An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at most one embassy in another country, and most embassies are located in capital cities. Consulates are like branch offices of the embassy; a nation can have several consulates in another country, usually located in all major cities of that country.

Political and diplomatic relations are usually handled from the embassy. Consulate workers handle travel and immigration issues, help in improving trade between the countries, and facilitate cultural exchange.

Why are Embassies and Consulates needed?

A country chooses to establish an embassy or consulate in another country to maintain ongoing relationships in the areas of political alliances, trade, cultural ties, and to help citizens who travel to or from either country. The embassy is the seat of political exchange, so it is usually located in the capital of the host country. Consulates are located in other major cities — financial capitals, tourist areas or large cities with healthy job markets.

High-Level Functions

Embassies are the center for high-level government interactions, and play a role in major international relations, such as preparing treaties and arranging official state visits. Foreign governments communicate with one-another via their respective embassies. Embassies also promote their home culture and foreign policy, monitor the status of events in the host country, and protect the rights of their citizens traveling abroad. Most embassies also have a military attaché who is responsible for communication between the two militaries. The head of an embassy is the ambassador, who is the official representative authorized to speak on behalf of the head of state of the country.

Consulates, while having the same official duties as embassies, usually operate as lesser branches that deal with more administrative issues. The top priority of consulates is to generally assist citizens of the home country traveling or living abroad. This may involve helping citizens who have been detained by authorities or injured in the country, and monitoring the security situation in the area.

Administrative Functions

Many embassies have a consular section that deals with public administration and other consulate functions. In countries where there is only an embassy and no consulate, the embassy carries out all functions of both.

A lot of consulate business involves performing administrative functions, including renewing and replacing passports, and keeping birth, death, and marriage records. Consulates also issue visas to foreigners and inform them about immigration, residence, and visas and work permits.

Jurisdiction

Even though embassies and consulates are located in another country, they are legally considered territory of the country they represent. So the host country does not have jurisdiction inside the embassy of a foreign country. For example, when Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng was trying to flee politically motivated persecution in China, he fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing. Chinese officials do not have jurisdiction within the boundaries of the U.S. embassies; for all practical purposes, Mr. Guangcheng was in the United States as long as he was inside the embassy.

Locations

Embassies are almost always located in the host country’s capital city. There are exceptions such as Israel, where embassies are located in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem because the international community does not recognize Jerusalem as a capital, and Taiwan, whose sovereignty from China is not recognized by many nations. The United States does not have an embassy in North Korea, Cuba, Bhutan or Iran.

Consulates are often established in larger countries and countries hosting many tourists and expats from another country, and may be located in large cities or tourist centers. For example, the Russian embassy in the United States is located in Washington, D.C., and there are Russian consulates in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Houston.

U.S. embassies and consulates

Here is a list of U.S. embassies and consulates in some countries:

References

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