Consular Agency in Bhutan [fr]
There is a consular agency of France in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Placed under the responsibility and control of the Consulate General of France in Kolkata, it extends the consular network closer to French nationals.
It is headed by an honorary consul.
Honorary consuls are not State employees, but private individuals who discharge their duties on a voluntary basis.
Their chief mission is the protection of French nationals and their interests, and the duty to report to the French consular authorities about events of interest to them.
N.B.: A consular agency is not a consulate or an embassy. The honorary consul does not possess all the competences devloved to consuls greneral and ambassadors.
What an honorary consul CAN do
1/ Assist you in an emergency (illness, death, imprisonment, loss of identity documents):
- In case of financial difficulties, they can indicate the most efficient way for the French national’s kin to swiftly send the amount of money needed.
- In the event of being arrested or imprisoned, a French national can ask for the honorary consul to be informed. The honorary consul will ascertain the conditions of detention. To extend legal assistance to the French national, the honorary consul will provide a list of defence lawyers; the legal fees are to be borne by the client.
- In case of illness, the honorary consul can put the person concerned in contact with an empanelled doctor; the medical expenses are to be borne by the patient.
- In the event of a serious accident, the honorary consul can inform the family and discuss with them the measures to be taken: hospitalisation or repatriation. All expenses incurred are to be borne by the patient’s kin; it is strongly recommended to subscribe for repatriation insurance.
- In case of death, the honorary consul contacts the competent consulate so that the formalities related to the death may be completed; the expenses must be borne by the insurance organisation of the deceased, or, failing this, by the family.
- In case of loss or theft, the honorary consul can inform the French national concerned about the procedures for obtaining new identity or travel documents.
2/ Issue certain administrative documents:
The list of documents that can be issued by honorary consuls of your jurisdiction are given further below.
What an honorary consul CANNOT do
- Notarise a certificate.
- Issue or register a civil status certificate. (birth, marriage, death certificates, etc.)
- Accept visa applications.
- Sign as authorised signatory for a PACS.
- Counsel on matters of nationality.
- Issue an urgent passport.
- Enter your name in the Register of French Citizens Abroad (Registre des Français établis hors de France).
- Enter your name in a consular electoral list.
- Intervene in the process of local courts.
- Advance money, bear expenses (hospitalisation, lawyer, etc.).
- Advice on taxation, notary or legal matters.
- Report any loss or theft.
Honorary Consul in Thimphu:
Ms Françoise POMMARET
Contact details of the consular agency:
Email: frenchhonoraryconsul.bhutan@gmail.com
Available services:
- Handover of biometric passports and national identity cards.
- Reception of proxy votes.
- Drawing up life and residence certificates.
- Legalisation of signature, attestation of signature.
- Attestation of true copies and photocopies of original documents.
Some of these services require the payment of chancery fees.
For more information
The status of consular agents and honorary consuls is fixed by amended decree no. 76 548 of 16 June 1976.
