Can you sue a foreign consulate for passport lost?

Question

I recently applied for visa at the Italian consulate in San Francisco. The consulate may have lost my passport. Can I sue for the cost of air tickets and other non-refundable fees?

Thanks

Answer 1

Any sort of action as you describe would have to be done through the US Department of State.  Before you get to that point, consider writing to the Italian Consul General and asking for the price of a new US passport, and a gratis visa when you re-apply.  As long as you end up with a US passport and the Schengen visa, you have not suffered any actionable damages.  Please note, there may be a disclaimer which precludes any compensation for mailed documents.  You may also wish to consider approaching the entity which handled the mailing (USPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.).