Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963
A Consulate General is a consular (not diplomatic) post, and its establishment is governed by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR), adopted 24 April 1963 in Vienna. It codifies the framework, functions, privileges and immunities of consular missions, distinct from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, which governs embassies.
- Embassies are the primary diplomatic mission, typically one per country, based in the host capital, and handle high-level political relations.
- Consulates/Consulates General are opened in other major cities to provide consular services (visas, passports, assistance to citizens) and promote trade/people-to-people ties; a country can have multiple consulates.
- Consular officers have narrower privileges and immunities than diplomatic agents under the VCCR's 79 articles.
● Tracked since March 01, 2026 · last seen September 12, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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