate issued. The report may be necessary for follow-up investigation or for insurance claims, etc.
If your bank or credit card is lost or stolen, you should contact your bank or credit card company immediately to prevent fraudulant use. Please make a note of the contact deatils for your bank or credit card provider before travelling. Contact details for the lost/stolen card services of some of the main Irish banks and credit card companies are below:
AIB: 00353 1 6685500
Bank of Ireland: 00 353 56 7757007
MBNA: 00 353 71 965 6262
National Irish Bank: 00 353 0 1 4843701
Ulster Bank: 00 353 1 7025108
If you need to access funds in an emergency, the best and quickest way to do so is by having a friend or family member in Ireland forward funds to you through well-known commercial agencies. Examples of agencies that operate in France and Monaco include Western Union and MoneyGram; their offices are often linked with post offices or train stations. Their websites will show you the office nearest you. You will usually be asked to present identification when you collect the funds; please note that if your passport or other identification has also been lost or stolen, Western Union will accept a declaration of loss issued by the police in place of your identification.
If you are unable to receive funds through a commercial agency, please contact the Embassy who may be able to assist in transferring funds from a friend or family member to you. Please note however that the Embassy is unable, under any circumstances, to give loans or to pay any hotel or other expenses incurred by Irish citizens abroad.
Police
There are two police forces in France, the "Police Nationale" who
are mainly based in cities and the "Gendarmerie" who operate mainly
in rural areas. Some large cities also have a local police,
the police municipale. There is one police force in
Monaco, called "la Police".
If you are the victim of a crime while in France or in Monaco, please contact the nearest police station or gendarmerie as soon as possible. Normally, reports are only accepted if made in person and it is very difficult to make a report once you have left the country. You will be asked to sign the draft report and will normally be given a copy of it to keep. Please keep the copy carefully; it is not easy to get a duplicate issued. The report may be necessary for follow-up investigation or for insurance claims, etc. See above for specific information on reporting a lost or stolen passport. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be given the contact details of victim support groups.
If you wish, you may also contact the Embassy, who can facilitate your communication with the police forces.
Arrest
If you are arrested, you may ask the French authorities to inform the Embassy of your arrest.
The Embassy can:
- Visit you or arrange for you to be visited by an Embassy
official
- If necessary, provide you with a list of local English-speaking
lawyers
- Advise you about the prison system and about your entitlement to
visits, mail and other facilities
- Bring details of any medical condition you may have to the
attention of prison officials
- Pursue with the prison authorities on your behalf any complaints
about ill-treatment or discrimination
- Pass messages to and from your family
However, the Embassy cannot:
- Secure better treatment for Irish citizens than local or other
nationals receive
- Give or pay for legal advice
- Interfere with or influence the proper operation and application
of the local judicial system
- Provide any financial assistance while you are in prison
- Pay bail bonds or fines
