Protocol Guidelines
14. VISITS
14.1 Airport Facilitation - Heads of State, Heads of Government and Guests of the Australian Government
14.2 Airport Facilitation - Other VIPs
14.3 Airport Facilitation - Private and transit visits
14.4 Airport VIP rooms
14.5 Security Screening
14.6 Security Personnel
14.1 Airport facilitation - Heads of State, Heads of Government and Guests of the Australian Government
Visits by Heads of State, Heads of Government and Guests of the Australian Government are facilitated by the Ceremonial and Hospitality Unit (CERHOS) at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet..
The functions of CERHOS include the following:
- assistance with courtesies for private and transit visits by Heads of State/Government;
- development of the official program for visits by senior foreign visitors as guests of the Australian Government and the coordination of appropriate administrative arrangements for them; and
- arrangement of official hospitality and ceremonial occasions including State funerals and memorial services
Among the administrative arrangements for visiting Heads of State/Government and Guests of Government, CERHOS assigns a Commonwealth Visit Coordinator to liaise with missions and posts, as well as airport authorities and the Australian Customs Service, about arrival and departure arrangements. The Commonwealth Visit Coordinator will establish meeting points and other details for a dignitary's arrival and departure in consultation with the mission or post.
The Head of the Mission or Post, or a designated representative, together with the Commonwealth Visit Coordinator, will be escorted to the aircraft, where they will meet the visiting Head of State/Government or Guest of Government. (The practice is that only one member of the mission or post is allowed entry to the restricted area of the airport. Other mission members may wait in the VIP room or another suitable area. This should be discussed carefully with the Commonwealth Visit Coordinator.)
The visiting Head of State/Government or Guest of Government and party, plus accredited representatives, will be escorted by a Customs officer and the Commonwealth Visit Coordinator to the VIP room where they will wait while entry formalities are completed. In some cases, the party will proceed directly to the Entry Control Point, where priority passage will be accorded.
The procedures for accompanying a visiting Head of State/Government or Guest of Government to the aircraft on departure are similar to those for arrival, with CERHOS again coordinating arrangements. On departure, the normal procedure is for the foreign Head of State/Government or Guest of Government and party to be escorted to a VIP lounge (often the first class lounge of the airline on which the dignitary is travelling) after departure formalities have been completed. The Head of State/Government or Guest of Government and accompanying party are required to submit themselves and their carry-on baggage to security screening. Again, only one diplomatic or consular representative may accompany the departing party to the lounge.
When the aircraft is ready for departure, the Head of State/Government or Guest of Government and party, accompanied by the mission's or post's representative, together with the Commonwealth Visit Coordinator, will proceed to the departure point.
Once the Head of State/Government or Guest of Government has boarded the aircraft, the farewelling party will be escorted from the lounge or restricted area to the public area of the airport.
Detailed "Information Notes" on State and official visits are available on request from CERHOS. Further advice may be obtained from the Director, CERHOS, tel (02) 6271 5350 or fax (02) 6271 5796.
14.2 Airport facilitation - other VIPs
Given advance notice, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s State and Territory offices will assist with requests for airport facilitation for other VIPs on arrival and departure. Courtesies may be arranged for:
- State or provincial governors;
- national, State or local government politicians;
- certain other high ranking VIPs (such as high officers of the United Nations);
- senior officials of permanent head rank;
- leaders of delegations attending either bilateral or multilateral conferences in Australia;
- Heads of Canberra-based diplomatic missions on first arrival and final departure; and
- other dignitaries, subject to case-by-case-consideration
Missions should note that Heads of Mission accredited to Australia only receive airport facilitation on their first arrival and final departure. This section should be read in conjunction with Section 5.5 of these Guidelines.
Facilitation will usually involve a Customs officer, airport duty manager, or airline representative accompanying VIPs through normal arrival and departure procedures. These include immigration, customs and quarantine checks on arrival, and immigration, customs and security checks on departure. It is envisaged that this level of facilitation should be sufficient for VIPs visiting Australia. Facilitation will not normally be provided at domestic airports.
The point of contact to arrange for courtesies is the appropriate State or Territory Office of the Department Of Foreign Affairs and Trade two or three working days in advance. Contact details for the Stete and Terrotory Offices can be found in Appendix 14 of the Protocol Guidelines. Requests should include the name(s) of the VIP and party; arrival/departure details and the names and contact numbers of the official(s) who will be meeting/farewelling the visitor(s). Facilitation requests should make explicit whether the request applies only to arrival, or to both arrival and departure. Copies of such requests should be repeated to Protocol Branch (fax (02) 6261 3455).
Where a program for the visit has been arranged with another Australian Government Department or organisation, the mission or post should ensure that that organisation has made appropriate arrangements for facilitation.
Approval may be given for one person from a mission or post to accompany a Customs representative to meet, and then to assist the VIP to complete customs and immigration formalities, perhaps using VIP room facilities (see Section 14.4).
14.3 Airport facilitation - private and transit visits
Where Heads of State or Government are visiting Australia in a private capacity or in transit, CERHOS offers assistance with the following courtesies:
- on arrival: meeting at port of entry, assistance with entry formalities, and transport from airport to first destination (usually accommodation)
- on departure: transport to airport, and assistance with airline check-in and departure formalities.
The Australian Government meets the cost of transport to and from the airport only.
Where other VIPs are visiting Australia in a private capacity or in transit, missions and posts may request airport facilitation for their international arrivals and departures by contacting the appropriate State or Territory Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade two to three working days in advance same requirements applicable as in Section 14.2 above.
14.4 Airport VIP rooms
Facilitation does not automatically involve the use of VIP rooms. These need to be requested separately and it should be noted that at some Australian airports there is a charge for the use of such rooms and the provision of any refreshments (which may also need to be booked in addition to the room).
- Some international airports within Australia charge a fee for the use of VIP rooms. In cases where a fee is charged, CERHOS will pay for dignitaries who are Guests of Government or for Heads of State/government visiting privately or transiting. Missions/posts are free to negotiate directly with the airport General Manager for the use of a VIP room on any other occasion. In such cases any costs must be met by the mission/post which makes the booking. On request State and Territory Offices may be able to book the VIP room, but it will need to be paid for by either the Embassy or the Consulate of the visitor.
The Australian Government takes very seriously its obligations and responsibilities under international and domestic law to protect foreign dignitaries from harassment or impairment of dignity. These obligations do not displace Australia’s responsibility to respond to the international security environment and to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public, including visiting foreign dignitaries.
Australia’s aviation security legislation is comparable to arrangements in many other countries and the Australian Government expects airport security screening procedures to be applied rigorously. Apart from the limited exemptions allowed for under the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005 (the regulations), VIPs are expected to undergo normal security screening processes at Australian airports.
The Aviation Regulations list the limited circumstances under which VIPs, including Guests of Government and Heads of Government/State, are entitled to automatic exemptions from security screening:
Exempt all circumstances
Queen of Australia
Exempt when travelling on State aircraft or an aircraft that is operating a service solely for the carriage of the VIP and his or her entourage.
Heads of State/Government recognised by the Australian Government; Guests of the Australian Government; and their immediate families.
Exemption from screening does not extend to aides, members of entourages or members of the Diplomatic or Consular Corps assisting VIPs during arrival or departure formalities.
The Australian Government does not expect to receive requests for exemptions from security screening unless there are compelling, exceptional circumstances. In the case of Heads of State/Government and Guests of Government who are not automatically exempt under the regulations, CERHOS may seek exemptions from security screening if requested. Any request would need to be made to CERHOS well in advance. CERHOS does not request exemption from screening for private travel or transits by Heads of Government/State on commercial flights but will assist with facilitation.
In the case of other VIPs exemptions from security screening will be considered only in very limited exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Private Screening
In some cases, there will be compelling reasons for provision of private screening away from the public area. If requested, this can be arranged. Private screening can involve screening by hand-held metal detector and/or physical pat down of the person to the extent necessary to complete the proper screening of the person and physical searches of baggage. Private screening takes place in multi-purpose rooms adjacent to the screening areas and not in VIP rooms.
14.6 Security Personnel
Australian authorities provide comprehensive protective security arrangements for Internationally Protected Persons, Heads of State/Government, Guests of the Government and other VIPs against whom an assessed security threat exists. This includes the use of close protection police officers and the implementation of appropriate transport, accommodation and venue security arrangements.
It is a long-standing policy of the Australian Government that foreign security personnel accompanying foreign dignitaries on visits to Australia are not permitted to carry firearms. This policy is based on the very high standard of protective security arrangements provided by Australian authorities and on the generally low level of threat within Australia.
Where foreign security officers are carrying weapons for other purposes, such as visits to other countries, those firearms and other weapons must be handed over to the Australian Customs Service on arrival for safe keeping. The weapons will be returned to the security officers at the point of departure from Australia. Prior arrangements must be made with Customs officials. It should be noted that it is an offence to carry firearms and/or ammunition in the passenger compartment of any commercial passenger aircraft entering, leaving or flying within Australia.
Visiting foreign dignitaries should be accommodated in a security-approved hotel. Where the dignitary wishes to stay at a mission or private residence, the additional cost of guarding the mission/residence will be at the expense of the particular mission.
If foreign bodyguards wish to bring into Australia their own portable radios, approval must be sought in advance for the proposed frequencies. In the case of Heads of State/Government and Guests of Government the request, containing full details of the equipment, should be submitted to CERHOS as early as possible before the visit. For other VIPs their request should be submitted to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.