Updated: Updated
Issue
370,000 British nationals travel to China each year and 17,000 British nationals live and work here legally. A small number of these British nationals need help from the British Embassy in Beijing.
Actions
our publication Support for British nationals abroad: a guide sets out the steps that British nationals can take to stay safe abroad, and provides details on what help the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can provide if you do get into difficulty
we help and support British nationals who are in difficulty or distress, and where necessary issue emergency travel documents and other notarial or documentary services. We provide up-to-date travel advice and other information and campaigns to help British nationals travel safely. If there is a major crisis or incident in China we provide a range of services to help those affected.
How you can find us and our information
Please see our contact information page. This should help you access the information you want. You can find PDFs of maps / directions to the Embassy and Consulates-General in China, if you need to come here in person. It also gives you out-of-hours contact information for emergencies.
How we can help
What consulates can do for you:
issue emergency travel documents if you are eligible
provide information about transferring funds
provide appropriate help if you are a victim of crime, need medical help or are in hospital
provide details of local lawyers, interpreters, doctors and funeral directors
do all we properly can to contact you as soon as possible after being told that you have been detained
offer support and help in a range of other cases, such as international child abduction, death of relatives overseas, missing people and kidnapping
provide information and documents for you to get married in China
provide notarial and documentary services
UK law says we have to charge for some services. Details of our current fees and the standards of service you can expect to receive are on display in all our consular offices.
What consulates cannot do for you:
get you out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence, or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings
help you enter a country, for example, if you do not have a visa or your passport is not valid, as we cannot interfere in another country’s immigration policy or procedures
give you legal advice, investigate crimes or carry out searches for missing people, although we can give you details of people who may be able to help you in these cases, such as English-speaking lawyers
get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people
pay any bills or give you money (in very exceptional circumstances we may lend you some money from public funds, which you will have to pay back)
make travel arrangements for you, or find you work or accommodation
make business arrangements on your behalf
Information guides
Our prisoner pack aims to explain the legal and prison system to British nationals who are imprisoned.
Our list of English speaking lawyers has been prepared for the convenience of British nationals who require legal advice. Please note that inclusion in this list does not constitute official endorsement by the Embassy, Consulate or UK government.
Information on what you’ll need if you want to get married in China
Living in China provides information for those planning on coming to live, or currently living in China
Consular fees detail charges for some services we provide at the embassy.
Passports and emergency travel documents
How to renew or replace your British passport and information on getting replacement travel documents if your passport is lost or stolen.
Travel Advice
Information on staying safe and avoiding problems when living or travelling abroad, with links to our embassies, high commissions and other diplomatic posts across the world.
Contact us
Our consulates deal with a large number of urgent cases each year. Before contacting a consulate with non-urgent enquiries, please read our Support for British nationals abroad: a guide to see if the information you need is there. If you still cannot find the information you need, check our information guides , or consider asking us via Facebook or WeChat. You can also contact your nearest Consular team by e-mail or phone.
You should make an appointment for notarial services at a British consulate,
Appointment only systems operate across all posts.
To make an appointment please e-mail the relevant post with your preferred dates (please provide three options), a brief description of the service you require, your name and contact details. We will reply to confirm your appointment time:
British Embassy Beijing: consular.beijing@fco.gov.uk.
Appointments available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:00 – 12:00. Closed Wednesdays.
Consulate General Chongqing: consular.chongqing@fco.gov.uk.
Appointments available: Monday: 9:00 – 12:00 and 13:30 – 16:00, Wednesday: 13:30pm – 16:00 and Friday: 9:00 – 12:00. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Consulate General Guangzhou: consular.guangzhou@fco.gov.uk
Appointments available: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 9:00 – 13:00. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Consular General Shanghai: consular.shanghai@fco.gov.uk
Appointments available: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00 -12:00 and 14:00 - 16:00. Tuesday and Friday: 9:00 - 12:00.