Services Provided by an Embassy to Its Citizens Abroad

Core Consular Services

• Passports: Renewal, emergency replacement, additional pages.
• Visas: Issuing visas for host country nationals to visit your country (not for you).
• Emergency Assistance: Arrest/detention (consular access, lawyer list), hospitalization, victim of crime, death (repatriation, death certificate).
• Welfare/Whereabouts: Locate missing persons, check welfare at family request.
• Notarial & Legal: Affidavits, powers of attorney, document authentication, witness signatures.
• Crisis Response: Evacuation coordination (natural disaster, conflict), emergency loans (repatriation).
• Federal Benefits: Social Security, VA, Medicare inquiries; tax forms; voting (absentee ballots).

Non-Consular Roles

• Diplomacy: Government-to-government relations, treaties, summits.
• Trade & Investment: Promote exports, attract FDI, support businesses.
• Cultural/Educational Exchange: Fulbright, language programs, arts, alumni networks.
• Public Diplomacy: Media engagement, cultural events, country image.

Limits

Cannot: intervene in host country courts, pay legal fines/bail, provide travel money (except emergency loans), get you out of jail, investigate crimes, or replace lost cash/property.