Difference between Ambassador and High Commissioner

Each country has a representative in another country to keep political and cultural relations going between the two sovereign nations. For this there are embassies that play an important role in completing these tasks. The role of the embassies includes the authorization of passports to people from their country who live in the other, the granting of visas to people who want to visit their country, to participate in the political and social environment and to maintain relations between the two states. in a normal rhythm. They act as representatives of their country and have an obligation to promote the interests of their citizens by participating in conferences and other activities. The head of these may be referred to as Ambassador and High Commissioner, with both terms slightly different from each other. These variations will be discussed in detail here. Embassies are diplomatic missions that are sent to non-Commonwealth countries, while Commonwealth countries are those where High Commissions are opened. The person who is the head of an Embassy is known as the Ambassador, while the person in charge of the High Commission is known as the High Commissioner. For the sake of clarity, the countries that were ruled by the British over the years are known as Commonwealth countries. There are few exceptions, in this case, some countries do not consider the queen as the head of their state, while others do, so it is possible that all Commonwealth countries do not have a High Commissioner. There is no difference in the duties performed by these people, but one thing to differentiate them may be that an ambassador is responsible for all activities in a country where he is appointed, but he is not as active, while a high commissioner is more active since the country that has been appointed was under British rule , so participating in local activities makes more sense. Another difference can be noted here, most High Commissioners are simply appointed by the UK, while all other countries send ambassadors elsewhere and the term is not used. The best example of this would be the British High Commissioner he is the head of the diplomatic mission in Asian countries while the head of the diplomatic mission in the United States, which was never a British colony, is known as the ambassador. There are also more differences which will be listed at the end,

Comparison chart

Ambassador Definition

In simple words, an ambassador is the head of the embassy. These are buildings in other countries where representatives of different countries reside. The main duties of them include looking after the interests of their citizens by making sure that people who want to apply for a visa, their applications are fully processed, if there is any kind of problem in a country they inform their own citizens of the dangers and get involved in activities. locals to ensure that people in the other country consider them friends. They are the representatives of the government and have in mind the best interests of both states. He is the official source of communication between the two countries and all discussions, agreements and letters are sent to the head of state through the ambassador. They are not always the most active people and have to deal with a wide range of problems. Countries that do not fall under British rule are those to which ambassadors are primarily sent, while other countries use a different term. There is no time frame for the duties they must perform, and unless there is a major change in policy, the ambassador to a country remains the same to ensure there is continuity between the two states’ relations.

Definition of High Commissioner

This term may seem different from that of an ambassador, but in reality, the job of a High Commissioner is similar to that of an ambassador. He is also a representative of the head of state in another country. And doing all the tasks like making sure that the people who want to apply for the visa, their applications are fully processed, if there is any kind of problem in a country they inform their own citizens of the dangers and get involved in local activities to ensure the people from the other country consider them friends. They also have the best interests of their own citizens and perform tasks to ensure that they feel comfortable while traveling, living and staying in the other country. For example, if there is a problem with flight delays or passport expiration, it is the High Commissioner who has the responsibility to renew the documents. The only difference is that a High Commissioner is the representative of the United Kingdom in a country that was governed by them in the past. Countries like India and Pakistan, where British rule lasted until the mid-1950s, are those where a High Commissioner is appointed rather than an ambassador.

Differences in a nutshell

1. An ambassador is the head of an embassy, ​​while a high commissioner is the head of the high commission.
2. Countries that used to be British colonies are those in which a high commissioner is appointed, while those that were not part of British rule have an ambassador.
3. A High Commissioner is more active than an Ambassador.
4. The High Commissioner is more involved in local society, while an ambassador is more neutral.
5. The High Commissioner keeps the interest of the locals and his own citizens at the forefront, while an ambassador always keeps the interest of his own people at the forefront.

Final Thought

There are government representatives that are similar to each other and then there are some forms that are totally opposite, the two terms that are explained in this article are Ambassador and High Commissioner, which are basically antonyms. This space has given a brief but precise explanation of two terms to help people know what they mean.