British High Commission

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British High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand British High Commission Wellington 2015.JPG
British High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand

A British High Commission is a British diplomatic mission, equivalent to an embassy, found in countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Their general purpose is to provide diplomatic relationships as well as travel information, passports, dual-citizenship information, and other services between Commonwealth states.

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Where some Commonwealth countries are not represented in another Commonwealth country, the British High Commission can assist such Commonwealth countries' citizens in some cases.

William Henry Clark served as Britain's first high commissioner (1928–1934), sent to Ottawa at the request of the Canadian prime minister in the aftermath of the King–Byng affair and the Balfour Declaration of 1926. Appointed by the Dominions Office, the High Commissioner to Canada assumed the governor general's role as agent of the British government. [1]

Some countries that were outside the Commonwealth, but have now returned to their membership of the Commonwealth, have replaced their embassies and ambassadors with High Commissions and High Commissioners.

List of British High Commissions and British High Commissioners

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Lloyd, Lorna (Winter 2004–05). "Family Diplomacy: Canada and the Commonwealth Office of High Commissioner". International Journal . Canadian International Council. 60 (1): 111–128. doi:10.2307/40204032. JSTOR   40204023.
  2. ↑ "Change of British High Commissioner to Tanzania: August 2020". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "British High Commission returns to Tonga". RNZ. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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