State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state (or representative of a head of state) to a foreign country, at the invitation of the head of state (or representative) of that foreign country, with the latter also acting as the official host for the duration of the state visit. Speaking for the host, it is generally called a state reception. State visits are considered to be the highest expression of friendly bilateral relations between two sovereign states, and are in general characterised by an emphasis on official public ceremonies.
Less formal visits than a state visit to another country with a lesser emphasis on ceremonial events, by either a head of state (their representative) or a head of government, can be classified (in descending order of magnitude) as either an official visit, an official working visit, a working visit, a guest-of-government visit, or a private visit.[1][2]
In parliamentary democracies, while heads of state (or their representative) may formally issue and accept invitations, they do so on the advice of their heads of government, who usually decide on when the invitation is to be issued or accepted in advance.
Queen Elizabeth II was the most travelled head of state in world history, having made 261 official overseas visits and 96 state visits to 116 countries by the time of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.[3] Although she was sovereign of each of the Commonwealth realms, in practice, she usually performed full state visits as Queen of the United Kingdom, while the relevant governor-general undertook state visits for his or her respective country on the sovereign's behalf. However, the Queen occasionally made some state and official visits representing one of her other Commonwealth realms.
State visits typically involve some or all the following components (each host country has its own traditions):
The visiting head of state (or their representative) is usually accompanied by a senior government minister, usually by a foreign minister. Behind the diplomatic protocol, delegations made up from trade organizations also accompany the visiting head of state, offer an opportunity to network and develop economic, cultural, and social links with industry leaders in the nation being visited. At the end of a state visit, the foreign head of state (or representative) traditionally issues a formal invitation to the head of state (or representative) of the nation being visited who at another time in the future, would pay a reciprocal state visit.
While the costs of a state visit are usually borne by state funds of the host country, most nations host fewer than ten state visits per year, with some as few as two. Most foreign heads of state (or their representative) will stay in the official residence of the head of state (or representative) who is hosting the state visit, in a guest house reserved for foreign visitors, or in their own nation's embassy located in the foreign nation being visited.
State visits by well-known global leaders or figures, such as the British Monarch, the president of the United States or the pope, often draw much publicity and large crowds. Occasionally, these include protesters.
Media related to State visits at Wikimedia Commons