Hello frequent flyers,
I am not as much of a frequent flyer as I wish to be - more of a go overseas and unpack my suitcase situation, though I am working on it. I thought this might be the place to have this question answered. Thanks in advance for any info you can give.
I have recently scored a long term consultancy with a UN agency in the country where I am working abroad right now. I'll soon come home to Sydney for a short visit before departing again to commence the new contract back here. Though consultants don't have the full privileges and rights of a United Nations staff member, they as considered as "experts on mission" and are afforded some. They are not granted a UN Laissez-Passer but are granted a UN Certificate, which, like the UN LP looks similar to a light blue national passport. UN Certificates are also issued to UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, for example. From the UN perspective, it's not a travel document, but it should identify you as being on official business and apparenly affords you "facilities for speedy travel". Some colleagues insist UN LPs/Certificates are useless in some places, useful in others. I'm not interested in speedy entry at this stage, but speedy exit.
I don't get home that much, and this will be the first time I leave Sydney with a document like this. I recall... what is it? Customs/Immigration (excuse my ignorance) immediatley upon exit through the departure gates.. Sometimes the lanes are short, sometimes they're long. There was a desk/lane that was set aside (from memory) for APEC Card holders/Diplomatic lane... Does this mean I can use this lane?? That would be my reading of the "CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS 1946" but I'm not actually sure how it works in practice, in the Australian airport conext.
With many thanks and best wishes - thanks in advance to anybody who knows.
Here is some more info if you're interested:
CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 February 1946
Article VI (Page 6)
EXPERTS ON MISSIONS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
Section 22. Experts (other than officials coming within the scope of article V) performing missions for the United Nations shall be accorded such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions during the period of their missions, including the time spent on journeys in connection with their missions. In particular they shall be accorded :
(a) immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage;
(b) in respect of words spoken or written and acts done by them in the course of the performance of their mission, immunity from legal process of every kind. This immunity from legal process shall continue to be accorded notwithstanding that the persons concerned are no longer employed on missions for the United Nations;
(c) inviolability for all papers and documents;
(d) for the purpose of their communications with the United Nations, the right to use codes and to receive papers or correspondence by courier or in sealed bags;
(e) the same facilities in respect of currency or exchange restrictions as are accorded to representatives of foreign governments on temporary official missions;
(f) the same immunities and facilities in respect of their personal baggage as are accorded to diplomatic envoys.
Section 23. Privileges and immunities are granted to experts in the interests of the United Nations and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. The Secretary-General shall have the right and the duty to waive the immunity of any expert in any case where, in his opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice and it can be waived without prejudice to the interests of the United Nations.
Article VII
Section 24. The United Nations may issue United Nations laissez-passer to its officials. These laissez-passers shall be recognized and accepted as valid travel documents by the authorities of Members, taking into account the provision of section 25.
Section 25. Applications for visas (where required) from the holders of United Nations laissez-passer, when accompanied by a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the United Nations, shall be dealt with as speedily as possible. In addition, such persons shall be granted facilities for speedy travel.
Section 26. Similar facilities to those specified in section 25 shall be accorded to experts and other persons who, though not be holders of United Nations laissez-passer, have a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the United Nations.
I am not as much of a frequent flyer as I wish to be - more of a go overseas and unpack my suitcase situation, though I am working on it. I thought this might be the place to have this question answered. Thanks in advance for any info you can give.
I have recently scored a long term consultancy with a UN agency in the country where I am working abroad right now. I'll soon come home to Sydney for a short visit before departing again to commence the new contract back here. Though consultants don't have the full privileges and rights of a United Nations staff member, they as considered as "experts on mission" and are afforded some. They are not granted a UN Laissez-Passer but are granted a UN Certificate, which, like the UN LP looks similar to a light blue national passport. UN Certificates are also issued to UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, for example. From the UN perspective, it's not a travel document, but it should identify you as being on official business and apparenly affords you "facilities for speedy travel". Some colleagues insist UN LPs/Certificates are useless in some places, useful in others. I'm not interested in speedy entry at this stage, but speedy exit.
I don't get home that much, and this will be the first time I leave Sydney with a document like this. I recall... what is it? Customs/Immigration (excuse my ignorance) immediatley upon exit through the departure gates.. Sometimes the lanes are short, sometimes they're long. There was a desk/lane that was set aside (from memory) for APEC Card holders/Diplomatic lane... Does this mean I can use this lane?? That would be my reading of the "CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS 1946" but I'm not actually sure how it works in practice, in the Australian airport conext.
With many thanks and best wishes - thanks in advance to anybody who knows.
Here is some more info if you're interested:
CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 February 1946
Article VI (Page 6)
EXPERTS ON MISSIONS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
Section 22. Experts (other than officials coming within the scope of article V) performing missions for the United Nations shall be accorded such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions during the period of their missions, including the time spent on journeys in connection with their missions. In particular they shall be accorded :
(a) immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their personal baggage;
(b) in respect of words spoken or written and acts done by them in the course of the performance of their mission, immunity from legal process of every kind. This immunity from legal process shall continue to be accorded notwithstanding that the persons concerned are no longer employed on missions for the United Nations;
(c) inviolability for all papers and documents;
(d) for the purpose of their communications with the United Nations, the right to use codes and to receive papers or correspondence by courier or in sealed bags;
(e) the same facilities in respect of currency or exchange restrictions as are accorded to representatives of foreign governments on temporary official missions;
(f) the same immunities and facilities in respect of their personal baggage as are accorded to diplomatic envoys.
Section 23. Privileges and immunities are granted to experts in the interests of the United Nations and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. The Secretary-General shall have the right and the duty to waive the immunity of any expert in any case where, in his opinion, the immunity would impede the course of justice and it can be waived without prejudice to the interests of the United Nations.
Article VII
Section 24. The United Nations may issue United Nations laissez-passer to its officials. These laissez-passers shall be recognized and accepted as valid travel documents by the authorities of Members, taking into account the provision of section 25.
Section 25. Applications for visas (where required) from the holders of United Nations laissez-passer, when accompanied by a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the United Nations, shall be dealt with as speedily as possible. In addition, such persons shall be granted facilities for speedy travel.
Section 26. Similar facilities to those specified in section 25 shall be accorded to experts and other persons who, though not be holders of United Nations laissez-passer, have a certificate that they are travelling on the business of the United Nations.
I was thinking about departure time.
