Are foreign embassies in the U.S. located only in big cities?

Question

I live in the Twin Cities area (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and there's an embassy only a few blocks from my home. Judging by the flag I think it's an Italian embassy. However I was pretty sure that embassies are usually only located in big cities, i.e. D.C. or NYC, can anyone clarify?

Answer 1

An embassy would be in the capital.   A consulate would be in larger cities.

Answer 2

An embassy of a nation would generally be located in the capital city.

The office near your home could be the office of the Italian Consular-General for your state or city. A Consular General's office is basically a branch of an Embassy located in a city where the country has some interests. (This is unlikely in your case because the Italian Embassy website does not list them as having a Consulate General in Minneapolis.)

It might also be the office of an Honorary Consul. An Honorary Consul is a citizen of your country who represents the interests of another country. They normally do not have diplomatic privileges like diplomats in an embassy or consulate.

It's also likely that the office you see is the Italian Cultural Centre (link below) located in your city. It's work is probably overseen by an Honorary Consul from the information I see on their website.

(However, I'm puzzled cos Italian Embassy to US website does have any information about an honorary consul in Minneapolis. But I guess that's a different question)

If you would like to know more about the international laws governing the setting up of embassies, consulates and honorary consuls you can refer to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (links below). There are hosts of interesting things related to diplomatic immunity such as special rights to the piece of land that the embassy is located.

NYC would have Permanent Missions of countries accredited to the United Nations, although they may be 'concurrently' accredited to the United States as well.

Answer 3

Most of the embassies are located in Washington DC. What you saw was a consulate - a kind of branch office for the embassies.  .

Answer 4

It may very well be an embassy or a consulate office.  They are not just in D.C. or New York.  There are some in Atlanta, Los Angeles and other cities.  If there is a major financial area, technology area or International Business area you can generally find either an embassy or a consulate office.

Answer 5

I would assume it is a Consulate wherein people can get visas and so forth rather than an actual embassy.

Answer 6

the Italian embassy for Minneapolis in located in

Address

1844 Portland Ave.

St. Paul, MN

55104-6062

[phone]

[phone]

i looked to see if there is a consulat in Twin cities , but did not find one ?

usually embassies

An embassy is nation's permanent representation to a nation and it is usually located in the national capital of the host country.

and :

The embassy usually is in the capital in the event the host government needs to have talks with any nation at any hour.

a consulat :

A consulate is usually located in a city or cities where a nation has a large expatriate population or has official government business. Every nation in the world (with the exception of a maybe a two or three) has a mission in New York. The main reason is the presence of the United Nations in that city. Every member state therefore must have an office in that city.

Others have consulates due to large populations of expatriates living in a city

There are cases that an embassy is not in the capital city of a nation due to their small national size and funds. Some nations also have multiple accreditation to various nations from an embassy in one country.

here is the flag of the Italian ,you may click on this link to check if indeed it is an italian flag , no offense meant by it .... :-)

http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/ital...

Answer 7

Some Major cities have Consulates (not Exactly Embassies). You See A Consulate is almost like an Embassy but it is smaller .In order to find the Embassy

you would have to go to Washington D.C. Because

Embassies are mostly located in the Capitols of Nations