Difference Between Consulate and Embassy

Table of Contents

Main Difference

For the establishment of favorable relationship among counties, each country required to represent itself in another country of the world so that they can easily make two way policies regarding economics, trade, finance and other matters. From travelers point of view, there looks no difference between consulate and embassy. But the fact is that there are multiple factors that differentiate these two terms.

What is Consulate?

Consulate refers to a small official office of a country in another country, to represent the official federal administration of a country in that country. It normally deals with its own fellow citizen’s problem regarding renewal of passport, visa, living, travelling and other official documents required in host country. Moreover reports of births, death, marriages, divorces, adoptions, etc of fellow citizens, which can be happened in that host country are report by consulate towards home government. It is the duty of consulate of a country to guide its citizen in host countries and gives them direction in case of distress or emergency situations in host country. In addition to dealing in the matters of fellow citizens, it also guide the foreigners who are willing to travel in the home country of the consulate.

What is Embassy?

Each country appoints a diplomatic mission who represents the country in another country of the world. Its fundamental duty is to convey the message of its home country to the host country and vice versa. All kinds of important political, economical, defense, legal, trade and other matters between countries are conveyed via embassy. Besides performing official and formal duties, it also promotes the culture and traditions of home country in host country. The head of the embassy is known as an ambassador. Embassy is mostly used in case of United Nations Organization countries. While European commonwealth countries used high commission for diplomatic mission of home country in host country.

Key Differences

  • Consulate mostly deals with the problems of fellow citizens while embassy deals in the matters of two way relations regarding politics, economics, defense, etc.
  • Consulate is normally situated in the capital city of the host country while embassy is situated in almost the big cities of the host country.
  • Consulate performs duties at micro level while embassy performs duties at macro level.
  • Embassy is the main representative or diplomatic mission of any country while consulate is a branch of embassy.
  • Head of consulate is known as consul general while head of embassy is known as ambassador.
  • Consulate works as a channel of communication between fellow citizens and home country while embassy works as a channel of communication between home country and host country.
  • ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXFn5yrnZ6Ysm%2FDyKSgaJufo8C2uMCtnGauo2Kyrq7ArKqyZw%3D%3D