Section 9: Evidence
consolidated text (as amended). juris shows the text as it was consolidated; it does not confirm that this is the law in force today.
9. Evidence
Where in any proceedings any question arises whether or not any person
is entitled to any privilege or immunity under this Act, a certificate issued by
or under the authority of the Minister stating any fact relating to that question shall be conclusive evidence of that fact.
FIRST SCHEDULE
[Section 2]
Article I
DEFINITIONS
(1) For the purposes of the present Convention—
“consular archives” includes all the papers, documents, correspondence,
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;
“consular district” means the area assigned to a consular post for the exercise of consular functions;
“consular employee” means any person employed in the administrative or
technical service of a consular post;
“consular officer” means any person, including the head of a consular
post, entrusted in that capacity with the exercise of consular functions;
“consular post” means any consulate-general, consulate, vice-consulate or
consular agency;
“consular premises” means the buildings or parts of buildings and the land
ancillary thereto, irrespective of ownership, used exclusively for the purposes
of the consular post;
“head of consular post” means the person charged with the duty of acting
in that capacity;
“member of the private staff” means a person who is employed exclusively in the private service of a member of the consular post;
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“member of the service staff” means any person employed in the domestic
service of a consular post;
“members of the consular post” means consular officers, consular employees and members of the service staff;
“members of the consular staff” means consular officers, other than the
head of a consular post, consular employees and members of the service
staff.
(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 officers; the provisions of Chapter III govern consular posts headed by honorary consular officers.
(3) The particular status of members of the consular posts who are nationals
or permanent residents of the receiving State is governed by Article 71 of the
present Convention.
CHAPTER I
CONSULAR RELATIONS IN GENERAL
Article 5
CONSULAR FUNCTIONS
Consular functions consist in—
(a) protecting in the receiving State the interests of the sending State
and of its nationals, both individuals and bodies corporate, 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 sending
State, and visas or appropriate documents to persons wishing 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 si
cial, 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 sending
State, and visas or appropriate documents to persons wishing 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 nature, 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 bodies
corporate, of the sending State in cases of succession mortis 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 regulations of
the receiving State, the interests of minors and other persons lacking
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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 for nationals
of the sending State before the tribunals and other authorities 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 interests 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 registered in that
State, and in respect of their crews;
(l) extending assistance to vessels and aircraft mentioned in paragraph (k) of this Article and to their crews, taking statements 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 disputes of any kind between the master, the officers and the seamen in so far as this may
be authorised by the laws and regulations 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 regulations of
the receiving State or to which no objection is taken by the receiving
State or which are referred to in the international 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 functions or the
position of head of consular post is vacant, an actin
to a consular post by the
sending State which are not prohibited by the laws and regulations of
the receiving State or to which no objection is taken by the receiving
State or which are referred to in the international 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 functions 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, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
of the receiving State or to the authority designated by that Ministry. 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.
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(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 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 intergovernmental organisation.
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 1
Facilities, Privileges and Immunities relating to a Consular Post
Article 31
INVIOLABILITY OF THE CONSULAR PREMISES
(1) Consular premises shall be inviolable to the exten
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 1
Facilities, Privileges and Immunities relating to a Consular Post
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 consular 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.
(3) —
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(4) The consular premises, their furnishings, 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 Article
shall not apply to such dues and taxes if, under the law of the receiving 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 COMMUNICATION
(1) The receiving State shall permit and protect freedom of communication
on the part of the consular post for all official purposes. In communicating with
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. Nevertheless, if
the competent authorities of the receiving State have serious reason to believe
that the bag contains something other than the correspondence, documents or
articles referred to in paragraph (4) of this Article, they may request that the bag
be opened in their presence by an authorised representative of the sending State.
If this request is refused by the authorities of the sending State, the bag shall be
returned to its place of origin.
bag shall be neither opened nor detained. Nevertheless, if
the competent authorities of the receiving State have serious reason to believe
that the bag contains something other than the correspondence, documents or
articles referred to in paragraph (4) of this Article, they may request that the bag
be opened in their presence by an authorised representative of the sending State.
If this request is refused by the authorities of the sending State, the bag shall be
returned to its place of origin.
(4) The packages constituting the consular bag shall bear visible external
marks of their character and may contain only official correspondence and
documents or articles intended exclusively for official use.
(5) The consular courier shall be provided with an official document 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 performance of his functions he shall be
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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 authorised port of entry. He shall be provided with an official document indicating the number of packages 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 referred to in
paragraph (1) of this Article, and the receipts for such fees and 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 INVIOLABILITY 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 judicial decision of final effect.
Article 43
IMMUNITY FROM JURISDICTION
(1) Consular officers and consular employees shall not be amenable 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, however, apply
in respect of a civ
ted to prison or liable to any other form of restriction
on their personal freedom save in execution of a judicial decision of final effect.
Article 43
IMMUNITY FROM JURISDICTION
(1) Consular officers and consular employees shall not be amenable 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, however, apply
in respect of a civil action either:
(a) arising out of the 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
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(b) by a third party for damages arising from an accident in the receiving
State caused by a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft.
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 mentioned in paragraph (3) of this Article, decline to give evidence. If a consular officer should decline to do so, no coercive measure or 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 possible, 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 in a matter where he might enjoy immunity from jurisdiction under
Article 43 shall preclude him from invoking immunity from jurisdiction in respect
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 immunity
from the measures of execution resulting from the judicial decision; in respect of
such measures, a separate waiver shall be necessary.
Article 48
SOCIAL SECURITY EXEMPTION
(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Article, members of
the consular post with respect to services rendered by them for the sending
State, and members of their families forming part of their households, shall be
exempt from social security provisions which may be in force in the receiving
State.
(2) The exemption provided for in paragraph (1) of this Article shall apply
also to members of the private staff who are in the sole employ of members of
the consular post, on condition:
(a) that they are not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving
State; and
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(b) that they are covered
d members of their families forming part of their households, shall be
exempt from social security provisions which may be in force in the receiving
State.
(2) The exemption provided for in paragraph (1) of this Article shall apply
also to members of the private staff who are in the sole employ of members of
the consular post, on condition:
(a) that they are not nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving
State; and
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(b) that they are covered by the social security provisions which are in
force in the sending State or a third State.
(3) Members of the consular post who employ persons to whom the exemption provided for in paragraph (2) of this Article does not apply shall observe
the obligations which the social security provisions of the receiving State impose
upon employers.
(4) The exemption provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Article shall
not preclude voluntary participation in the social security system of the receiving
State, provided that such participation is permitted by that State.
Article 49
EXEMPTION FROM TAXATION
(1) Consular officers and consular employees and members of their families
forming part of their households 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 provision 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.
(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 employers
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 utilization by the persons
concerned.
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(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 members of their
families forming part of their households shall be exempt from inspection. It may
be
articles intended for consumption shall not exceed the quantities necessary for direct utilization by the persons
concerned.
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(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 members 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 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 deceased, 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.
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
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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 persons
referred to in paragraph (2) of this
st have come to an
end, his privileges and immunities and those of a member of his family forming
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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 persons
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 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.
Article 55
RESPECT FOR THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE RECEIVING STATE
(1) —
(2) The consular premises shall not be used in any manner incompatible
with the exercise of consular functions.
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(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 c
r bags, whose presence in
the territory of the third State is due to force majeure.
Article 55
RESPECT FOR THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE RECEIVING STATE
(1) —
(2) The consular premises shall not be used in any manner incompatible
with the exercise of consular functions.
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(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
SPECIAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRIVATE GAINFUL OCCUPATION
(1) —
(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 subparagraph (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 receiving State.
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 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 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 59, 60, 61 and 62.
(2) Articles 42 and 43, paragraph (3) of Article 44 and Articles 45 and 53
and paragraph (1) of Article 55 shall apply to honorary consular officers. In addition, the facilities, privileges and immunities of such consular officers shall be
governed by Articles 63, 64, 65, 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 consular
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 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 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.
[Issue 1] C40 – 14
Revised Laws of Mauritius
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 St
HIVES 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 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 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.
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 mission.
(2) The names of members of a diplomatic mission assigned to the consular
section or otherwise charged with the exercise of the consular functions of the
mission shall be notified to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving State
or to the authority designated by that Ministry.
(3) —
C40 – 15 [Issue 1]
Consular Relations Act
(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 immunities may be
granted by the receiving State, consular officers who are nationals of or permanently resident in the receiving State shall enjoy only immunity from jurisdiction
and personal inviolability in respect of official acts performed in the exercise of
their functions, and the privilege 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 (1) 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
eir families, as well as
members of the families of consular officers referred to in paragraph (1) 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]
PROVISIONS FOR GIVING EFFECT TO OTHER AGREEMENTS