Political leaders, especially heads of state, spend a large portion of their time traveling internationally to meet with other head of states or governments. The visits can be conducted in-person or over video conferencing, but are still considered to be an important part of diplomatic exchanges between the two countries.

A State visit is one of the highest honors a country can grant to another head of state. These carefully orchestrated and highly ceremonious visits serve as a platform for fostering diplomacy, strengthening bilateral relations, and showcasing international cooperation to the world.

During a State visit, the visiting head of state is granted an arrival ceremony at their host’s palace or government building. This typically includes a review of the host’s military guard of honour and 21-gun salute, playing of their national anthems by a military band, and an official gift exchange.

Visiting head of states are also hosted for diplomatic meetings with the president of their host country. These meetings can cover a variety of topics, from trade agreements to security issues.

The State Department’s Visits division plans the entire itinerary of a State visit in advance, creating a schedule from beginning to end. They will work closely with the embassy and the visiting delegation to ensure that all logical considerations are taken into account and all cultural and traditional customs are followed. They also handle all travel arrangements for the presidential delegation while abroad, and assist with media affairs while the visiting leader is on their State visit.