Consular Services

OUTLINE

—The Consular Services Department’s core objective is to provide and facilitate prompt consular services to Zimbabwean and foreign nationals through the following:
—Administrating the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), including liaising with Foreign Embassies’ with respect to their nationals in Zimbabwean prisons (Consular visits)
—Repatriation of human remains;
—Authentication of Zimbabwean Official documents;
—Facilitating the issuance of Diplomatic and Service Passports and other official Zimbabwean documents;
—Facilitation of visa processing;
—Deportation of foreign illegal immigrants; and,

 

—Technical assistance to clients’ queries
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
—The Convention was adopted in Vienna on April 24, 1963. The United Nations Conference on Consular Relations, which took place at the NeueHofburg from March 4 to April 22, 1963.
—There are 179 state parties to the convention including most UN member states and UN observer states Holy See and the State of Palestine. The signatory states that have not ratified the convention are: Central African Republic, Israel, Ivory Coast and Republic of Congo.
—The UN member states that have neither signed nor ratified the convention are: Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Palau, San Marino, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Swaziland and Uganda.
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations: Highlights
—Article 5 lists thirteen functions of a consul, including "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" and "furthering the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between the sending State and the receiving State.”
—Article 36 addresses communications between consular officers and nationals of the sending state. The Convention provides that "consular officers shall be free to communicate with nationals of the sending State and to have access to them." Foreign nationals who are arrested or detained be given notice "without delay” of their right to have their embassy or consulate notified of that arrest, and "consular officers shall have the right to visit a national of the sending State who is in prison, custody or detention, to converse and correspond with him and to arrange for his legal representation.”
—Article 37 provides that the host country must "without delay" notify consular officers of the sending state if one of the sending state's nationals dies or has a guardian or trustee appointed over him.
FUNCTIONS
—FACILITATING CONSULAR VISITS
—Liaise with Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services
—Notify respective embassies/consulates within 24 hours of receipt of notice

AT MISSION

Host government will inform on the arrest of a national. The Mission is responsible for requesting consular access to ensure the well-being of citizens
—FACILITATING THE ISSUANCE OF ALL OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS:
—Service and Diplomatic Passports Ministerial Circular B/88 of 30 April, 1996
—Details the categories of Officials entitled to hold Diplomatic or Service Passports
—Diplomatic and Service Passports are issued to Government officials to facilitate their travel and afford them protection abroad, as well as to enable them to be accorded privileges and immunities by foreign governments and authorities
—REPATRIATION OF HUMAN REMAINS

AT HEAD OFFICE:

—Authority is sought from the Registrar General (Form B/4)
—Requirements are:
—Post Mortem Report (were applicable);
—Death Certificate
—Embalming Certificate
—Permit To Repatriate Remains
—Infectious/Non-Infectious Disease Certificate
—Passport/Birth Certificate/NIC
BIRTH CERTIFICATES
—Birth Certificates

Missions facilitate the registration of births outside of the country.

—External births are registered through the issuance of BD1 and BD3 forms by the Mission

BD1 for births for Government Officials on official duty

 

BD3 for Zimbabweans citizens who have children abroad.
REPATRIATION OF HUMAN REMAINS

AT MISSION:

Embassy supports the repatriation process by ensuring that all documents are accounted for and requests Head Office to facilitate the repatriation.

Missions are advised to recommend the use of local funeral parlors as this makes the process much easier for the bereaved.
FUNCTIONS
—AUTHENTICATION OF ZIMBABWEAN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
—Service hours:
—Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
—9:00-11:00 hours submissions
—15:30 hours collections

 

Fees: USD 10.00 per stamp private, USD 20.00 commercial

 

—Authentication is a verification process
—Modalities and safeguards against forgeries
—Documents – Marriage/Non-Marriage Certificates, Education qualifications, Police Clearance 
—Facilitation of visa processing;
—Issuance of Note Verbales for Government Officials travelling on Government Duty
—Deportation of foreign illegal immigrants;
—Liaise with Department of Immigration and other stakeholders for deportation procedures
—Technical assistance for client’s queries:
—Information on visa processes / requirements
—Zimbabweans in distress
—Verification of business contacts
—Tracing relatives;
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEPARTMENT
—Consular Services is a customer services oriented Department
—Time sensitive!
—Especially for Zimbabweans in distress
—Respect for other countries processing times
—It is always an emergency department

 

Patience is a virtue: Self inflicted injuries