CAP. 22, CONSULAR RELATIONS ACT BELIZE
CONSULAR RELATIONS ACT CHAPTER 22
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
CONSULAR RELATIONS ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
BELIZE
CONSULAR RELATIONS ACT CHAPTER 22
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
CONSULAR RELATIONS ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
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Consular Relations
CHAPTER 22
CONSULAR RELATIONS
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
1. Short title and interpretation.
2. Ship and aircraft belonging to a State.
3. Application of Vienna Convention.
4. Restriction of privileges and immunities.
5. Agreements providing for additional or reduced privileges and immunities.
6. Civil jurisdiction concerning service on board ship or aircraft.
7. Jurisdiction over offences committed on board ship.
8. Detention on board ship for disciplinary offences.
9. Refund of customs duty on hydro-carbon oils.
10. Priority of telecommunications.
11. Right of diplomatic agents and consular officers to administer oaths and do notarial acts in certain cases.
12. Evidence.
FIRST SCHEDULE
SECOND SCHEDULE
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CHAPTER 22
CONSULAR RELATIONS
[16th November, 1972]
1.-(1) This Act may be cited as the Consular Relations Act.
(2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for foreign affairs.
2. For the purposes of section 6, 7 or 8, a ship, and for the purposes of section 6 an aircraft, shall be treated as belonging to a State in such circum- stances as may be specified by an order under that section; and different cir- cumstances may be so specified with respect to different States and different classes of ships or aircrafts.
3.-(1) Subject to sections 4 and 5 (2), the provisions set out in the First Schedule (being Articles or parts of Articles of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations signed in 1963) shall have the force of law in Belize and shall for that purpose be construed in accordance with subsections (2) to (9).
(2) In those provisions-
“authorities of the receiving State” shall be construed as including any po- lice officer and any person exercising a power of entry to any premises under any enactment;
“grave crime” shall be construed as meaning any offence punishable (on a first conviction) with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years or with a more severe sentence;
Short title and interpretation
9 of 1972.
Ship and aircraft belonging to a State.
Application of Vienna Conven- tion.
First Schedule.
CAP. 16, R. E. 1980-1990.
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“national of the receiving State” shall be construed as meaning a citizen of Belize.
(3) The reference in paragraph 2 of Article 17 to any privileges and immunities accorded by customary international law or by international agreements shall be construed as a reference to any privileges and immunities conferred under Part I of the Diplomatic Privileges and Consular Conven- tions Act.
(4) The references in Article 44 to matters connected with the exercise of the functions of members of a consular post shall be construed as references to matters connected with the exercise of consular functions by consular officers or consular employees.
(5) For the purpose of Article 45 and that Article as applied by Article 58 a waiver shall be deemed to have been expressed by a State if it has been expressed by the head, or any person for the time being performing the functions of head, of the diplomatic mission of that State or, if there is no such mission, of the consular post concerned.
(6) Articles 50, 51, 52, 54, 62 and 67 shall be construed as granting any privilege or immunity which they require to be granted.
(7) The reference in Article 57 to the privileges and immunities provided in Chapter II shall be construed as referring to those provided in Section II of that Chapter.
(8) The reference in Article 70 to the rules of international law concerning diplomatic relations shall be construed as a reference to the provisions of Part I of the Diplomatic Privileges and Consular Conventions Act.
(9) The references in Article 71 to additional privileges and immu- nities that may be granted by the receiving State or to privileges and immuni- ties so far as these are granted by the receiving State shall be construed as referring to such privileges and immunities as may be specified by the Minis- ter under the powers conferred upon him by section 4.
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4. If it appears to the Minister that the privileges and immunities accorded to a consular post of Belize in a territory of any State, or to persons connected with such a consular post, are less than those conferred by this Act on a consular post of that State or on persons connected with such a consular post, the Minister may by order withdraw such of the privileges and immunities so conferred from all or any of the consular posts of that State in Belize or from such persons connected therewith as appears to the Minister to be proper.
5.-(1) Where any agreement made, whether before or after the passing of this Act, between Belize and any other State provides for according to consular posts and persons connected with them privileges and immunities not accorded to them by the other provisions of this Act, the Minister may by order exer- cise, with respect to the consular posts of that State and persons connected with them, the powers specified in the Second Schedule so far as may be necessary to give effect to that agreement.
(2) Where any agreement made, whether before or after the passing of this Act between Belize and any other State provides for accord- ing to consular posts and persons connected with them some but not all of the privileges and immunities accorded to them by the other provisions of this Act, the Minister may by order provide for excluding, with respect to consular posts of that State in Belize and persons connected with them, any of those privileges and immunities which are not provided for by the agree- ment.
6. The Minister may by order make provision for excluding or limiting the jurisdiction of any court in Belize to entertain proceedings relating to the remuneration of any contract of service of the master or commander or a member of the crew of any ship or aircraft belonging to a State specified in the order, except where a consular officer of that State has been notified of the intention to invoke the jurisdiction of that court and has not objected within such time as may be specified by or under the order.
Restriction of privileges and immunities.
Agreements providing for additional or reduced privileges and immunities. Second Schedule.
Civil jurisdiction concerning service on board ship or aircraft.
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7.-(1) The Minister may by order make provision for securing that, where an offence is alleged to have been committed on board any ship by the master or a member of the crew and the ship belongs to a State specified in the order, proceedings for the offences instituted otherwise than at the request or with the consent of a consular officer of that State are not entertained by any court in Belize, unless-
(a) the offence is alleged to have been committed by or against a person who is a citizen of Belize or is otherwise comprised in the definition of “national of the receiving State” in section 3 (2), or against a person other than the master or a member of the crew; or
(b) the offence is one involving the tranquillity or safety of a port, or the law relating to safety of life at sea, public health, oil pollution, wireless telegraphy, immigration or customs or is of any other description specified in the order; or
(c) the offence is one comprised in the definition of “grave crime” in section 3 (2).
(2) For the purposes of this section, an offence which affects the property of any person shall be deemed to have been commit- ted against him.
(3) For the purposes of this section, any document purporting to be signed by or on behalf of a consular officer and stating that he has requested or consented to the institution of any proceedings shall be sufficient proof of that fact unless the contrary is shown.
8. The Minister may by order designate any State for the purposes of this section, and where a State is so designated a member of the crew of a ship belonging to that State who is detained in custody on board for a disciplinary offence shall not be deemed to be unlawfully detained unless-
(a) his detention is unlawful under the laws of that state or the condi- tions of detention are inhumane or unjustifiably severe; or
Jurisdiction over offences committed on board ship.
Detention on board ship for disciplinary offences.
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(b) there is reasonable cause for believing that his life or liberty will be endangered for reasons of race, nationality, political opinion or religion, in any country to which the ship is likely to go.
9.-(1) The Minister of Finance may authorise the Financial Secretary to make, if he thinks fit, arrangements for securing the refund of customs duty paid on any hydrocarbon oils which are-
(a) bought in Belize; and
(b) used for such purpose that, had they been imported for that use, exemption from customs duty would have been required to be granted under-
(i) Article 50 in the First Schedule; or
(ii) an order made under section 5 (1) of this Act or Part I of the Diplomatic Privileges and Consular Conven- tions Act.
(2) Any arrangements made under this section may impose conditions subject to which any refund is to be made.
(3) Any amount refunded under arrangements made under this section shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by the National Assembly.
(4) In this section “hydrocarbon oils” means petroleum oils, coal tar and oils produced from coal, shale, peat or any other bituminous sub- stance, and all liquid hydrocarbons, but does not include such hydrocarbons or bituminous or asphaltic substances as are-
(a) solid or semi-solid at a temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit; or
(b) gaseous at a temperature of sixty degrees Fahrenheit and under a pressure of one atmosphere.
Refund of customs duty on hydrocarbon oils.
First Schedule.
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10. Nothing shall prevent the giving of priority to messages from con- sular officers and replies thereto so far as may be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to any agreement made, whether before or after the passing of this Act, between the United Kingdom and any other State, or between Belize and any other State after the 21st September, 1981.
11.-(1) A diplomatic agent or consular officer of any State may, if authorized to do so under the laws of that State, administer oaths, take affidavits and do notarial acts-
(a) required by a person for use in that State or under the laws thereof; or
(b) otherwise required by a national of that State but not for use in Belize except under the laws of some other country.
(2) The Minister may by Order exclude or restrict the provisions of subsection (1) in relation to the diplomatic agents or consular officers of any State if it appears to him that in any territory of that State diplomatic agents or consular officers of Belize are not permitted to perform functions correspond- ing in nature and extent to those authorised by that subsection.
(3) The Minister may by order make provision for applying section 46 of the Oaths Act (powers as to oaths and notarial acts abroad) to coun- tries within the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland by requiring the section to be construed as if-
(a) the references therein to a foreign country or place included such country or place as may be specified in the Order; and
(b) the diplomatic ranks specified in that section included such ranks of any Belize mission in a country specified in the Order as may be so specified in relation to that country.
(4) In this section “diplomatic agent” means the head of a mission or a member of the diplomatic staff of a mission.
Priority of telecommunica- tions.
Right of diplo- matic agents and consular officers to administer oaths and do notarial acts in certain cases.
CAP. 130.
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12. If in any proceedings any question arises whether or not any person is entitled to any privilege or immunity under this Act, a certificate under the hand of the Minister stating any fact relating to that question shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.
FIRST SCHEDULE
[Sections 3 (1) and 9 (1)]
Provisions of Vienna Convention having the Force of Law in Belize
ARTICLE I
Definitions
1. For the purposes of the present Convention, the following expressions shall have the meanings hereunder assigned to them:
(a) “consular post” means any consulate-general, consulate, vice- consulate or consular agency;
(b) “consular district” means the area assigned to a consular post for the exercise of consular functions;
(c) “head of consular post” means the person charged with the duty of acting in that capacity;
(d) “consular officer” means any person, including the head of a consular post, entrusted in that capacity with the exercise of consular functions;
(e) “consular employee” means any person employed in the admin- istrative or technical service of the consular post;
(f) “member of the service staff” means any person employed in
Evidence.
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the domestic service of consular post;
(g) “members of the consular post” means consular officers, consu- lar employees and members of the service staff;
(h) “members of the consular staff” means consular officers, other than the head of a consular post, consular employees and mem- bers of the service staff;
(i) “member of the private staff” means a person who is employed exclusively in the private service of a member of the consular post;
(j) “consular premises” means the buildings or parts of buildings and the land ancillary thereto, irrespective of ownership, used exclu- sively for the purposes of the consular post;
(k) “consular archives” includes all the papers, documents, corre- spondence, books, films, tapes and registers of the consular post, together with the ciphers and codes, the card-indexes and any article of furniture intended for their protection or safekeeping.
2. Consular officers are of two categories, namely career consular officers and honorary consular officers. The provisions of Chapter II of the present Convention apply to consular posts headed by career consular offic- ers; the provisions of Chapter III govern consular posts headed by honorary consular officers.
3. The particular status of members of the consular post who are nationals or permanent residents of the receiving State is governed by Article 71 of the present Convention.
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Chapter I.-Consular Relations in General
ARTICLE 5
Consular functions
Consular functions consists in:
(a) protecting in the receiving State the interests of the sending State and of its nationals, both individuals and bodies corpo- rate, within the limits permitted by international law;
(b) furthering the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between the sending State and the receiving State and otherwise promoting friendly relations between them in accordance with the provisions of the present Convention;
(c) ascertaining by all lawful means conditions and developments in the commercial, economic, cultural and scientific life of the receiving State, reporting thereon to the Government of the sending State and giving information to persons interested;
(d) issuing passports and travel documents to nationals of the send- ing State, and visas or appropriate documents to persons wish- ing to travel to the sending State;
(e) helping and assisting nationals, both individuals and bodies corporate, of the sending State;
(f) acting as notary and civil registrar and in capacities of a similar kind, and performing certain functions of an administrative na- ture, provided that there is nothing contrary thereto in the laws and regulations of the receiving State;
(g) safeguarding the interests of nationals, both individuals and bod- ies corporate, of the sending State in cases of succession mortis
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causa in the territory of the receiving State, in accordance with the Laws and regulations of the receiving State;
(h) safeguarding, within the limits imposed by the laws and regula- tions of the receiving State, the interests of minors and other per- sons lacking full capacity who are nationals of the sending State, particularly where any guardianship or trusteeship is required with respect to such persons;
(i) subject to the practices and procedures obtaining in the receiving State, representing or arranging appropriate representation of nationals of the sending State before the tribunals and other au- thorities of the receiving State, for the purpose of obtaining, in accordance with the laws and regulations of the receiving State, provisional measures for the preservation of the rights and inter- ests of these nationals, where, because of absence or any other reason, such nationals are unable at the proper time to assume the defence of their rights and interests;
(j) transmitting judicial and extra-judicial documents or executing letters rogatory or commissions to take evidence for the courts of the sending State in accordance with international agreements in force or, in the absence of such international agreements, in any other manner compatible with the laws and regulations of the receiving State;
(k) exercising rights of supervision and inspection provided for in the laws and regulations of the sending State in respect of vessels having the nationality of the sending State, and of aircraft regis- tered in that State, and in respect of their crews;
(l) extending assistance to vessels and aircraft mentioned in sub- paragraph (k) of this Article and to their crews, taking state- ments regarding the voyage of a vessel, examining and stamping the ship’s papers, and, without prejudice to the powers of the authorities of the receiving State, conducting investigations into any incidents which occurred during the voyage, and settling dis-
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putes of any kind between the master, the officers and the sea- men in so far as this may be authorised by the laws and regula- tions of the sending State;
(m) performing any other functions entrusted to a consular post by the sending State which are not prohibited by the laws and regu- lations of the receiving State or to which no objection is taken by the receiving State or which are referred to in the interna- tional agreements in force between the sending State and the receiving State.
ARTICLE 15
Temporary exercise of the functions of the head of a consular post
1. If the head of a consular post is unable to carry out his func- tions or the position of head of consular post is vacant, an acting head of post may act provisionally as head of the consular post.
2. The full name of the acting head of post shall be notified either by the diplomatic mission of the sending State, or if that State has no such mission in the receiving State, by the head of the consular post, or, if he is unable to do so, by any competent authority of the sending State, to the Governor of the receiving State or to the authority designated by the Gover- nor. As a general rule, this notification shall be given in advance. The receiving State may make the admission as acting head of post of a person who is neither a diplomatic agent nor a consular officer of the sending State in the receiving State conditional on its consent.
3. The competent authorities of the receiving State shall afford assistance and protection to the acting head of post. While he is in charge of the post, the provisions of the present Convention shall apply to him on the same basis as to the head of the consular post concerned. The receiving State shall not, however, be obliged to grant to an acting head of post any facility, privilege or immunity which the head of the consular post enjoys only
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subject to conditions not fulfilled by the acting head of post.
4. When, in the circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, a member of the diplomatic staff of the diplomatic mission of the sending State in the receiving State is designated by the sending State as an acting head of post, he shall, if the receiving State does not object thereto, continue to enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities.
ARTICLE 17
Performance of diplomatic acts by consular officers
1. In a State where the sending State has no diplomatic mission and is not represented by a diplomatic mission of a third State, a consular officer may, with the consent of the receiving State, and without affecting his consular status, be authorised to perform diplomatic acts. The performance of such acts by a consular officer shall not confer upon him any right to claim diplomatic privileges and immunities.
2. A consular officer may, after notification addressed to the receiving State, act as representative of the sending State to any inter- governmental organization. When so acting, he shall be entitled to enjoy any privileges and immunities accorded to such a representative by customary international law or by international agreements; however, in respect of the performance by him of any consular function, he shall not be entitled to any greater immunity from jurisdiction than that to which a consular officer is entitled under the present Convention.
Chapter II- Facilities, Privileges and Immunities relating to Consular Posts, Career Consular Officers and other members of a Consular Post
Section I- Facilities, Privileges and Immunities relating to a Consu- lar Post
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ARTICLE 31
Inviolability of the consular premises
1. Consular premises shall be inviolable to the extent provided in this Article.
2. The authorities of the receiving State shall not enter that part of the consular premises which is used exclusively for the purpose of the work of the consular post except with the consent of the head of the consu- lar post or of his designee or of the head of the diplomatic mission of the sending State. The consent of the head of the consular post may, however, be assumed in case of fire or other disaster requiring prompt protective action.
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4. The consular premises, their furnishing, the property of the consular post and its means of transport shall be immune from any form of requisition for purposes of national defence or public utility. If expropriation is necessary for such purposes, all possible steps shall be taken to avoid impeding the performance of consular functions, and prompt, adequate and effective compensation shall be paid to the sending State.
ARTICLE 32
Exemption from taxation of consular premises
1. Consular premises and the residence of the career head of consular post of which the sending State or any person acting on its behalf is the owner or lessee shall be exempt from all national, regional or municipal dues and taxes whatsoever, other than such as represent payment for specific services rendered.
2. The exemption from taxation referred to in paragraph 1 of this
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Article shall not apply to such dues and taxes if, under the law of the receiv- ing State, they are payable by the person who contracted with the sending State or with the person acting on its behalf.
ARTICLE 33
Inviolability of the consular archives and documents
The consular archives and documents shall be inviolable at all times and wherever they may be.
ARTICLE 35
Freedom of communications
1. The receiving State shall permit and protect freedom of com- munication on the part of the consular post for all official purposes. In communicating with the Government, the diplomatic missions and other consular posts, wherever situated, of the sending State, the consular post may employ all appropriate means, including diplomatic or consular couriers, diplomatic or consular bags and messages in code or cipher. However, the consular post may install and use a wireless transmitter only with the consent of the receiving State.
2. The official correspondence of the consular post shall be inviolable. Official correspondence means all correspondence relating to the consular post and its functions.
3. The consular bag shall be neither opened nor detained. Nev- ertheless, if the competent authorities of the receiving State have serious reason to believe that the bag contains something other than the correspon- dence, documents or articles referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article, they may request that the bag be opened in their presence by an authorized representative of the sending State. If this request is refused by the authori- ties of the sending State, the bag shall be returned to its place of origin.
4. The packages constituting the consular bag shall bear visible
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external marks of their character and may contain only official correspon- dence and documents or articles intended exclusively for official use.
5. The consular courier shall be provided with an official docu- ment indicating his status and the number of packages constituting the consular bag. Except with the consent of the receiving State he shall be neither a national of the receiving State, nor, unless he is a national of the sending State, a permanent resident of the receiving State. In the perfor- mance of his functions he shall be protected by the receiving State. He shall enjoy personal inviolability and shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention.
6. The sending State, its diplomatic missions and its consular posts may designate consular couriers ad hoc. In such cases the provisions of paragraph 5 of this Article shall also apply except that the immunities therein mentioned shall cease to apply when such a courier has delivered to the consignee the consular bag in his charge.
7. A consular bag may be entrusted to the captain of a ship or of a commercial aircraft scheduled to land at an authorized port of entry. He shall be provided with an official document indicating the number of pack- ages constituting the bag, but he shall not be considered to be a consular courier. By arrangement with the appropriate local authorities, the consular post may send one of its members to take possession of the bag directly and freely from the captain of the ship or of the aircraft.
ARTICLE 39
Consular fees and charges
1. The consular post may levy in the territory of the receiving State the fees and charges provided by the laws and regulations of the sending State for consular acts.
2. The sums collected in the form of the fees and charges re- ferred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, and the receipts for such fees and
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charges, shall be exempt from all dues and taxes in the receiving State.
Section II.- Facilities, Privileges and Immunities relating to Career Consular Officers and other Members of a Consular Post
ARTICLE 41
Personal inviability of consular officers
1. Consular officers shall not be liable to arrest or detention pending trial, except in the case of a grave crime and pursuant to a decision by the competent judicial authority.
2. Except in the case specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, consular officers shall not be committed to prison or liable to any other form of restriction on their personal freedom save in execution of a judical decision of final effect.
ARTICLE 43
Immunity from jurisdiction
1. Consular officers and consular employees shall not be ame- nable to the jurisdiction of the judicial or administrative authorities of the receiving State in respect of acts performed in the exercise of consular functions.
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, shall not, how- ever, apply in respect of civil action either:
(a) arising out of a contract concluded by a consular officer or a consular employee in which he did not contract expressly or impliedly as an agent of the sending State; or
(b) by a third party for damage arising from an accident in the receiving State caused by a vehicle, vessel or aircraft.
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ARTICLE 44
Liability to give evidence
1. Members of a consular post may be called upon to attend as witnesses in the course of judicial or administrative proceedings. A consular employee or a member of the service staff shall not, except in the cases men- tioned in paragraph 3 of this Article, decline to give evidence. If a consular officer should decline to do so, no coercive measure or a penalty may be applied to him.
2. The authority requiring the evidence of a consular officer shall avoid interference with the performance of his functions. It may, when pos- sible, take such evidence at his residence or at the consular post or accept a statement from him in writing.
3. Members of a consular post are under no obligation to give evidence concerning matters connected with the exercise of their functions or to produce official correspondence and documents relating thereto. They are also entitled to decline to give evidence as expert witnesses with regard to the law of the sending State.
ARTICLE 45
Waiver of privileges and immunities
1. The sending State may waive, with regard to a member of the consular post, any of the privileges and immunities provided for in Articles 41, 43 and 44.
2. The waiver shall in all cases be express, except as provided in paragraph 3 of this Article, and shall be communicated to the receiving State in writing.
3. The initiation of proceedings by a consular officer or a consular employee on a matter where he might enjoy immunity from jurisdiction under
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Article 43 shall preclude him from invoking immunity from jurisdiction in re- spect of any counter-claim directly connected with the principal claim.
4. The waiver of immunity from jurisdiction for the purposes of civil or administrative proceedings shall not be deemed to imply the waiver of immu- nity from the measures of execution resulting from the judicial decision: in re- spect of such measures, a separate waiver shall be necessary.
ARTICLE 49
Exemption from Taxation
1. Consular officers and consular employees and members of their families forming part of their household shall be exempt from all dues and taxes, personal or real, national regional or municipal, except:
(a) indirect taxes of a kind which are normally incorporated in the price of goods or services;
(b) dues or taxes on private immovable property situated in the territory of the receiving State, subject to the provisions of Article 32;
(c) estate, succession or inheritance duties, and duties on transfers levied, by the receiving State, subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of Article 51;
(d) dues and taxes on private income, including capital gains, having its source in the receiving State and capital taxes relating to investments made in commercial or financial undertakings in the receiving State;
(e) charges levied for specific services rendered;
(f) registration, court or record fees, mortgage dues and stamp duties, subject to the provisions of Article 32.
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2. Members of the service staff shall be exempt from dues and taxes on the wages which they receive for their services.
3. Members of the consular post who employ persons whose wages or salaries are not exempt from income tax in the receiving State shall observe the obligations which the laws and regulations of that state impose upon em- ployers concerning the levying of income tax.
ARTICLE 50
Exemption from customs duties and inspection
1. The receiving State shall, in accordance with such laws and regulations as it may adopt, permit entry of and grant exemption from all customs duties, taxes, and related charges other than charges for storage, cartage and similar services on;
(a) articles for the official use of the consular post;
(b) articles for the personal use of a consular officer or members of his family forming part of his household, including articles intended for his establishment. The articles intended for consumption shall not exceed the quantities necessary for direct utilisation by the persons concerned.
2. Consular employees shall enjoy the privileges and exemptions specified in paragraph 1 of this Article in respect of articles imported at the time of first installation.
3. Personal baggage accompanying consular officers and mem- bers of their families forming part of their households shall be exempt from inspection. It may be inspected only if there is serious reason to believe that it contains articles other than those referred to in subparagraph (b) of paragraph 1 of this Article, or articles, the import or export of which is prohibited by the laws and regulations of the receiving State or which are
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subject to its quarantine laws and regulations. Such inspection shall be carried out in the presence of the consular officer or member of his family concerned.
ARTICLE 51
Estate of a member of the consular post or of a member of his family
In the event of the death of a member of the consular post or of a member of his family forming part of his household, the receiving State:
(a) shall permit the export of the movable property of the de- ceased, with the exception of any such property acquired in the receiving State the export of which was prohibited at the time of his death;
(b) shall not levy national, regional or municipal estate, succession or inheritance duties, and duties on transfers, on movable property the presence of which in the receiving State was due solely to the presence in that State of the deceased as a member of the consular post or as a member of the family of a member of the consular Post.
ARTICLE 52
Exemption from personal services and contributions
The receiving State shall exempt members of the consular post and members of their families forming part of their households from all personal services, from all public service of any kind whatsoever, and from military obligations such as those connected with requisitioning, military contributions and billeting.
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ARTICLE 53
Beginning and end of consular privileges and immunities
1. Every member of the consular post shall enjoy the privileges and immunities provided in the present Convention from the moment he enters the territory of the receiving State on proceeding to take up his post or, if already in its territory, from the moment when he enters on his duties with the consular post.
2. Members of the family of a member of the consular post forming part of his household and members of his private staff shall receive the privileges and immunities provided in the present Convention from the date from which he enjoys privileges and immunities in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article or from the date of their entry into the territory of the receiving State or from the date of their becoming a member of such family or private staff, whichever is the latest.
3. When the functions of a member of the consular post have come to an end, his privileges and immunities and those of a member of his family forming part of his household or a member of his private staff shall normally cease at the moment when the person concerned leaves the receiving State or on the expiry of a reasonable period in which to do so, whichever is the sooner, but shall subsist until that time, even in case of armed conflict. In the case of the person referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, their privileges and immunities shall come to an end when they cease to belong to the household or to be in the service of a member of the consular post provided, however, that if such persons intend leaving the receiving State within a reasonable period thereafter, their privileges and immunities shall subsist until the time of their departure.
4. However, with respect to acts performed by a consular officer or a consular employee in the exercise of his functions, immunity from jurisdiction shall continue to subsist without limitation of time.
5. In the event of the death of a member of the consular post, the members of his family forming part of his household shall continue to enjoy
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the privileges and immunities accorded to them until they leave the receiving State or until the expiry of a reasonable period enabling them to do so, whichever is the sooner.
ARTICLE 54
Obligations of third States
1. If a consular officer passes through or is in the territory of a third State, which has granted him a visa if a visa was necessary, while proceeding to take up or return to his post or when returning to the sending State, the third State shall accord to him all immunities provided for by the other Articles of the present Convention as may be required to ensure his transit or return. The same shall apply in the case of any member of his family forming part of his household enjoying such privileges and immunities who are accompanying the consular officer or travelling separately to join him or to return to the sending State.
2. In circumstances similar to those specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, third States shall not hinder the transit through their territory of other members of the consular post or of members of their families forming part of their households.
3. Third States shall accord to official correspondence and to other official communications in transit, including messages in code or cipher, the same freedom and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention. They shall accord to consular couriers who have been granted a visa, if a visa was necessary, and to consular bags in transit, the same inviolability and protection as the receiving State is bound to accord under the present Convention.
4. The obligations of third States under paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article shall also apply to the persons mentioned respectively in those paragraphs, and to official communications and to consular bags, whose presence in the territory of the third State is due to force majeure.
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ARTICLE 55
Respect for the laws and regulations of the receiving State
2. The consular premises shall not be used in any manner incom- patible with the exercise of consular functions.
3. The provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article shall not exclude the possibility of offices of other institutions or agencies being installed in part of the building in which the consular premises are situated, provided that the premises assigned to them are separate from those used by the consular post. In that event, the said offices shall not, for the purposes of the present convention, be considered to form part of the consular premises.
ARTICLE 57
Social provisions concerning private gainful occupation
2. Privileges and immunities provided in this Chapter shall not be accorded:
(a) to consular employees or to members of the service staff who carry on any private gainful occupation in the receiving State;
(b) to members of the family of a person referred to in subpara- graph (a) of this paragraph or to members of his private staff;
(c) to members of the family of a member of a consular post who themselves carry on any private gainful occupation in the re- ceiving State.
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Chapter III.- Regime relating to honorary consular officers and consular, posts headed by such officers
ARTICLE 58
General provisions relating to facilities,
privileges and immunities
1. Articles................35, ................ and 39, paragraph 3 of Article 54 and paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 55 shall apply to consular posts headed by an honorary consular officer. In addition, the facilities, privileges and immunities of such consular posts shall be governed by Articles ............ 60, 61 and 62.
2. Articles………….43, paragraph 3 of Article 44, Articles 45 and 53 .................. shall apply to honorary consular officers. In addition, the facilities, privileges and immunities of such consular officers shall be governed by Articles .................... 66 and 67.
3. Privileges and immunities provided in the present Convention shall not be accorded to members of the family of an honorary consular officer or of a consular employee employed at a consular post headed by an honorary con- sular officer.
ARTICLE 60
Exemption from taxation of consular premises
1. Consular premises of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer of which the sending State is the owner or lessee shall be ex- empt from all national regional or municipal dues and taxes whatsoever, other than such as represent payment for specific services rendered.
2. The exemption from taxation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to such dues and taxes if, under the laws and regulations of the receiving State, they are payable by the person who contracted with the sending State.
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ARTICLE 61
Inviolability of consular archives and documents
The consular archives and documents of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer shall be inviolable at all times and wherever they may be, provided that they are kept separate from other papers and documents and, in particular, from the private correspondence of the head of a consular post and of any person working with him, and from the materials, books or documents relating to their profession or trade.
ARTICLE 62
Exemption from customs duties
The receiving State shall, in accordance with such law and regula- tions as it may adopt, permit entry of, and grant exemption from all customs duties, taxes, and related charge other than charges for storage, cartage and similar services on the following articles, provided that they are for the official use of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer: coats-of-arms, flags, signboards, seals and stamps, books, official printed matter, office furniture, office equipment and similar articles supplied by or at the instance of the sending State to the consular post.
ARTICLE 66
Exemption from taxation
An honorary consular officer shall be exempt from all dues and taxes on the remuneration and emoluments which he receives from the sending State in respect of the exercise of consular functions.
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ARTICLE 67
Exemption from personal services and contributions
The receiving State shall exempt honorary consular officers from all personal services and from all public services of any kind whatsoever and from military obligations such as those connected with requisitioning, military contributions and billeting.
Chapter IV.- General Provisions
ARTICLE 70
Exercise of consular functions by diplomatic missions
1. The provisions of the present Convention apply also, so far as the context permits, to the exercise of consular functions by a diplomatic mis- sion.
2. The names of members of a diplomatic mission assigned to the consular section or otherwise charged with the exercise of the consular func- tions of the mission shall be notified to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or to the authority designated by that Ministry.
...................................................
4. The privileges and immunities of the members of a diplomatic mission referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall continue to be governed by the rules of international law concerning diplomatic relations.
ARTICLE 71
Nationals or permanent residents of the receiving State
1. Except in so far as additional facilities, privileges and immuni- ties may be granted by the receiving State, consular officers who are nation- als of or permanently resident in the receiving State shall enjoy only immunity from jurisdiction and personal inviolability in respect of official acts per-
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formed in the exercise of their functions and the privileges provided in paragraph 3 of Article 44.
2. Other members of the consular post who are nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State and members of their families, as well as members of the families of consular officers, referred to in paragraph I of this Article, shall enjoy facilities, privileges and immunities only in so far as these are granted to them by the receiving State. Those members of the families of members of the consular post and those members of the private staff who are themselves nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State shall likewise enjoy facilities, privileges and immunities only in so far as these are granted to them by the receiving State.
SECOND SCHEDULE
[Section 5 (1)]
Provisions for giving effect to other agreements
1. The like exemption from dues and taxes may be extended to the residence of any member of a consular post as is accorded under Article 32 in the First Schedule to the residence of the career head of a consular post.
2. Paragraph 1 of Article 49 in that Schedule may be extended to members of the service staff.
3. Paragraph 2 of Article 50 in that Schedule may be applied as if it were among the Articles mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 58 in that Schedule, as if the reference to consular employees included members of the service staff and also such members of the families of consular employ- ees or of members of the service staff as form part of their households, and as if the words “in respect of articles imported at the time of first installation” were omitted.
4. Articles 29 and 31 in Schedule 1 to the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 (inviolability and immunity from jurisdiction and arrest of diplo-
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matic agents and exemption from duty to give evidence) may be extended to members of a consular post and members of their families forming part of their households.
5. Article 22 in Schedule 1 to the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 (inviolability and protection of mission) may be extended to consular pre- mises and paragraph 1 of Article 30 in that Schedule (inviolability of private residence) may be extended to the residences of consular officers.
6. Article 27 in Schedule 1 to the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 (freedom of communications) may be extended to the communications of a consular post.
