Consulate

There are typically one or more deputy consuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls, and consular agents working under the consul-general.

Ambassadors are posted only in a foreign nation's capital (but exceptionally outside the country, as in the case of a multiple mandate; e.g., a minor power may accredit a single ambassador with several neighbouring states of modest relative importance that are not considered important allies).

In the United States, for example, embassies are located in Washington D.C. and most countries have a consulate-general in New York City (the site of the headquarters of the United Nations), and some have consulates-general in several major cities, such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, or San Francisco.

Many countries have multiple consular offices in nations such as Germany, Russia, Canada, Brazil, and Australia.

For example, Toronto in Canada, Sydney in Australia and Auckland, New Zealand, are of greater economic importance than their respective national capitals, hence the need for consulates there.

When Hong Kong was under British administration, diplomatic missions of Commonwealth countries, such as Canada,[2] Australia,[3] New Zealand,[4] India,[5] Malaysia,[6] and Singapore[7] were known as commissions.

[10] Owing to Hong Kong's status as a special administrative region of China, some countries' consulates-general in Hong Kong report directly to their respective foreign ministries, rather than to their embassies in Beijing, such as those of Canada,[11] the United Kingdom[12] and United States.