Appointing an acting high commissioner or a chargé d’affaires ad interim

The Accreditation Unit is responsible for this page.

In accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations the nomination of an acting high commissioner or a chargé d’ affaires ad interim (a.i.)  should be made and notified to Global Affairs Canada.

When the appointment is made by a serving head of mission while in Canada, a written notification by email to the Accreditation Unit is sufficient. The notification should include the head of mission’s email address. If the notification takes the form of a note verbale, it should include the head of mission’s signature or initials.

However, if the head of mission is already absent from Canada and an acting high commissioner or a chargé d’ affaires, a.i. needs to be either nominated or replaced, the sending state’s foreign ministry must provide that information. The ministry’s notification can be sent by email directly to the Accreditation Unit, or through its diplomatic mission in Ottawa (or in Washington, D.C., in the case of non-resident missions), or to the relevant Canadian mission.

Heads of mission may make multiple nominations if a series of mission staff absences is expected over the course of their absence. Only accredited diplomatic agents (and not consular officials) may be appointed as acting high commissioners or chargés d’affaires, a.i.

Provisional heads of mission are not self-appointed and cannot appoint another provisional head of mission

For greater clarity, when a duly appointed acting high commissioner or a chargé d’ affaires, a.i. is required to leave the country for any reason, even on short basis, such person cannot appoint anyone else to head the mission provisionally. The appointment of the provisional head of mission under these circumstances must be made by the sending state’s foreign ministry. A notification from the diplomatic mission alone is without effect.

Also, in cases where no accredited diplomatic staff is present, an accredited member of the administrative and technical staff or local staff may, with the Office of Protocol’s consent, be designated to oversee the current administrative affairs of the mission.

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