An ambassador is usually an appointed political figure. Most ambassadors have experience working abroad and receive special training before taking office. This position usually requires special education, which includes knowledge of the host country’s language and culture.

In addition, all ambassadorial candidates undergo a rigorous test of loyalty to their state, as they are expected to uphold the interests of their own country and develop relationships with foreign partners.

Tasks and functions of ambassadors
As the head of his country’s embassy, an ambassador’s task and function is to represent and defend the interests of the state he represents, the state leadership. In order to perform his or her function, an ambassador has the right to deal not only with the state authorities of the country of residence, but also with the local political opposition and socio-political organizations. For unrestricted representation, an ambassador enjoys diplomatic immunity. The residence of the Ambassador and his family is called the Residence. It, like the territory of an embassy, enjoys extraterritorial immunity.

Ambassador as the head of a diplomatic mission
Ambassadors are, as a rule, the heads of diplomatic missions – foreign bodies of foreign relations of their state, which are established on the basis of mutual agreement between states and serve to maintain diplomatic relations. The exchange of diplomatic missions between states is possible at one of three levels. Each level corresponds to a particular class of head of mission. The highest level is the embassy, which is headed by a diplomatic representative with the class of ambassador. This is followed by a mission headed by an envoy and then a mission headed by a chargé d’affaires.

Ambassador as a member of the diplomatic corps
In the country of residence and accreditation, ambassadors of all states, that is, in the narrow sense, heads of diplomatic missions in their totality, are united ex officio in an informal organization, the diplomatic corps. The diplomatic corps performs only ceremonial functions, it has no status of any political organization or legal entity. Collective speeches of the diplomatic corps are possible only on ceremonial (protocol) issues.

What privileges do members of the embassy have?
Diplomats enjoy special privileges because of their status as political negotiators. For example, in most cases they have immunity and cannot be convicted in the host country. In addition, most embassies are extraterritorial. This means that although the embassy is formally on the land of the host country, it is actually the territory of another country. One cannot enter it without being specifically invited. Many refugees use this factor to avoid persecution by the host country.