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Embassies and Consulates--A Little Piece of the United States Abroad
Don't go there looking for apple pie or the latest baseball scores, but United States Embassies and Consulates are literally a little piece of the U.S. abroad.
United States embassies and consulates are first and foremost home bases for American diplomats and envoys stationed abroad. But most also offer Americans a range of services that are difficult, if not impossible for Americans to find in foreign countries. These services range from absentee-voter registration to legal help. The following list should give you an idea of the kinds of services a U.S. embassy or consulate can provide for you as an American traveling overseas.
- Passport Services--Passport services are the most common services provided by embassies and consulates. Virtually all embassies and consulates can help travelers replace lost passports. They can also handle renewals and provide more pages for passports full-up with stamps.
- Tourist Registration--It's always a good idea to register at the nearest embassy or consulate when traveling abroad, especially if you are traveling in a politically unstable country. If you register upon arrival in a country, embassy staff will try their best to account for you in the case of an emergency, whether it's an urgent message from home or a countrywide political situation.
- Birth Registration--Children born abroad to United States citizens generally qualify for American citizenship, but the process is not automatic. If you have proof of your own U.S. citizenship and a copy of your foreign-born child's birth certificate, embassy and consulate staff can get you started with the paperwork necessary to ensure your baby's American citizenship.
- Death of a Traveler--You should report the death of an American citizen to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Staff can help with any legal issues involved, and can also help arrange for repatriation of the deceased.
- Missing Persons--If you are concerned about the whereabouts of an American citizen traveling abroad, notify the embassy of the country where the missing person is traveling. The staff will make every effort to locate the traveler (another reason registration is a good idea).
- Doctors--If you should need the services of an English-speaking doctor while traveling in a foreign country, embassy or consulate staff can usually provide a list of physicians who can help you.
- Legal Services--Embassy and consulate employees can help match travelers with lawyers who speak English. In addition, embassy staff will, if at all possible, arrange to visit with any American citizen who is arrested in a foreign country.
- Notary Service--Most embassies and consulates have employees who are authorized to notarize documents.
- Voting--Americans who expect to be abroad for some time can usually register to vote by absentee ballot at embassy and consulate locations.
If you're wondering what the difference is between an embassy and a consulate, there isn't much. Embassies are generally the largest U.S. outpost in a foreign country, and are almost always located in the capital city. Consulates, located in more provincial cities, are smaller but offer most of the same services. A large consulate is known as a consulate general.
Keep in mind that different embassies have differing numbers of staff on hand to help travelers. The U.S. embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for instance, has almost 1000 employees. But you might have to be a little more patient if you lose your passport on the island of Palau, which has a staff of two.
Related Links
The Embassy World Web site provides information about all United States embassies and consulates abroad. You can also research locations of foreign embassies and consulates in the United States--handy if you need a visa quickly.
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