The Head of Diplomatic Mission or Charge d'Affaires or any legitimate representative of the sending state must notify the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro of the date and time of the arrival of the Ambassador-designate and of the means of transport by which he/she will arrive in Montenegro, i.e. in Podgorica.

If there is a visa requirement between Montenegro and the sending state (also for holders of diplomatic passports), the Ambassador-designate and persons accompanying him/her must, prior to their arrival in Montenegro, acquire a Montenegrin visa at the competent Montenegrin diplomatic mission or consular post.

If the Ambassador-designate arrives in Montenegro by aircraft, the flight number and scheduled time of arrival at Podgorica airport must be communicated in advance to the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro.

The newly appointed Head of Diplomatic Mission with the rank of ambassador is awaited at the airport by the representative of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro if he/she arrives on a working day from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

If the Ambassador-designate arrives in Montenegro outside these hours or on a public holiday, a fast and unimpeded crossing of the state border is provided for him/her at Podgorica airport.

The Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro provides vehicles for transfer from Podgorica airport to the residence or hotel.

Arrival by personal vehicle

If the Ambassador-designate arrive in Montenegro by personal vehicle, the mark, type, colour and licence plates of the vehicle and names of the chauffeur and other persons accompanying him/her must be communicated in advance to the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro. The border crossing at which the Ambassador-designate will enter in Montenegro and the scheduled date of the crossing must be communicated in order to enable a fast and unimpeded crossing of the state border.

The Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro or his/her deputy will greet the Ambassador-designate at the residence or hotel on the day of his/her arrival if he/she arrives there on a working day from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the time of arrival is communicated to the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro. If the Ambassador-designate arrives outside these hours, he/she will meet the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro on the next working day at the agreed place, usually on the premises of the diplomatic mission or residence or, in case of a non-resident Head of Diplomatic Mission, in a hotel.

Presentation of copies of credentials of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

In case there are several Ambassadors-designate in Montenegro waiting to present their credentials, the order of the presentation of credentials is determined by the date of their arrival in Podgorica, save where the presentation of credentials was agreed upon with a non-resident diplomatic mission, and the Ambassador-designate arrives in Podgorica shortly before the date set for the presentation of credentials. Montenegro consistently complies with the provision of Article 13, Paragraph 2 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

On the date set for the presentation of copies of credentials, a representative of the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro arrives at the residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel at the appointed time. The representative and the Ambassador-designate, who may be accompanied by not more than three members of diplomatic staff of the Embassy, are transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro in an official vehicle. As a rule, the Ambassador-designate meets with the Head of Diplomatic Protocol or his/her deputy half an hour prior to the presentation of copies of credentials. The deputy informs the newly-appointed ambassador of the details relating to the presentation of copies and the original of credentials.

The Ambassador-designate presents copies of the Letter of Credence and the Letter of Recall of his/her predecessor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro or his/her deputy. A press photo session is scheduled, to be followed by a short talk with the Minister or his/her deputy. After that, the newly appointed Ambassador returns to his/her residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel, accompanied by a representative of the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro.

Presentation of credentials by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

The presentation of copies and the original of credentials is usually scheduled for the same day.

At the agreed time, the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro arrives at the residence or official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel. Following a short meeting, the Ambassador and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol leave the residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel for the Residence of the President of Montenegro in Cetinje in an official vehicle of Montenegro, flying two flags of Montenegro along a pre-determined route and with police escort. The Ambassador may be accompanied by not more than three members of his/her retinue, who are conveyed in a vehicle provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro. As a rule, the Ambassador may be accompanied by members of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy or by close family members, and only exceptionally by other persons.

The Embassy must notify the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro in advance of the names and titles of persons accompanying the Ambassador/members of the retinue. Diplomatic Protocol has the right to express reservations regarding individual members of the retinue if they are not members of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy.

The motorcade on the occasion of the presentation of credentials is as follows:

1. police car,
2. main car conveying the Ambassador and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro,
3. additional car for Ambassador's retinue.

Immediately before the ceremony, the official vehicle stops in front of the main entrance to the Residence of the President of Montenegro in Cetinje. The Montenegrin flag and the flag of the sending state are displayed above the main entrance. The Unit of Honor of Army of Montenegro shall be lined up along left side of the red carpet laid in front of the entrance to the Residence of the President of Montenegro. The Ambassador is greeted by the Chief of the Unit of Honor with an honorary salute. He/she returns the salute with a slight bow and proceeds on the carpet towards the entrance to the Residence of the President of Montenegro. Before the entrance to the Residence, Ambassador is welcomed and greeted by the Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro. With the Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro on his/her left and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro on his/her right, the Ambassador enters the Grand Hall of the Residence. The members of the ambassador's retinue follow a few paces behind them.

The Ambassador proceeds to the place of honor, to which he/she is conducted by the Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro (the latter then retires a few paces to the left, and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol steps to the Ambassador's right). Members of the Ambassador's retinue stand behind him/her (see the sketch) according to the order of precedence from left to right (seen from the front). The President of Montenegro enters the Grand Hall from the opposite side and proceeds to the designated place facing the Ambassador. Other representatives of Montenegro (as a rule: Minister of Foreign Affairs or his/her deputy (State Secretary) stand on the left behind him/her (see the sketch).

The Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro introduces the Ambassador to the President of Montenegro by pronouncing his/her title, personal name, and full name of the sending state in a loud voice.

Immediately after the announcement by the Head of the State Protocol of Montenegro, the Ambassador walks up to the President of Montenegro, then stops three paces before him and addresses him as follows:

"Your Excellency, (option: Mr President), please allow me to present to you the credentials of "full address and name of the head of the sending state".

Then he/she approaches the President of Montenegro and formally (with both hands) presents to him the Letter of Credence and the Letter of Recall of his/her predecessor. The President of Montenegro formally accepts the letters and shakes hands with the Ambassador. On this occasion, a short photo session is envisaged. The Ambassador introduces members of his/her retinue to the President of Montenegro and to his/her retinue. After the introductions have been made, the President of Montenegro invites the Ambassador and members of his/her retinue to a talk in the Small saloon. The talk usually takes between 10 and 15 minutes. After the end of the talk, the Ambassador and his/her retinue take leave of the President of Montenegro and proceed, accompanied by the Head of State Protocol of Montenegro and the Head of Diplomatic Protocol, to the main exit of the Residence of the President of Montenegro.

After leaving the Residence, the Ambassador salutes the flag by a slight bow, inspects the Unit of Honor which is on his/her left side and leaves. Immediately afterwards, he/she enters the official vehicle, which now flies the flag of the sending state on the right side and the flag of Montenegro on the left. Accompanied by the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, the Ambassador is conveyed back to the residence, official premises of the diplomatic mission or a hotel along a predetermined route (along most significant cultural and historical heritage of Montenegro in capital of Cetinje).

Presentation of the letter of introduction by a Charge d'Affaires en titre

A Charge d'Affaires en titre is accredited to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the receiving state (Article 14 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations). A Charge d' Affaires en titre presents the cabinet letter (letter of introduction) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro or to his/her deputy. The presentation of the cabinet letter proceeds in the same manner as the presentation of copies of credentials by the Ambassador-designate.

Courtesy calls by an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Upon arrival in Podgorica and prior to the presentation of copies of credentials, the Head of Diplomatic Mission can meet the Head of Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro of his/her deputy. Other introductory meetings take place after the presentation of credentials.

In the event that an ambassador presents only the copies of his/her credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro and has not yet presented his/her credentials to the President of Montenegro, it is preferred that he/she does not attend events at which the President of Montenegro is present, or that he/she consults the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro prior to attending such an event.

Following the presentation of credentials by an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, the competent diplomatic mission may request, through diplomatic channels, that the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro organize courtesy calls on high state officials and functionaries of Montenegro. The Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro promptly informs the diplomatic missions about the confirmed dates of the introductory meetings.

Sketch 1: The Grand Hall        

                                 

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                                                                               (Flag of Montenegro)