Emergency Consular Services in the United Kingdom

What the Ghana High Commission in London can do for Ghanaians in difficulty anywhere in the UK — and which UK services to call first when life or safety is at risk.

The Ghana High Commission at 13 Belgrave Square, London (+44 20 7201 5900, chancery@ghc-uk.org) is the point of contact for consular emergencies affecting Ghanaian citizens throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its core emergency roles are issuing travel documents when passports are lost or expired at the worst moment, supporting families when a Ghanaian dies, is hospitalised or is arrested in the UK, and connecting people with the right Ghanaian and British authorities. Consular counter hours are limited — confirm current opening hours with the mission, ask what out-of-hours arrangements currently apply and save any emergency line it publishes. If you cannot reach London at all, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra can be contacted on +233 302 664 951.

Emergency Travel Certificates (ETC)

The most common emergency service. If your Ghana passport is lost, stolen, damaged or expired and you need to travel to Ghana urgently — a family funeral is the classic case — the mission can issue an Emergency Travel Certificate, a one-way travel document that gets you home. For genuine emergencies ETCs are typically issued within 24–48 hours.

Bring to the mission:

• A UK police report or crime reference number if the passport was lost or stolen (report online or via 101, the police non-emergency number);
• Two passport photographs;
• Evidence of identity and Ghanaian citizenship — a photocopy of the lost passport, your Ghana Card, or a Ghanaian birth certificate;
• Evidence of urgent travel (booking, funeral notice) and the fee — ETC fees are modest (canonical MFA guidance puts them around $30–50 USD) but vary by mission, so confirm the current amount with London.

Remember an ETC gets you to Ghana; returning to the UK depends on your UK immigration status documents, so if your BRP or visa was lost with the passport, contact the Home Office about replacements before travelling.

Arrest or Detention

If a Ghanaian citizen is arrested anywhere in the UK, they have the right under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations to have the Ghana High Commission informed, and UK custody officers will contact the mission on request. The mission can visit or check on detained citizens, help families understand what has happened, and provide lists of solicitors — though everyone in the UK, whatever their nationality, is entitled to free legal advice at the police station via the duty solicitor scheme, which is usually the fastest help available. The mission cannot get anyone released, interfere in UK court proceedings, or pay legal fees.

Death of a Ghanaian in the UK

When a Ghanaian national dies in the UK, the death is registered with the local register office (and a coroner or procurator fiscal in Scotland may be involved if the death was sudden). The High Commission assists families with the consular side: documentation for repatriation of remains to Ghana, liaison with Ghanaian authorities, and guidance on the paperwork airlines and Ghanaian ports of entry require. Repatriation from the UK to Ghana is well-trodden ground — several UK funeral directors specialise in it and handle the coffin certification, embalming certificates and freight booking — but the mission’s document legalisation is usually part of the chain. Families should contact the mission early, as should anyone needing a UK death certificate legalised for use in inheritance matters in Ghana (see our notarial guide).

Hospitalisation, Welfare and Vulnerable Citizens

The mission can be notified when a Ghanaian is seriously ill or hospitalised in the UK, can help contact family in Ghana, and can assist students or visitors whose support has collapsed — for example when money runs out or documents are lost mid-visit. Note that emergency NHS treatment (A&E) is available to everyone in the UK, but visitors are generally chargeable for ongoing hospital care, so travel insurance remains essential for Ghanaians visiting Britain. The mission cannot pay medical bills, hotel bills or fines.

Victims of Crime

Report crime to the UK police: 999 in an emergency, 101 otherwise, and Action Fraud for fraud and online scams (a frequent issue, including visa and immigration scams targeting the diaspora). The High Commission can support Ghanaian victims with replacement documents, contact with relatives, and signposting to UK victim support services. Domestic abuse victims can call the police regardless of immigration status; refuge and support services in the UK do not require British citizenship.

Quick Reference: Who to Call

Official Sources

• Ghana High Commission London – emergency contact details and current procedures
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ghana
• Ghana Immigration Service
• National Identification Authority
• Ghana e-Visa Portal

Last updated: 2026-08-04. Emergency procedures and out-of-hours arrangements are set by the mission and can change — verify current contact routes with the High Commission and keep them saved before you need them.