The flags of Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland are on display at a working luncheon that U.S. Secretary of State John hosted in honor of Nordic leaders: Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Norwegian Prime Minster Erna Solberg, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, and Icelandic Prime Minster Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2016. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

Office of Foreign Missions

Our Mission

The Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) is responsible for implementing the Secretary’s mandate under the Foreign Missions Act (22 U.S.C. 4301-4316) to facilitate secure and efficient operations of U.S. missions abroad, and of foreign missions and international organizations in the United States. OFM has four missions: employment of reciprocity to ensure equitable treatment for U.S. diplomatic and consular missions abroad and their personnel; regulation of the activities of foreign missions in the U.S. in a manner that will protect the foreign policy and national security interests of the U.S.; protection of the U.S. public from abuses of privileges and immunities by members of the foreign missions; and provision of service and assistance to the foreign mission community in the U.S. to assure appropriate privileges, benefits, and services in accordance with relevant legal obligations and principles of reciprocity.

U.S. Department of State

The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future