No 352/2017                                                                                             

l7/27520

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade presents its compliments to all Diplomatic Missions in Canberra and has the honour to advise of changes to the processing of honorary consul nominations.

The good character of persons nominated as honorary consuls must be confirmed by a police check as part of routine processing. Under current arrangements Protocol Branch requests the nominee to complete a National Police Check (NPC) Application form.

To streamline processing in the future, the requesting state must include with the initial nomination, an NPC Application Form (an example is attached), which has been completed and signed by the nominee. Certified copies of the nominee's passport and driver licence must also be included.

The Protocol Guidelines will soon be updated accordingly and will also include a link to the NPC Application form.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade avails itself of this opportunity to renew to all Diplomatic Missions in Canberra the assurances of its highest consideration.

CANBERRA
18 October 2017