British High Commission
Ottawa

Part of:: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The British High Commission in Ottawa maintains and develops relations between the UK and Canada.

We work closely with the Canadian government and partners across the country on a wide range of issues, including business, defence, climate change, science and innovation, education and culture. Find out more about our work on the UK and Canada news page.

If you need urgent medical help or are a victim of crime, call the local emergency services on 911. Contact your insurance provider if you have one. They will tell you what your policy covers, and what you need to do to make a claim.

Getting help

If you cannot get the support you need from local services, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can help British people abroad.

We prioritise emergencies and people who are vulnerable, for example, if someone’s:

ill, injured, or involved in a crime
with a British person who’s died

Get help from FCDO

In many situations, you will be able to help yourself without needing to contact the British High Commission. Check our guidance on:

finding English-speaking lawyers in Canada
dealing with a death in Canada
being arrested in Canada
getting help if you’re a victim of crime
what to do if you’re in hospital
travel advice for Canada

If you cannot use your passport

You can apply for an emergency travel document if you need to travel urgently and cannot use your passport because it is lost, stolen or damaged.

If you are travelling in more than 3 weeks, check if you can get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

If you do not need to travel urgently, you should still report a lost or stolen passport.

Getting a visa to the UK

The British High Commission does not provide visas and cannot advise on UK visas. If you have any questions about the application process or your visa status, contact UK Visas and Immigration.

You can check whether you need a visa and apply for one.

Official documents and services we provide

The British High Commission cannot certify, notarise or legalise a document. A Canadian notary public must do this. Find out about notarial and documentary services in Canada and what documents the high commission can provide.

Consular fees

The British High Commission charges fees for some of its services. See the full list of consular fees in Canada.

Support for British nationals living in Canada

Read our guidance for living in Canada for information on travelling to, living, working and studying there.

You can find a full list of UK help and services available in Canada.

Other UK consulates in Canada

You can also find UK consulates in:

Our people

David Prodger

Chargé d’Affaires to Canada

Brigadier Edward Sandry OBE

Defence Adviser, Canada

Contact us