Notification of Staff Appointments and Movements

Subject(s):

Diplomatic immunity — Diplomatic missions — Diplomatic relations — Diplomatic privileges — Immunity from jurisdiction

This chapter considers Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which contains provisions regarding the notification of staff appointments and arrival and departure of members of diplomatic missions. Article 10 states that the receiving State, through its Ministry for Foreign Affairs, prior to the meeting shall be notified of the appointment, time of arrival, and time of final departure of the members of the mission. The Article also expresses that the Ministry is also notified of the time of arrival and departure of the relatives and private servants of the members of the mission. As they will be staying at the receiving State temporarily, the Article states that the members, along with their relatives and personal servants, are entitled to privileges and immunities. All of these notifications are usually compiled in a general list or diplomatic register. The chapter describes how the formation of the register varies from State to State.