Latif was appointed the air attaché at the Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. in early 1961. The Ambassador of India to the United States was B K Nehru. He simultaneously held the office of Air adviser to the High Commissioner of India to Canada. On 1 October 1962, he was promoted substantive Group Captain. After a three-year term as Air attache, he was asked by the CAS Air Marshal Arjan Singh to continue on an extended term in the acting rank of Air Commodore.