Diplomatic passports are issued to civil servants and their authorized dependents for official government business. The application process varies by country and typically includes an interview. Possession of a diplomatic passport does not guarantee diplomatic immunity or visa exemption. Diplomatic visas are required for official government business and must be obtained in advance. Fraudulent diplomatic passports and visas can result in serious legal penalties.
Obtaining a diplomatic passport generally requires an application, passport photos, and orders or a statement evidencing the need for such documentation. In most countries, these documents are issued to civil servants and their authorized dependents who travel or are assigned overseas on official government business. The sponsoring organization or government agency typically requests and receives an individual’s passport. These are free passports and can only be used when traveling abroad as part of the holder’s official duties.
The process of applying for a diplomatic passport can vary from country to country. Applicants are typically employees of their respective governments or are immediate family members or authorized assistants of such employee. Diplomatic passports are issued to civil servants who need to travel abroad to fulfill their official duties. As a result, the application process will often include an interview with the secretary of state or the issuing agency.
Applicants often begin the application process by completing a passport application. Passport photographs, proof of citizenship and other identification documents may also be requested. Holders rarely apply for and receive their passports as individuals. The application is usually made on the applicant’s behalf by the sponsoring government agency, such as the military. In the United States, applications may also be made through the applicant’s federal congressional representative.
Possession of a diplomatic passport does not grant or guarantee diplomatic immunity or visa exemption. Diplomatic immunity or freedom from prosecution under host nation laws is not granted by the holder’s home country, but rather by the host country. This privilege is granted with the understanding that immunity will be mutually accorded to diplomats of the host country. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations provides the legal framework for diplomatic relations and has been ratified by 187 nations as of 2011. Some nations have yet to ratify the treaty, while others only recognize certain provisions.
Individuals holding diplomatic passports and their authorized dependents are usually required to obtain diplomatic visas if traveling on official government business. Those traveling as tourists, for example, do not need diplomatic visas. Diplomatic visas are typically reserved for those representing their national governments rather than states, provinces or local governments.
In most cases, diplomatic visas must be obtained in advance of travel and require an interview with a consular officer. Any employees, assistants, or authorized employees who will be traveling with the government representative are also often interviewed. Military personnel may also be eligible for diplomatic visas under certain circumstances, such as during military training.
There are companies online that claim to be able to secure diplomatic passports and diplomatic appointments for a high fee. They typically offer locations and passports of African and Oceanic nations. Some promise to secure ambassadors or other positions such as minister, consul or attaché.
These services are usually fraudulent because diplomatic documentation and passport agency appointments do not charge any qualified persons. Unless the holder is an official government employee who requires documentation to travel in the performance of their duties, individuals do not need and should not receive diplomatic passports or visas. Traveling with fraudulently obtained diplomatic credentials can incur serious legal penalties.
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