2 FAM 130
The U.S. Governments Overseas Presence
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
(Office of Origin: M/PRI)
2 FAM 131 Post Types of diplomatic and
consular posts
(CT:GEN-446; 08-13-2015)
a. A post type represents a distinct collection of
posts identified by their roles within missions, the rank of the Foreign
Service officers at the posts, and by the types of functions performed by the
posts. The specific application of post types to individual posts can be found
in the Bureau of Information Resource Management's Master Reference Data.
b. A permanent bilateral mission
is an embassy established and maintained by the U.S.
Government and headed by an ambassador to conduct normal continuing diplomatic
relations between the Government of the United States and the government of one
other country or authority. In some instances, a single mission may maintain
relations with more than one country or authority, but the relations are always
one-to-one. The ambassador is the principal diplomatic representative of the
U.S. Government at post. Embassies normally operate from facilities located
within capital cities. There are seven categories of embassies under State HR
Bureaus Overseas Staffing Model, ranging from very large to very small. An
embassy is comprised of all U.S. agencies at post represented in the country or
area, such as USAID, Foreign Agriculture Service, Foreign Commercial Service,
Peace Corps, military groups, law enforcement, and Defense attachs, as well as
the traditional functions concerned with political, economic, commercial,
labor, consular, science, public affairs, management, and related affairs. All
agencies at post are under chief-of-mission (COM) authority except those agencies
under the command of a U.S. area military commander. Branch
offices of an embassy are part of an embassys facility located and
staffed in a city other than the capital of a country.
c. Special bilateral or multilateral
missions are types of missions established to achieve a diplomatic
purpose of a special character distinct from the normal continuing diplomatic
functions. These missions have a purpose which has a logical end-point or
conclusion, such as the negotiation of an agreement.
d. Multilateral missions are
U.S. missions accredited to international organizations instead of foreign
governments. Two are in the United States: the U.S. Mission to the United
Nations (USUN) and the U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States
(USOAS).
f. Legations are diplomatic
establishments headed by a minister. The United States has had legations in
the past but none at this time.
g. U.S. interest sections (USINTs)
operate under the auspices of a protecting power in a country with which the
United States has no diplomatic relations. USINTs are structurally and
functionally similar to embassies. The senior U.S. officer is the equivalent
of a consul or consul general, not an ambassador, but holds COM authority. The
USINT in Tehran is operated by the Government of Switzerland and located at the
Swiss Embassy in Tehran.
h. U.S. liaison offices (USLOs)
are precursors to the establishment of embassies. There are no USLOs
established at this time.
i. Consulates general (CGs)
are the offices and staff of consuls general, who are the senior consular
representatives of the U.S. Government at their overseas posts and regional
consular areas. Consuls general are subordinate to ambassadors who hold COM
authority, and operate from facilities located within major cities. In some
instances, consuls general may hold COM authority themselves, such as at
Consulates General Hong Kong and Jerusalem. Consulates general range from
large to small offices. They perform a range of functions and often host
non-State agencies.
j. Consulates are the offices
and staff of consuls, consular representatives of the U.S. Government, who are
subordinate to COMs and operate from facilities within major cities of foreign
countries. Consulates are usually smaller than CGs, contain few, if any,
non-State personnel and focus mainly on consular functions.
k. Consular agencies are
staffed by local-resident agents who provide non-visa consular services. Many
of these agents are resident U.S. citizens and most work only part-time.
l. American presence posts (APPs)
are small diplomatic and consular presences of the U.S. Government in foreign
countries, usually staffed by one U.S. direct-hire officer that contain no
locally employed (LE) staff. APPs are legally consulates, and the opening or
closing of an APP is governed accordingly (see 2 FAM 411.1).
(See 2 FAM 133,
American Presence Posts, for a full explanation.)
m. Virtual presence posts (VPPs)
have no resident U.S. employees, either U.S. citizens or LE staff. VPPs allow
established posts to provide remote diplomatic engagement with important cities
or regions. Generally, they entail regular, targeted visits from mission
personnel, ongoing public affairs activities, and virtual engagement by means
of websites dedicated to the city or region.
2 FAM 132 American Presence Posts (APPs)
2 FAM 132.1
The Purpose of an APP
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
APPs are one type of post in a range of options for U.S.
diplomatic representation. Their utility is limited to places where an embassy
requires a mission presence focused on narrow objectives, with limited
capabilities, affordable within existing mission resources with relatively
small augmentations of funds for security and facilities. They are available
to limit the potential demand for general-purpose consulates and to retain
presence in locations where the U.S. Government requires diplomats but cannot
afford, or does not require, a fully capable consulate. Overseas missions
create APPs largely from existing resources; this tends to limit demand for
APPs in locations with no current presence.
2 FAM 132.2
Background
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
a. The American presence post (APP) concept was
advanced in 1998 as a means to provide focused American diplomatic presence in
specific locations. An APP is a special purpose post with limited staffing
and responsibilities. It is established as a consulate under the Vienna
Convention (see 2
FAM 111.2).
b. The key concepts associated with APPs are:
(1) Simplicity: One or two
American officers, with very few associated local employees;
(2) Focus and proximity:
Exploiting opportunities to influence key national sectors in a location
associated with those sectors, for example in the APPs in France, trade and
public diplomacy;
(3) Low-cost, self-financed:
Established in locations where the local infrastructure can provide the means
of operations, such as commercial or host-government office space, commercial
communications, and skilled staff. Sponsoring embassies are expected to
provide most of the resources to establish and maintain an APP;
(4) Unclassified operations:
No start-up or recurring costs or manpower associated with vaults, 24/7-cleared
American guards, controlled access areas, control of classified materials,
installation and maintenance of classified communications systems; and
(5) No visa or routine passport/ACS
operations: Provision of emergency American Citizens Services only;
avoidance of costs and manpower associated with visa issuance (no teller
windows or associated hard-line); no consular waiting area; and no archive of
visa application information.
c. The Department of State has no plans to establish
APP embassies, although the distinction may be unimportant. For example,
Embassy St. Georges, Grenada, has only one U.S. resident officer, with its
nonresident U.S. ambassador based in Bridgetown, Barbados. St. Georges
matches the definition of APP in all respects but name.
2 FAM 132.3
Experience
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
a. Proposals for establishing APPs have arisen, in all
cases, from the cognizant embassies and have been based on one of two
phenomena:
(1) An embassy perceives an exploitable opportunity to
advance mission goals by relocating some of its assets to an APP location where
there is no established presence; and
(2) The Department downsizes a consulate general or
consulate, and the embassy successfully advocates the retention of a very
limited U.S. officer presence.
b. In either case, establishing or closing an APP must:
(1) Meet priority objectives of the Mission Strategic
and Resource Plan (MSRP) and Bureau Strategic and Resource Plan (BSRP);
(2) Represent a demonstrably more efficient or
effective use of existing mission resources;
(3) Be approved by the Under Secretary for Management
(M); and
(4) Be notified to Congress when it constitutes a post
opening or closing.
c. In most cases, proposing embassies observe that
they are spending mission resources to provide special services in the target
location, usually by temporary duty (TDY) coverage from the embassy. The
embassy will often believe that it can improve product and reduce resource
outlays by moving an officer to the target location.
2 FAM 132.4
Security and Administrative
Support
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
a. The security standards for consulates apply to
APPs. There is no cost or efficiency gain associated with APP status per se.
The Secure Embassy Counterterrorism and Construction Act, Public Law 106-113
(FY-2000), requires APPs to meet mandatory 100-foot setback requirements, or be
granted a waiver. Other Overseas Security Policy Board security standards
apply as well. To most efficiently contain costs, the expectation is that most
APP facilities would be located in commercial office spaces; waivers to setback
would be granted in accordance with the law; and security standards for an
office in a tenant of commercial office space would be applied, providing
adequate but lower-cost security.
b. APPs should receive most administrative support from
the associated embassy, to keep local staffing as small as possible.
c. Cost containment results from the very small
presence, limited consular function, and the lack of classified infrastructure
and maintenance.
2 FAM 132.5
Opening or Closing an APP or
Removing the APP Designation
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
a. As APPs are legally consulates, the procedures
outlined in 2 FAM 400, Opening, Closing, or Changing the Status of a Foreign
Service Post, are to be followed when opening or closing an APP.
b. To remove the APP designation/status from a post, a
request should be made from the Assistant Secretary for the appropriate
regional bureau through the Director General to the Under Secretary for
Management (M). The request should include any resource implications (i.e., if
additional positions are required, are they to be reprogrammed from another
post or are new positions requested?).
2 FAM 132.6
Conclusions
(CT:GEN-535; 02-21-2019)
APPs are by definition designed to utilize limited means
for limited goals. They serve niche markets in the Mission Strategic and
Resource Plan (MSRP). Requiring embassies to provide the resources for opening
APPs constrains their proliferation. They are a presence option as a
low-cost, defined alternative to small consulates.
2 FAM 133 through 139 unassigned