Foreign Embassy Question?

Question

If a person is under the age of 21 in the United States, he cannot consume alcohol because of federal laws prohibiting him to do so. However, if that under-21-year-old were to be admitted into a foreign embassy (i.e. Sweden's foreign embassy in D.C. where the legal drinking age is 18 (for the most part)), would he legally be allowed to consume alcohol, due to the fact that a foreign embassy in the U.S. is technically foreign soil?

Answer 1

The theory that an embassy is "foreign" soil is a bit of a fiction. For the most part, the host country does not enforce its laws within an embassy compound. The other side of this coin is that embassies try to avoid flagrant violation of law which *might* invite police and the concomitant Department of State insertion it the foreign embassy's operation.  

In theory, if you're invited to something like a National Day celebration and you appear to be an adult, chances are good someone may offer you an alcoholic beverage. No one wants to see you get drunk, and especially drive home after you've consumed alcohol.  These things are subject to moderation. Thus if a 20-year-old non-diplomat had a glass of wine inside the Swedish Embassy, I doubt any DC Police would get excited.

Remember that in Saudi Arabia, any alcohol is illegal. Yet the Saudis routinely permit diplomatic cargo to enter without examination for alcohol. Rather than flaunt the alcohol Americans consume inside their compound, they observe moderation and demonstrate appreciation for this situation.  

The theory is one thing, the application is another. And neither side wants to deal with downsides of people's behavior.

Answer 2

If you're asking are you allowed to drink at that embassy, the answer will be NO.  Alcohol is prohibited on embassy grounds, regardless of age.

If you're asking will you be arrested, YES.  The police cannot enter the embassy grounds, because they do not have jurisdiction there, but the embassy soldiers can and will arrest you for drinking on embassy grounds according to their national law.

Answer 3

There is no Federal law prohibiting under 21's from drinking alcohol.

There is a State law in all 50 States setting the age to legally purchase alcohol at 21. DC also has a District ordinance that says the same.

However, drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is legal under "some" circumstances in all States.

If you violate the law while insde a foreign embassy, you can be prosecuted if the government of that embassy chooses to waive their extraterritorial immunity.

Would they? For drinking at an embassy party? I very much doubt it.

The first answerer, by the way, who said that alcohol is forbidden on embassy grounds is WAY off. Alcohol has been served at every embassy party I've ever been to.

Richard