The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 defines the consular officer as any person invested with this faculty for the exercise of consular functions. And they are of two kinds rented and fees.
Paid consular officials are those appointed by the executive power before the receiving State in order that, among other functions, they protect the interests of the State and its nationals in the country that is sent, as their name indicates, they are hired. , paid by the government.
On the other hand, the honorary consuls are representatives of the private sector, of recognized moral and economic solvency, are linked to the business, commercial, industrial, tourist, cultural, and investment sectors in their jurisdiction, and are not paid by the government.
They must also know our customs, histories, tourist attractions, political stability, laws that concern foreign investment, etc.
Honorary consuls cannot be a government official of the country before which they will be accredited; they can be foreigners, and in the case of Dominican citizens, they must be permanent residents in the receiving country, with moral and economic solvency.
Regarding the categories of consular offices, Organic Law 360-16, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, includes the following: General Consulates, Consulates, Vice Consulates, Honorary General Consulates, Honorary Consulates, and Honorary Vice Consulates.
In the current structure in our consular service there are appointed officials in the categories of Consul General, Consul, Vice Consul, and Consular Auxiliaries, the latter not contemplated by the Vienna Convention.
In short, the consular officials have the functions of representing the State by promoting and facilitating the development of economic, commercial, and cultural activities between the Dominican Republic and the territory of its jurisdiction. Protect the interests of the State and its nationals, in accordance with international law.
And with regard to consular activity within embassies, Law 716 of October 9, 1944, on the public functions of consuls, and article 70 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, authorizes the exercise of those functions. in diplomatic missions in those jurisdictions where the country does not maintain rented consulates. In such cases, a designated official in the embassy exercises these functions as head of the consular section.
To finish, the consul is a position of the consular career, and is admitted to his work by an authorization called exequatur granted by the receiving State, after receiving and accepting the letters or letters patent, and when they are appointed they undergo a intensive course on Diplomacy and International Relations taught at the Foreign Ministry, as a prerequisite for them to take up their respective positions.
