10.4 Procedure for issuing an exequatur

• A note verbale should be sent to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Protocol Department), giving notice of the intention to establish an honorary consular post and/or to appoint an honorary consul, at the time of the request for the Ministry's advance approval. The note must include the full name of the nominee, consular class, the consular district(s) concerned, the seat of the consular post and the nominee's curriculum vitae.
• The Chief of Protocol will then send a letter to the relevant County Governor.
• Inquires will be made about the candidate and the resulting information will be forwarded to the Chief of Protocol.
• If the person is considered suitable, a note verbale will be sent to the mission indicating that the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has no objection to the appointment.
• Following the appointment of the honorary consul, a second note verbale should be sent as soon as possible to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Protocol Department),  requesting an exequatur. Please observe that the Protocol Department requires neither a copy nor the original of the consular commission.
• The Protocol Department will then grant the exequatur in a note verbale. The mission will be informed of the date of the exequatur and requested to fill in a form with the honorary consul's full name, address, telephone number, etc.

In accordance with international practice, a request for an exequatur should be handled strictly between the government or mission of the sending State and the government of the receiving State. Therefore, the consular candidate should not contact the Ministry with regard to this matter.

The head of a consular post may not assume their duties until an exequatur has been granted.