5.2 Arrival & accreditation

The Protocol Department should be notified, by note verbal, of the arrival time of a new Head of Mission. The Protocol Department will make Airport VIP Service arrangements for the Head of Mission's arrival. He/she will be met by a representative of the Protocol Department if arrival is during Monday–Friday 09.00–16.00 hrs. Outside those hours and on public holidays, an Airport VIP Service representative will meet the Head of Mission at Arlanda Airport.

Please note that the Protocol Department pays for a maximum of three people greeting at the VIP lounge. Embassies are welcome to invite more greeters to the VIP Lounge but in that case, missions should make a separate booking at Swedavia for the number of people exceeding three. Last minute cancellations and “no-shows” will be debited the mission according to Swedavia’s cancellation policy. More information, including price list and contact details, is available on Swedavia's website.

A non-resident Head of Mission will also receive VIP service upon arrival at the airport for the subsequent presentation of letters of credence at an audience with His Majesty The King. Non-resident Heads of Mission will be driven to his/her hotel, from the airport or port, free of charge. Transfer to the airport on the day of departure, however, is not provided.

Once in Stockholm, the Head of Mission will be invited to visit the Chief of Protocol to present the copies of the Letters of Credence and the Letters of Recall of his/her predecessor. Please include English translation.

Newly arrived Ambassadors may not have any meetings in an official capacity before they have presented copies of their credentials to the Chief of Protocol. After this first meeting, Ambassadors are welcome to contact and engage in meetings with all non-politically appointed Government representatives (i.e. under the level of State Secretary). Ambassadors may not officially represent their country at any event until they have presented their credentials to His Majesty the King.

The Head of Mission will be offered an audience with His Majesty The King to present the Letters of Credence. On the day of the presentation, the Ambassador and his/her accompanying suite are requested to arrange for his/her own transport to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. One of the Marshals of the Diplomatic Corps will meet the Head of Mission and the accompanying suite outside the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The suite may consist of a maximum of four members of the Embassy's diplomatic staff (no family members). A Head of Mission whose residence or office is situated outside central Stockholm will be asked to arrange for his/her own transport to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The Head of Mission will present his/her Letters of Credence to His Majesty The King and, where appropriate, the Letters of Recall of his/her predecessor. No speeches are made on this occasion, nor are any written speech texts exchanged. The audience will last for approximately 15 minutes and will be conducted in English or in Swedish, or with an interpreter from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. At the end of the audience, the Head of Mission may ask His Majesty The King for permission to introduce his/her accompanying suite.

Non-resident Heads of Mission also present their Letters of Credence to His Majesty The King.

The dress code for the occasion of the presentation of credentials is diplomatic uniform, white tie (i.e. tails, white waistcoat, top hat, white gloves and decorations) or traditional national dress. Women Ambassadors should wear a formal full-length gown with long or 3/4 sleeves or white gloves and/or a shawl (no hat) or traditional national dress. The same dress code applies to members of the suite although top hat and white gloves (for gentlemen) are optional. Military attachés should wear full ceremonial dress uniforms.

Following the presentation of their Letters of Credence to His Majesty The King, Heads of Mission are officially recognised as Ambassadors and are able to exercise their full functions. Resident ambassadors will be invited to a welcome luncheon hosted by a State Secretary and will also meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs for a 15-minute courtesy call.

The order of precedence among Heads of Mission is given in 'Stockholm Diplomatic List' and Order of Precedence