Emergency Assistance

Emergency Contacts for the U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou

To report emergencies involving a U.S. citizen, such as a serious medical issue, death, or arrest, please contact the American Citizen Services unit at:  (020) 8518-7605 from within China or (011-8620) 8518-7605 from the U.S. 

Our office is open on regular business days from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. China time.  After regular business hours, your call will be routed to an operator who will assist you in reaching our Emergency After Hours Duty Officer.  If you experience any difficulty in reaching the operator after hours, please call (010) 8531-4000 from within China  or (011-8610) 8531-4000 from the U.S.

For non-emergency issues, please see our General Contact Page.

Emergency Contacts for the Department of State

The Department of State's Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS), in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, has established a Washington, D.C.-based call center to provide general information to the public.

The call center will refer case-specific calls directly to the appropriate OCS country officer (or to a special task force in a crisis) and non-Consular calls to the appropriate agency or office. The call center has direct access to the most recent Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements.

The OCS call center normally operates from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. in China), Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

FROM THE U.S.: The toll-free number for the OCS hotline is 1-888-407-4747.

FROM OVERSEAS: Callers who are unable to use toll-free numbers, such as those calling from overseas, may reach the hotline by calling 001-202-501-4444.

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Arrest & Detention

If an American citizen is detained by Chinese authorities, the Consulate General does all it can to assist.  In conformance with the U.S.-PRC Consular Convention, Chinese authorities must report the detention of a U.S. citizen who entered China on his or her U.S. passport to the Consulate General no later than four days from the date of arrest or detention.  A Consular officer will visit American detainees and provide a list of sources of legal advice or assistance.  In cases of lengthy incarceration, we visit American prisoners at least every 30 to 60 days to ensure that American citizens receive treatment no worse than that accorded citizens of the PRC.

Victims of Crime

If an American is a victim of crime in China, he or she should contact the police in their local area.  Everywhere in China, the Police Emergency Number is: 110.  In such situations, Americans may also need to contact a doctor and/or a lawyer.  Please see our list of Medical Facilities and Doctors for doctors, dentists, and hospitals known to treat foreigners.  Please see Law Firms in China for a list of law firms in your area.  It is not necessary for Americans who are victims of crime in China to contact the Consulate General, unless their passport was stolen.

Emergency Funds

The fastest and most efficient method to send money internationally, including to China, is via Western Union. Although slower than Western Union, the U.S. Department of State can assist relatives in the U.S. who wish to send money in an emergency. The Consulate General cannot cash checks. If for some reason an American citizen becomes destitute in China, the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit can assist in contacting family members or friends who can send money.