Regulations Governing Foreign Embassies in Saarland
Article I: Treatment and Rights of Embassy Staff
Ambassadors and diplomatic staff are offered full diplomatic immunity as long as diplomatic ties are in place. This means that no embassy personnel (excluding service staff and any other domestically hired personnel) with immunity may be arrested for a crime while in Saarland. However, Saarland maintains the right to expel any members of the staff suspected of criminal activity, and in some situations, we may ask that nations waive their diplomatic immunity so that offenders can be prosecuted in Saarland. Traffic tickets and other fines, such as littering, may also be issued to personnel though these should be paid by the mission rather than the offending individual.
Full background checks on all personnel will be conducted before the arrival of your delegation. Personnel, including the ambassador, may also be subjected to polygraph tests and/or drug tests at any time during their first week in Saarland. Security, service and domestically hired personnel may be tested for restricted substances by Saar authorities at any time. Personnel failing these tests or refusing to comply may be immediately expelled at the discretion of the Foreign Authority.
The Saar government will never execute or kill foreign dignitaries or embassy administrative or technical staff members in times of peace or in times of war. And will only imprison such staff if not doing so would directly endanger the safety and health of our citizens. Dignitaries and staffers can be held in custody for a maximum of one (1) month pending investigation or extradition proceedings. Allegations of brutality by security forces will be examined carefully and we may request that concerned parties be put on leave. Accusations of espionage will result in the suspension of all accused staff pending investigation.
If a war breaks out between Sarrland and an embassy-holding nation, all embassy staff will be promptly and comfortably deported, if desired, by a neutral third party agreed upon by both Saarland and the embassy-holder. In the event of a civil war or other internal conflict, all necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of embassy staff. We are not responsible for damage or injury caused by preemptive strikes, acts of terrorism, or other sudden, unforeseeable misfortunes.
Article II: Rights of Saarland as a Host Nation
Saarland may, with the appropriate Order of Expulsion from the Foreign Authority, expel a diplomatic mission, in part or fully, at any time and for any duration. Reasons cited for the expulsion may include a political protest against the embassy-holding nation, violations by embassy staff, or any other sufficiently reasonable cause. In the event of such an expulsion, national police will arrive at the embassy to serve the Order of Expulsion. All embassy staff (except for those that are Saar citizens) will be immediately taken into custody pending deportation if an attempt to resist expulsion is made. The embassy-holder will be provided twenty-four (24) hours to provide transport from the country for all staff before forceful deportation by the national police. We advise that you instruct your embassy staff to enter custody peacefully as armed resistance by embassy staff will be considered grounds for Saar authorities to respond with deadly force towards all embassy staff. We cannot be held accountable for any deaths or injuries caused by resistance by embassy personnel, and if death or injury is sustained by native staff or police personnel we will expect just compensation.
All chanceries, both those that are pre-constructed and those that are custom-built, remain Saar land and property of the Saar government. However, embassies are extraterritorial zones and are exempt from Saar law. Additionally, on normal basis, Saar authorities cannot enter an embassy without permission from the host nation and the appropriate paperwork from the Foreign Authority. Though in these situations Saar Authorities are required to not apprehend or seize any embassy personnel, unless the personnel was seen to have committed the crime. In any situation, the use of deadly force against any Saar authority will be seen as cause for expulsion and an equally forceful response.
With a warrant directly from the Foreign Authority and the permission of the embassy holder, Saar police may search a chancery for undeclared weapons, vehicles, restricted substances, employees, etc. All undeclared objects may be confiscated and depending on the situation, the diplomatic mission may be expelled.
All pre-built chanceries are provided free of charge by the Saar government. Custom chanceries must be paid for in full by the embassy-holder though if they use native laborers and supplies they a subject to be reimbursed the cost of labor and supplies by the Saar government. The embassy-holding nation is required to pay for all utilities, as well as repairs and improvements made to the chancery. The latter two must be reported to the Foreign Authority and a Saar inspector may be required to oversee the work.
Article III: The Location and Amenities of Chanceries
The technical term for the physical space which a diplomatic mission (i.e., embassy) inhabits is “chancery.” This term will be used throughout this article.
Chanceries will be located, except by special arrangements, either on Talstraße, Altneugasse, Schloßstraße, An der Christ-König-Kirche, or in the hills surrounding Saarbrücken, the capital of Saarland. Talstraße, Altneugasse, Schloßstraße, An der Christ-König-Kirche are all close to, if not in, the downtown governmental hub. Chanceries in the hills are at a variety of addresses in the hills near the governmental hub. These compounds are reserved for nations with special security, medical, transportational, or logistical needs, though many of these needs can be met at standard compounds near the governmental hub.
Downtown chanceries are shared by a varying number of nations. They have onsite parking for up to two (2) regularly-sized vehicles as well as shared underground garages. We ask that each nation limit itself to five (5) vehicles, except by special request. Downtown chanceries also have office space for approximately between twenty-five (25) and one hundred (100) diplomatic staffers. In addition, there is a suite for the ambassador and his or her family. For the upkeep of a downtown chancery, we suggest between ten (10) and fifteen (15) employees. And security forces are capped at fifteen (15) guards or soldiers, though in many cases this is more than necessary. Downtown chanceries are protected by two meter high walls/fences on all exposed sides. Helicopters belonging to nations with downtown chanceries may be stored at the Saarland International Airport, outside of Saarbrücken. A maximum of one (1) per nation is enforced.
Hilltop chanceries have garages for up to twelve (12) vehicles as well as a helipad with room for one (1) midsize helicopters. There is office space for up to one-hundred-twenty (120) diplomatic staff and living quarters for twenty-five (25) in addition to the small manor reserved for the ambassador. For upkeep, we advise fifteen (15) to twenty (20) domestic and maintenance employees. Security forces are capped at thirty (30) members. Hilltop chanceries are protected by walls three meters in height on all sides. Additional facilities include a small medical center and a cafeteria. Should you need additional facilities on the site of a hilltop chancery, we will be happy to assist.
All nations have the option of storing one (1) fixed-wing aircraft at Saarlouis-Düren Airbase in Saarlouis.
Article IV: Limits on Equipment
Vehicles are limited to the numbers listed in Article III. All vehicles must be unarmed and of civilian design (no APCs, tanks or other military vehicles outside of special cases). Armored vehicles are permitted. We also ask that you do not bring stretch limousines without sufficient reasoning. We are happy to provide suggestions as to alternate luxury vehicles. We would also encourage the use of bicycles for service staff as bike-safe roads are quite common in Saarbrücken.
We ask that weapons are limited to one (1) high-powered weapon per type per guard/soldier. Machine guns, all explosive devices (including rocket/grenade launchers, hand grenades (both lethal and non-lethal), and all manner of bombs, this includes options such as smoke grenades and teargas) and armor-piercing weapons are all strictly prohibited and will immediately be confiscated. Riot gear and equipment are allowed but the use of such equipment against protesters and riots is strictly forbidden, as the Saarbrücken City Police Department will be called in to monitor demonstrations and the like. Sniper rifles and hand-to-hand weapons (including bladed weapons, staves, brass knuckles, etc.) requests will be dealt with on an individual basis. If you would like to bring such weapons, please justify your request in your application. All nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons are absolutely forbidden and possession of such WMDs will result in the deportation of the entire embassy staff and prolonged expulsion from the embassy program.
All equipment must be evaluated on a case to case basis, meaning that an item not being explicitly banned does not mean that it is allowed.
Article V: Animals, Plants and Restricted Substances
Relatively small, domesticated animals (e.g., cats, small to medium-sized dogs, birds, fish, rodents) are permitted. Please inform us of any history of aggression that diplomatic pets may have. Should there be a complaint about a pet creating a problem (e.g., excessive noise, destruction of property, aggressive behaviors) we will request that the pet be removed from the nation. Exotic and wild/feral animals are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to inspect the health of all animals entering our nation. Horses are allowed in some situations.
Plant will be inspected carefully by customs officials before being permitted to enter the country.
We permit diplomatic parties to bring up to ten (10) liters of alcohol into the country tax-free without cultural or religious justification. With justification, we will allow additional quantities. Drugs are permitted with justification, though no drug (despite its legality) can leave the embassy or its staffs hands (i.e., staff many take drugs legal in Saarland to their lodgings). In all cases, security and other armed personnel are prohibited from ingesting restricted substances. No substances brought into the country may be sold, though they may be gifted if legal in Saarland.
This document is subject to change by the Federal Assembly of Representatives. And changes will go into effect two (2) weeks after notification of all embassy-holders.
Chart regarding diplomatic immunity
Chart created by -Astoria-
By applying for an embassy, the applying nation agrees to abide by all terms listed above.
Saarland Form D-19 (Embassy Application Form)
- Code: Select all
[b][size=110]National Information:[/b][/size]
[size=85]- Full Name of Nation:
- Government Type:
- Head of State:
- Head of Government:
- Minister of Foreign Affairs or Equivalent:[/size]
[size=110][b]Ambassadorial Information:[/b][/size]
[size=85]- Ambassador's Name:
- Ambassador's Age:
- Ambassador's Gender:
- Ambassador's Family (if any):
- Ambassador's Background (including potential criminal records):
- Are there any health of security issues local authorities should be alerted of?[/size]
[size=110][b]Locational Information:[/b][/size]
[size=75][i]Please place any special requests in the "Additional Information" field and justify them. Please make only realistic requests and be prepared to pay any fees associated with the design, construction, or maintenance of special requests.[/i][/size]
[size=85]- First Choice Location:
- Second Choice Location:
- If requesting an embassy in the hills or making a special request, why do you feel this is necessary?
- Additional Information[/size]
[b][size=110]Staff and Equipment Information:[/b][/size]
[size=75][i]Please remember, stretch limousines, and armed/military vehicles require special reasoning. And machine guns, explosives, and armor-piercing weapons are strictly prohibited. We also ask that you limit employment based on the guidelines above.[/i][/size]
[size=85]- Diplomatic Staff:
- Security Staff:
- Service Staff:
- Will you be hiring locally?
- Number and Type of Weapons:
- Number and Type of Vehicles:[/size]
[b][size=110]Miscellaneous:[/size][/b]
[size=85]- Would you like us to establish an embassy in your nation?
- Do you have any special requests?
- Would you like to enter into trade/treaty talks?
- Is there any additional information we should know?
- Please declare any drugs, alcohol, animals, or plants you are bringing into the country.[/size]
