Consuls in Tenerife

Most expatriates in Tenerife will rarely come in contact with their consuls, and a greater portion of consular time is dedicated to the millions of tourists who visit the island.  Even the application for passports is no longer processed through the Consulates in Santa Cruz, so we tend to only think of them when something goes wrong. 

Consuls can provide some support if you fall ill, need a lawyer or you are either a victim or perpetrator of a crime.  In the unfortunate event that a relative dies, then your Consul may be able to help with some of the arrangements.  The Consuls maintain registers of residents from their countries; however both would admit that their lists fall far short of the true population. 

The consul is a small outpost of your country’s government, whether Irish or British, but their roles and authority are very limited.  Living in, or even visiting Tenerife, any foreigner is obviously under the jurisdiction of Spanish laws and a Consul certainly cannot arrange any special treatment or interfere in criminal or civil legal proceedings.  Despite whatever Hollywood may have led you to believe, a Consul cannot investigate crimes or search for missing persons.  They cannot help you find work, pay bills for you, make any business arrangements for you or find you accommodation.  In many cases, however, the Consulates may be able to give you advice, or steer you in the right direction.

Useful links about consuls in Tenerife

Brtish Consulate  

Voting  in the UK

Online British consular registration form

Irish Department of foreign Affairs 

Irish Passport application forms