14/09/2021
Did you know:
Foreign missions are representations of the Federal Republic Germany abroad, so to speak foreign branches of the Federal Republic.
Embassies represent the Federal Republic politically and there is only one embassy in the host country. Consulates and Consulates General represent the Federal Republic in administrative tasks, such as issuing visas and passports, notary matters, etc. There is only one embassy in a host country, but usually several consulates.
Detailed:
Foreign missions are permanently established representations of a state under international law abroad, in a foreign state or with intergovernmental organizations.
There is often confusion around the terms German Embassy and German Consulate.
A German embassy is a diplomatic representation of the Federal Republic at the seat of government of another state. The tasks of German embassies include representing the Federal Republic politically vis-à-vis the host country and maintaining and developing relations with the host country.
A German consulate is a consular representation of the Federal Republic with a regionally limited area of office in the host country without political relations with the host country. The tasks of German consulates include legal affairs, immigration matters, cultural cooperation and public relations.
A consulate general carries out its tasks independently of the consular section of an embassy.
An embassy can perform consular tasks, a consulate and consulate general cannot perform embassy tasks.
