Article 5 of the 1963 Vienna Convention
on Consular Relations defines the Consular functions as follows:
a. Protecting in the receiving State
(United States of America) the interests of the sending State (Paraguay)
and of its nationals, both individuals and bodies corporate, within
the limits permitted by international law;
b. Furthering the development of commercial, economic, cultural and
scientific relations between the sending State and the receiving State
and otherwise promoting friendly relations between them in accordance
with the provisions of the present Convention;
c. Ascertaining by all lawful means conditions and developments in
the commercial, economic, cultural and scientific life of the receiving
State, reporting thereon to the Government of the sending State and
giving information to persons interested;
d. Issuing passports and travel documents to nationals of the sending
State, and visas or appropriate documents to persons wishing to travel
to the sending State;
d. Helping and assisting nationals, both individuals and bodies corporate,
of the sending State;
f. Acting as notary and civil registrar and in capacities of a similar
kind, and performing certain functions of an administrative nature,
provided that there is nothing contrary thereto in the laws and regulations
of the receiving State;
g. Safeguarding the interests of nationals, both individuals and bodies
corporate, of the sending State in cases of succession mortis causa
in the territory of the receiving State, in accordance with the laws
and regulations of the receiving State;
h. Safeguarding, within the limits imposed by the laws and regulations
of the receiving State, the interests of minors and other persons
lacking full capacity who are nationals of the sending State, particularly
where any guardianship or trusteeship is required with respect to
such persons;
i. Subject to the practices and procedures obtaining in the receiving
State, representing or arranging appropriate representation of the
sending State before the tribunals and other authorities of the receiving
State, for the purpose of obtaining, in accordance with the laws and
regulations of the receiving State, provisional measures for the preservation
of the rights and interests, where, because of absence or any other
reason, are unable at the proper time to assume the defense of their
rights and interests;
j. Transmitting judicial and extrajudicial documents or executing
letters rogatory or commissions to take evidence for the courts of
the sending State in accordance with international agreements in force
or, in the absence of such international agreements, in any other
manner compatible with the laws and regulations of the receiving State;
k. Exercising rights of supervision and inspection provided for in
the laws and regulations of the sending State in respect of vessels
having the nationality of the sending State, and of aircraft registered
in that State, and in respect of their crews;
l. Extending assistance to vessels and aircraft mentioned in sub-paragraph
(k) of this Article and to their crews, taking statements regarding
the voyage of a vessel, examining and stamping the ship's papers,
and, without prejudice to the powers of the authorities of the receiving
State, conducting investigations into any incidents which occurred
during the voyage, and settling disputes of any kind between the master,
the officers and the seamen in so far as this may be authorized by
the laws and regulations of the sending State;
m. Performing any other functions entrusted to a consular post by
the sending State which are not prohibited by the laws and regulations
of the receiving State or to which no objection is taken by the receiving
State or which are referred to in the international agreements in
force between the sending State and the receiving State.
