Embassy

The embassy is a representative office of one country in one of the cities of another
country. An ambassador of the country is head of the embassy. To maintain peace
between the neighboring countries, an embassy comes into action.

In short, an embassy is created to maintain friendly foreign relations between the

home country and host governments. It forms a base of communication between
the two countries.

If you want to know the exact definition of an embassy, it goes as:

“It is a diplomatic mission set up permanently in a host country. The embassy

building is home to embassy offices.”

If a conflict arises between two countries, or if there are any political tensions
between them, an embassy can help solve it. An embassy can reach resolutions on
various topics like trade tariffs.

Example:

China is on the top of the list with 276 embassies, followed by the United States
with 273. Bhutan ranks the lowest with nine embassies, preceded by Iceland with
25 embassies.

One of the biggest and expensive embassies in the world is in Baghdad, which is
the Embassy of the United States of America.

The role and responsibilities of an embassy, let us jot down the areas where an
embassy can help and reach out to solve issues:

• Education • Commerce

• Administration • Press and Information

• Public Affairs • Consular

• Development and Cooperation • Cultural Centre

• Political • Social

• Economic

An embassy performs five main functions/ role:

Represent

An Ambassador or a Diplomat represents the embassy during ceremonies, events,

meetings, and functions.

Protect

Embassies are the places of rescue in case of trouble. An Ambassador protects the
interests of the citizens of the host state.

Negotiate

Negotiations take place directly between the heads of the states.

Inform

An Ambassador or the Diplomat must know about the context and evolution of his
host country. His/her job is to mix official and unofficial sources to create a report
for the central administration of the host country.

Promote

A Diplomat's job is to form good relationships through cultural, scientific, and

economic exchanges between the two countries.

An embassy control many other cases like:

• Visa

• Passport services

• Registration of birth of children

• Assistance with Federal benefits

• Provide information on voting

• Provide information and advice

• Provide emergency assistance to citizens in distress (arrested, destitute, separated

from minors, or sick)

• Registration of births and deaths

• To manage cases of child abduction

• To handle cases of forced marriages

Keeping all these roles of embassies in mind, an embassy has to act according to
the Constitution, laws, accepted rules of international law and ratified international
treaties.

An embassy has to perform according to the by-laws of a general nature,

instructions given by the Minister, and guidelines provided by the heads of the
relevant internal units of the Ministry.

List of responsibilities / role of an embassy:

• Provide support to the non-government organization

• Play a friendly and cooperative role within the host state

• Provide support to businesses, schools, and other organizations if deemed

appropriate.

• The support provided to the organizations helps in the social and economic
development of the host country

• It aims for peaceful cooperation and collaboration between the host state and
foreign country

• Ambassadors host diplomatic and public functions in their homes

• The functions performed in the Ambassador's office often lead to the resolution
of political differences, potential disputes, or the negotiation of possible deals and
problems faced by any States

• An embassy acts as a symbol for cooperation and diplomacy

• An embassy explains policies; identify threats and opportunities related to the
host country.

• Embassies take care of the interests of citizens in the host countries.

• Political and economic sector-related cooperation

• Cultural sector-related interaction

• Rendering of passports to the citizens of the host country

• Rendering of consular services to the host country's citizens

• Promoting the well-being of non-residents of the host country

• Promoting the welfare of the overseas citizens of the host country

• Interacting regularly with the citizens of the host country

• It cannot grant concessions/permits or authorizations.

• Under the guidance of the Ministry of external affairs, it has to follow all the
policies jotted down by them.

Let us now talk about the various sections in the embassy

• Consular section

They will help you if you want to marry someone from a foreign country. If you
are in trouble, the consular officers will come to help you. Consular officers can
provide and issue visas to non-citizens of the host country who want to travel,
work, or study in the host country.

• Economic section

They work with the foreign government to protect the environment, secure internet
freedom or negotiate trade laws technology

• Public diplomacy section

They help in building mutual understanding with the public of foreign countries.
They develop interactions with the help of social media, websites, educational and
cultural programs.

• Management section

They are the go-to leaders who handle diplomatic mission operations right from
real estate to budget. They are the action-oriented people of the embassy.

• Political section

They have only one job, which is to keep the role of an Ambassador updated on the
political events occurring in the host country.

Foreign office

A government office (such as a ministry) that deals with foreign affairs a

government office (such as a ministry) that deals with foreign affairs