Consular Fees Act 1955 --- title: Consular Fees Act 1955 identifier: C1955A00005 jurisdiction: commonwealth type: act status: in_force source: "https://www.legislation.gov.au/C1955A00005/1997-10-17/1997-10-17/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html" --- ![](image.001.png) Consular Fees Act 1955 Act No. 5 of 1955 as amended This compilation was prepared on 21 February 2001 taking into account amendments up to Act No. 150 of 1997 The text of any of those amendments not in force on that date is appended in the Notes section Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting, Attorney‑General’s Department, Canberra Contents 1 Short title [see Note 1]........................... 2 Interpretation................................. 3 Fees may be prescribed for consular acts................. 4 List of fees to be displayed......................... 5 Saving of fees under other Acts...................... 6 Regulations.................................. Notes An Act to provide for the Charging of Fees for Consular Acts performed by Australian Diplomatic and Consular Officers and certain other Officers and Employees of the Commonwealth 1 Short title [see Note 1] This Act may be cited as the Consular Fees Act 1955. 2 Interpretation In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears: Australian Consular Officer means a person appointed to hold or act in any of the following offices of the Commonwealth in a country or place outside Australia: (a) Consul‑General; (b) Consul; (c) Vice‑Consul; (d) Trade Representative; and (e) Consular Agent. Australian Diplomatic Officer means a person appointed to hold or act in any of the following offices of the Commonwealth in a country or place outside Australia: (a) Ambassador; (b) High Commissioner; (c) Minister; (d) Head of a Mission; (e) Commissioner; (f) Chargé d’Affaires; and (g) Counsellor, Secretary or Attaché at an Embassy, High Commissioner’s office, Legation or other post. consular act means an act specified in the regulations as being a consular act for the purposes of this Act. 3 Fees may be prescribed for consular acts The regulations may provide for the imposition of fees, to be collected on behalf of the Commonwealth, for the performance, whether in Australia or elsewhere, of consular acts by: (a) an Australian Diplomatic Officer or an Australian Consular Officer; or (b) the person holding or acting in the office of Secretary to the Department or an officer of the Department acting with the authority of the Secretary; or (c) an employee of the Commonwealth authorised, in writing, by the Secretary to the Department; or (d) an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised, in writing, by the Secretary to the Department. 4 List of fees to be displayed An Australian Diplomatic Officer or an Australian Consular Officer who performs consular acts shall cause to be displayed in his office, in a position where it may readily be inspected by persons seeking the performance of consular acts, a list of the consular acts for which fees are chargeable under this Act, and of other acts that may be performed by him for which fees are chargeable under any other Act, showing the respective fees chargeable. 5 Saving of fees under other Acts A fee under this Act is not chargeable in respect of an act for which a fee is chargeable under another Act (whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act). 6 Regulations The Governor‑General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act, and, in particular, providing that the prescribed fees are not payable in such cases as are prescribed Notes to the Consular Fees Act 1955 Note 1 The Consular Fees Act 1955 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 5, 1955 amended as indicated in the Tables below. Table of Acts | Act | Number and year | Date of Assent | Date of commencement | Application, saving or transitional provisions | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Consular Fees Act 1955 | 5, 1955 | 23 May 1955 | 20 June 1955 | | | Administrative Changes (Consequential Provisions) Act 1976 | 91, 1976 | 20 Sept 1976 | S. 3: 22 Dec 1975 (a) | S. 4 | | Australian Trade Commission (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1985 | 187, 1985 | 16 Dec 1985 | Ss. 1‑4, 12, 19, 32 and 61: Royal Assent Remainder: 6 Jan 1986 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 1985, No. S551) | S. 34 | | Foreign Affairs and Trade Legislation Amendment Act 1997 | 150, 1997 | 17 Oct 1997 | Schedule 1 (items 2‑5): 17 Oct 1997 (b) | — | (a) The Consular Fees Act 1955 was amended by section 3 only of the Administrative Changes (Consequential Provisions) Act 1976, subsection 2(7) of which provides as follows: (7) The amendments of each other Act specified in the Schedule made by this Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on 22 December 1975. (b) The Consular Fees Act 1955 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 2‑5) only of the Foreign Affairs and Trade Legislation Amendment Act 1997, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows: (1) Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent. Table of Amendments - ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted - Provision affected How affected - Title.................... am. No. 150, 1997 - S. 2.................... am. No. 187, 1985 - S. 3.................... am. No. 91, 1976; No. 150, 1997