The advantages of having a diplomatic passport

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October 6, 2011

Honorary Consulate represents a political entity with an increased role in the last decade aiming to promote and support the economic and cultural relations between two countries. The officers performing consular duties are known as honorary consuls having a well-defined status and political immunity sustained by a Diplomatic Passport.

Unlike career consuls, they are not career officials of the represented state but they are usually citizens or permanent inhabitants of the host country representing the interests of the sending country in order to develop commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between the sending state and the host state using their own financial resources and network of acquaintances. Moreover, the Honorary Consulate also has responsibility for the welfare of citizens of the appointing country within their bailiwick and its duties rely under the financial resources of the honorary consuls without charging the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Honorary consuls usually receive a diplomatic passport which is very important if they want to pass through or they are in the territory of a certain State because this guarantees them and their families certain inviolability and such other immunities in order to ensure their passage from a country to another. Usually, a diplomatic passport is issued to someone who must travel internationally on official state business but this type of document does not entitle diplomats or consuls with diplomatic immunity. Still, the Honorary Consulate can enjoy many privileges and immunities granted by the Vienna Conventions of Consular and Diplomatic Relations. The Convention is recognized by more than 179 states worldwide outlining the basic principles on regard the obtaining of a diplomatic passport along with all the benefits and obligations arising from this fact.

Therefore, a member of the Honorary Consulate can enjoy the privileges of a diplomatic passport as long as he accomplishes his duties which rely under three main areas: consular, commercial and representation. Although each country has different procedures by which they offer diplomatic courtesy, an honorary consul expects many benefits from the Worldwide Diplomatic Community starting with a particular “red treatment” by international government and no tax liability on income from outside the host country. Both his home and his office are officially designated as a consulate and hence they are inviolable while his movements and activities remain confidentially worldwide. In order to pass without any inconvenient and to avoid the search of the forces of control, the member of an Honorary Consulate may display “CC” (Corps Consulaire) or CD (Corps Diplomatique) plates on his car and this way when travelling, he may use the Diplomatic Channel at airports and he will not be subject to time delaying and annoying customs checks. Moreover, a diplomatic passport exempts the honorary consul from all forms of tax on any of your income in the host country derived from outside of that country and it also provides him free upgrades on airlines, car rental, hotels and cruises along with priority booking on reservations and any other related benefits. Being a member of the Honorary Consulate opens many doors which may have been previously closed: a variety of restaurants, hotels and clubs suddenly are no longer “fully booked” while more and more invitations to Royal/Diplomatic and Society events are received. The honorary Consulate and a diplomatic passport definitely boost the business success, the social status and the prestige of a person opening the door to a world where every effort to positively impact the society is fully repaid.

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