Most visits to Greece never involve an embassy. If yours does, because of a lost passport, a serious accident or an arrest, knowing where to go saves hours. This guide covers the main English-speaking embassies in Athens and what each can realistically do. Details were checked against official government pages, but phone numbers and opening hours change, so confirm on your own country’s website before travelling.
Embassy locations in Athens
All embassies sit in the capital, so island visitors usually need a flight or ferry to reach one.
- United Kingdom: 1 Ploutarchou Street, 106 75 Athens. Main line and 24/7 consular emergency line +30 210 727 2600; public access is by appointment only.
- United States: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens. Main line +30 210 721 2951, which is also the after-hours emergency number; from the US, the State Department 24/7 line is +1 888 407 4747.
- Canada: 48 Ethnikis Antistaseos Street, Chalandri, 152 31 Athens. Phone +30 210 727 3400; consular email athns-cs@international.gc.ca.
- Australia: Level 6, Thon Building, corner of Kifisias and Alexandras Avenues, Ambelokipi, Athens 115 23. Phone +30 210 870 4000.
- Ireland: 7 Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue, 106 74 Athens, opposite the Panathenaic Stadium. Phone +30 210 723 2771.
Other EU citizens should check their own foreign ministry, because most EU states also run an embassy in Athens.
Emergencies first
For immediate danger, dial 112, which is free from any phone and connects police, ambulance and fire. The tourist police line, 1571, is staffed around the clock and is the best option when you need English-speaking help with theft or a lost document. Call your embassy after the emergency services, not instead of them.
What embassies can do
Consular staff can issue emergency travel documents, help you contact family, point you to English-speaking lawyers and doctors, visit you if you are detained, and advise on how to get money sent to you. They cannot pay bills, get you out of jail, find you work or interfere in local legal cases. Our Greece safety guide covers common scams and risks, and travel insurance is what covers medical and legal costs.
If you lose your passport
- Report the loss or theft to the nearest police station, or call 1571, and get a written report.
- Contact your embassy and explain your travel dates. Ask what an emergency travel document requires.
- Bring the police report, photo ID if you have any, passport photos and a copy of the lost passport if possible. Keep digital copies in your email before you leave home.
- Pay the fee and collect the document, which is usually valid for a direct trip home or a short onward journey.
- Check your onward route. If you are an overseas visitor, our Greece visa guide explains Schengen entry rules that still apply when you leave on a temporary document.
Embassy hours are limited, so call ahead. Being on an island does not stop you starting the process: phone first, then travel to Athens only if staff ask you to attend in person.