United States Department of State

Organization and key functions

The department is organized into regional and functional bureaus that focus on geographic areas or thematic issues. Staff include career Foreign Service officers, locally employed staff at missions overseas, and Civil Service employees in Washington. Core responsibilities include:

• Diplomatic engagement and treaty negotiation;
• Consular services such as issuing passports to U.S. citizens and providing assistance overseas;
• Processing visas at embassies and consulates for foreign nationals seeking travel to the United States;
• Public diplomacy, reporting on political and economic conditions, and promoting U.S. policies abroad;
• Cooperation with international organizations and managing sanctions, nonproliferation, and human rights initiatives.

History and institutional development

Created by Congress in 1789, the State Department is one of the oldest executive departments of the United States government. The office of Secretary of State was established at the same time and has historically combined roles now split among other agencies. Over the centuries the department’s structure has evolved in response to global events, expanding from a small staff in the early Republic to a large, complex agency supporting hundreds of missions overseas.

How it operates and works with others

The department carries out policy through a worldwide diplomatic network of ambassadors and missions. It works closely with the Department of Defense, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other federal agencies on security, development and humanitarian responses. Legal frameworks — including treaties and customary diplomatic practice — guide its activities and protect diplomatic personnel under international conventions.

Notable roles and distinctions

Among executive departments, the State Department is distinctive for its diplomatic corps and consular responsibilities. It issues passports, advances U.S. interests in multilateral fora, and provides evacuation or emergency services for Americans abroad in crises. The Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet member and traditionally ranks high in presidential succession. For more detailed policy statements and official resources see the department’s public materials and official communications, or visit pages describing its mission and bureaus foreign policy, its place within the United States government, and its relationship to the Cabinet.