A state visit is the highest form of honour accorded by a sovereign country to the head or representative of another sovereign country. A state visit is usually accompanied by official public ceremonies such as the signing of treaties or memoranda of understanding, laying wreaths at memorial sites to honour shared history and fallen heroes, and staging cultural events celebrating links between the two countries.
Unlike other types of visits, state visits are largely funded by the host country. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) covers the cost of accommodation, transport and meals for the principal and up to a limit of 10 officials during the official programme. International air fares for the visiting delegation are covered by the visiting nation.
State visits are not just a symbol of friendship between nations but can also be used as political tools. For example, President Kalakaua of Hawaii was received by Ulysses Grant on a state visit in 1874 because the British government wanted to show their thanks for the Hawaiian leader’s support during the American Civil War. Similarly, Emperor Hirohito of Japan was given a state visit in 1971 because the British Government wanted to use it as an incentive for him to introduce anti-communist reforms and to rejoin the world community following World War II.
But who decides what sort of treatment a visiting head of state or government receives on a state visit? In this Insight, we look at the criteria for granting these kinds of honours and how Parliament is involved.