The most unusual requests to British embassies - from hair colour tips to restaurant refunds
One holidaymaker asked where to get blonde highlights in Jordan, the Foreign Office has revealed.
By BBC News
British holidaymakers have made a string of bizarre requests to embassies and consular staff around the world, including asking where to get blonde highlights in Jordan and seeking help to find a parked car at the Eiffel Tower. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has revealed these unusual enquiries to remind travellers of the limited support consular staff can provide to British nationals overseas.
Among the most striking examples, a tourist in Jordan contacted the British embassy asking: “Do you know where I can get blonde highlights?” The request was one of several hairdressing tips sought by Britons abroad, with staff also asked for advice on hair colour in other destinations. In Nigeria, another traveller rang embassy staff to complain about a meal, specifically requesting a refund for duck pâté that did not meet expectations.
The Foreign Office confirmed that help finding a parked car was another frequent oddity, with one caller seeking assistance locating their vehicle at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Others asked for recommendations on where to watch the World Cup, treating consular desks as travel information centres rather than emergency support hubs.
In a particularly unusual case, a Briton asked whether their pet could be granted citizenship, a request that embassy staff could not fulfil under any legal framework. These stories were highlighted by the FCDO to clarify the boundaries of consular assistance.
While embassies can help in serious situations such as arrests, serious illness, death, or lost passports, they cannot provide personal travel advice, restaurant refunds, hairdressing recommendations, or legal status for animals. The department emphasised that such requests divert resources from genuine emergencies and can delay help for those in real danger.
Consular staff receive thousands of calls annually, many from people who are unsure what support is available. The FCDO noted that while officers are trained to be helpful, they must follow strict guidelines on what they can and cannot do.
Asking for hair colour tips or restaurant refunds falls outside their remit, and staff are expected to politely decline such requests while offering guidance on where to find local services. The revelation comes after a period of increased travel for British nationals, with many heading abroad for summer holidays and sporting events.
The FCDO used the unusual requests to launch a public awareness campaign, urging travellers to check official guidance before contacting an embassy. The message was clear: embassies are not 24-hour travel agents or personal concierge services.
One embassy worker described the range of calls as “sometimes baffling,” noting that some callers seemed to believe consular staff had access to local databases or personal networks that could solve everyday problems. In reality, embassy teams operate within tight legal and diplomatic constraints, and their primary duty is to protect British citizens in crisis, not to assist with minor inconveniences.
The Foreign Office also pointed out that some requests, while unusual, reflected genuine confusion about the role of embassies. A traveller in Nigeria, for example, may not have known how to contact local consumer rights bodies and instead turned to the British embassy.
In such cases, staff can offer advice on how to find local help, but they cannot intervene directly in commercial disputes or personal matters. The list of odd requests also included pleas for help finding lost items, with one caller asking for assistance tracking a car at a major tourist site.
Another asked for recommendations on where to watch a football match, treating the embassy as a source of entertainment advice. These examples underscore a broader issue: many travellers do not fully understand the limits of consular support until they are abroad and in need.
The FCDO’s message to travellers is straightforward: check the official government website before contacting an embassy, and only reach out for serious issues such as arrest, hospitalisation, or lost passports. For minor problems like a bad meal or a missing car key, local services and consumer protection agencies are the appropriate route.
Embassies can provide contact details for local help, but they cannot act on behalf of the traveller in commercial or personal disputes. As summer travel peaks, the Foreign Office expects the number of calls to rise, including more unusual requests.
The department is urging British nationals to plan ahead, know their rights, and understand what support is available. By clarifying the role of consular staff, the FCDO hopes to reduce the number of non-urgent calls and ensure that help reaches those who truly need it.
The unusual requests serve as a reminder that embassies are not a substitute for local services or personal travel planning. While staff are trained to be courteous and helpful, they must prioritise genuine emergencies.
For holidaymakers, the best approach is to research local options before travelling and to keep emergency contact details for local authorities and consumer protection bodies. In the end, the story of the blonde highlights request in Jordan and the duck pâté complaint in Nigeria illustrates a common misunderstanding about the role of British embassies.
The Foreign Office is using these examples to set clear expectations and ensure that consular resources are used where they matter most: in times of real crisis.