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Diplomatic and Official Passports Act

Commencement: 3 December 1984

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
REVISED EDITION 1988

CHAPTER 179

DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS

Act 30 of 1984

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

SECTION

1. Interpretation
2. Issue of passports
3. Power to cancel passport
4. Power to cancel endorsement or renewal

5. Power to order passport to be delivered up
6. Penalty for making false statements
7. Power to make regulations

SCHEDULE 1-Categories of persons entitled to diplomatic passports
SCHEDULE 2-Categories of persons entitled to official passports

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DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS

To make provisions for diplomatic and official passports.

INTERPRETATION

1. In the Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"diplomatic passport" means a passport issued under this Act to the categories of persons specified in Schedule 1;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for the foreign affairs of Vanuatu;

"officer" means any officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorised by the Minister to exercise the powers conferred on officers by this Act;

"official passport" means a passport issued under this Act to the categories of persons specified in Schedule 2.

ISSUE OF PASSPORTS

2. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, an officer authorised in that behalf by the Minister may issue Vanuatu diplomatic and official passports.
   

(2) Diplomatic and official passports shall be issued in the name of the Minister responsible for the foreign affairs of the Republic of Vanuatu and shall be in such forms as are prescribed by the Minister.

(3) No fee shall be charged for the issue of diplomatic and official passports.

POWER TO CANCEL PASSPORT

3. (1) A diplomatic or official passport may be cancelled by the Minister or by an officer authorised in that behalf by the Minister, and the passport shall thereupon become void, and any person having in his possession or under his control any such passport shall, on demand by the Minister or an officer forthwith deliver it up to the Minister or the officer.
   

(2) Failure to comply with a demand made by the Minister or an officer under subsection (1) shall be an offence.

Penalty: imprisonment for 3 months or fine of VT50,000.

POWER TO CANCEL ENDORSEMENT OR RENEWAL

4. Any renewal or endorsement of a diplomatic or of an official passport granted or made under this Act may be cancelled by the Minister or by an officer authorised by the Minister, and thereupon the renewal or endorsement shall be void.
   

POWER TO ORDER PASSPORT TO BE DELIVERED UP

5. (1) Any person who holds any diplomatic or official passport which has been obtained, or is reasonably suspected by an officer of having been obtained, by means of any false or misleading statement, shall, on demand by an officer, forthwith deliver it up to the officer.
   

(2) Failure to comply with a demand made by an officer under subsection (1) shall be an offence.

Penalty: imprisonment for 3 months or fine of VT50,000.

PENALTY FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS

6. Any person who,

(a) for the purpose of obtaining a diplomatic or official passport, renewal, or endorsement of a passport; or

(b) in support of an application for a diplomatic or official passport for any other person, renewal or endorsement of such passport of any other person,

makes any false or misleading statement, whether orally or in writing, commits an offence.

Penalty: imprisonment for 3 months or fine of VT50,000.

POWER TO MAKE REGULATIONS

7. The Minister may by Order make regulations not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act and may in particular amend the schedules to this Act.
   

SCHEDULE 1

(section 1)

CATEGORIES OF PERSONS ENTITLED TO DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS

The President of the Republic

The Prime Minister

The Speaker of Parliament

Government Ministers

Vanuatu Ambassadors

Vanuatu High Commissioners

Foreign Affairs personnel: diplomatic and consular staff

Leader of a delegation or sole Vanuatu representative at international conference or bilateral or multilateral negotiations

Diplomatic couriers

Persons in respect of whom the Minister considers exceptional circumstances apply

Spouses of persons granted Diplomatic Passports provided they are travelling on duty at Government expense

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SCHEDULE 2

(section 1)

CATEGORIES OF PERSONS ENTITLED TO OFFICIAL PASSPORTS

Members of Parliament

Chief Justice

Attorney General

Judges of the Supreme Court

Solicitor General Magistrates

Commissioner of Police Ombudsman

Chairman of the National Council of Chiefs

Officers of Vanuatu Government and Parliament

Persons in respect of whom the Minister considers exceptional circumstances apply

Spouses of persons granted Official Passports provided they are travelling on duty at Government expense

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[Subsidiary]

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION

DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL PASSPORTS
(FORMS OF PASSPORTS) REGULATION

Order 5 of 1985

To provide the forms of diplomatic and official passports.

FORM OF PASSPORTS

Diplomatic and Official Passports issued in accordance with Section 2 of the Diplomatic and Official Passports Act Cap. 179 shall be in the form set out in the Schedule.

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SCHEDULE

COVER

1. The cover of Diplomatic Passports shall be red. The cover of Official passports shall be blue.
   

2. The following shall be printed on the front cover of the passports -

(a) The national coat of arms together with the words: "Republic of "Vanuatu" on the top left corner, and the words "République de Vanuatu" on the top right corner, of the cover.

(b) The words "Diplomatic Passport" and "Passeport Diplomatique" or "Official Passport" and "Passeport Officiel" as the case may be, at the bottom of the cover.

3. The following shall be printed inside the front cover of the Diplomatic and Official Passports -
   

The national coat of arms shall be printed at the centre of the cover. The following words shall be printed above and below the coat of arms respectively -

"The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Vanuatu requests and requires in the name of the Republic all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer peacefully to pass without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.

Au nom de la Nation, le Ministre chargé des Affaires Etrang de la Republique de Vanuatu prie instamment toutes les autoritiés compétentes de bien vouloir laisser passer librement le titulaire du présent passeport et de lui offrir assist ce et protection le cas échéant."

4. Inside the back cover shall be printed the following -

"IMPORTANT NOTES

1. Vanuatu passports are issued and renewed by the competent authorities and by Vanuatu Diplomatic and Consular Officers in foreign countries.
   
2. This passport belongs to the Vanuatu Government and may be withdrawn at any time This passport is a valuable document and you must look after it carefully, It must not be altered in any way or given to any person without authority. If you loose or damage the passport, you must immediately report to the Passport Office in Vanuatu, and to the Police. If you are in a foreign country you must report to the local police and the nearest office of a Vanuatu diplomatic or consular representative. You will not be given another passport quickly, so take care of this one.
   
3. The possession of a passport does not exempt the holder from compliance with any immigration regulations in force in any territory or from necessity of obtaining a visa or permit where required.
   

RECOMMANDATIONS IMPORTANTES

1. Les passeports vanuatuans sont délivrés et renouvelés par les autorités compétentes et par les agents diplomatiques et consulaires vanuatuans dans les pays éstrangers.
   
2. Ce passeport est la propriété de la République de Vanuatu et pêut etre retiré à tout moment. Ce passeport est un document de valeur et il est important e la conserver soigneusement. Il ne doit être modifié en aucune façon ni donné à une personne sans justification. En cas de perte ou détérioration, il convient d'en informer immédiatement le Bureau des Passeports à Vanuatu, ainsi que la police. Si vous êtes dans un pays éstranger, prévenez la police locale et le bureau du représentant diplomatique ou consulaire de Vanuatu le plus proche. Un nouveau passeport ne pourra vous être délivré rapidement, alors prenez soin de celui-ci.
   
3. La possession d'un passeport ne dispense pas son titulaire de se conformer à tout reglement relatif à l'immigration en viguer dans tout territoire ne d'avoir à demander un visa si nécessaire."
   
5. The coat of arms shall be printed faintly on each page of the passport.
   

6. Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 shall be as follows -

"PAGE 1

This passport contains
48 pages.

Ce passeport contient
48 pages.

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DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT
PASSEPORT DIPLOMATIQUE

or

OFFICIAL PASSPORT
PASSEPORT OFFICIEL

as the case may be.

REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
REPUBLIQUE DE VANUATU

No. of PASSPORT ...................................................................................
No. du PASSEPORT

NAME OF BEARER ...............................................................................
NOM DU TITULAIRE

ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE ..................................................................................
(Maiden name)

ACCOMPAGNT DE SA FEMME ..................................................................................
(Née)

and by ......................................... Children

et de ............................................ enfants

NATIONAL STATUS NATIONALITÉ

PAGE 2

DESCRIPTION-SIGNALEMENT

Bearer-Titulaire Wife-Femme

Profession
Profession .........................................................................................................................

Place and date of birth ........................................................................................................

Lieu et date de naissance ....................................................................................................

Residence ..........................................................................................................................
Résidence

Height ..............................................................................................................................
Taille

Colour of hair ....................................................................................................................
Couleur des cheveux

Special peculiarities ...........................................................................................................
Signes particuliers

CHILDREN-ENFANTS

Name-Nom Date of birth-Date de naissance Sex-Sexe
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PAGE 3

Bearer
(Titulaire)

Usual Signature of Bearer

...........................................................

Signature du Titulaire

Wife
(Femme)

Usual Signature of Wife

......................................................
Signature de sa Femme

PAGE 4

"COUNTRIES FOR WHICH THIS PASSPORT IS VALID
PAYS POUR LESQUELS CE PASSEPORT EST VALABLE

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The validity of this passport expires:
Ce passeport expire le:

............................................................................................................................................

unless renewed.
moins de renouvellement.

Issued at ......................................................................................................................
délivré à

Date: .................................................................................................................................

Signature of Issuing Authority ...................................................................................
Signature de l'autorité ayant
délivré le passeport."

PAGE 5

RENEWALS

RENOUVELLEMENTS

Signature of Renewing Authority ......................................................................................
Signature de l'autorité ayant
proragé la validité.

PAGE 6 shall bear the words "observations:" at the top.

PAGE 7 onwards shall bear the word "visas" at the top.

PAGE 48

Emergencies

The holder should insert below particulars of the relatives or other persons who may be contacted in the event of illness or accident.

Cas d'urgence

Personnes pouvant être prévnues en cas de maladie ou d'accident.

Name:
Nom:

Address
Adresse:

Telephone:

Name:
Nom:

Address:
Addresse:

Telephone:

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