The Society
Since 1925, the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York has connected consular representatives across regions, supported their work, and strengthened relationships with New York City, the United States, and the countries they represent.
Origins
The Society was established in 1925 to bring together New York’s foreign consular representatives in a spirit of cooperation, dialogue, and mutual support. For more than a century it has provided a forum where members exchange experience, address shared concerns, and build lasting institutional relationships — with one another, and with the city and country in which they serve.
New York has long been a place where consular work is unusually dense: a port and a financial capital, a city of immigrant communities, and the seat of the world’s largest concentration of permanent missions. The Society was created to give the consular community serving that city a common voice and a settled place to meet.
In April 2015, after ninety years as an unincorporated association, the Society was incorporated in New York as The Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, Inc.
Continuity
The Society has been led by an elected President each term since 1925, drawn in turn from every region of the world.
1925
Consular representatives serving in New York establish a standing forum for cooperation, dialogue and mutual support.
1925–2014
Successive presidents, drawn from every region of the world, sustain an unbroken line of service through changing decades of the city and of diplomacy.
April 2015
After ninety years as an unincorporated association, the Society is incorporated as The Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, Inc.
Today
An elected Executive Committee, seven regional representations, a public archive of events and press releases, and an orientation guide for arriving consuls.
Mission
The Society’s mission is to safeguard the interests and rights of members of the New York City-based Consular Corps, strengthen cooperation among its members, and promote cultural and economic relationships with New York City, the United States, and member countries. It cultivates relationships with communities and government, and works collectively to foster stronger ties with the U.S. jurisdictions where its members are accredited.
I
The Society speaks for the shared interests and rights of the New York City-based Consular Corps before civic, state and federal counterparts, and raises questions of privilege, protocol and access that no single post can resolve alone.
II
Members meet across regions to exchange practice, brief one another on developments affecting consular work, and extend collegial support to colleagues arriving in, or departing from, the city.
III
The Society promotes cultural and economic relationships between New York, the United States, and the countries its members represent, and supports civic and charitable initiatives in the city that hosts them.
Membership
Membership is open to foreign consular representatives in New York who are accredited by their governments to the government of the United States of America. There are no visitor accounts and no logins: the Society’s public record is open, and membership itself is arranged directly with the Secretariat.
Member countries are organised across seven geographic regions. The structure supports broad representation within the Society and helps members convene around shared regional and institutional priorities.
Governance
The Society is guided by an Executive Committee led by an elected President and supported by officers — Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and counsel — together with representatives from seven world regions. The regional seats ensure that the Society’s work reflects the breadth of New York’s consular community rather than any single group of posts.
Officers serve fixed terms. The presidency rotates, and the record of that rotation — an unbroken list of names, countries and years — is published in full as part of the Society’s public archive.
Institutional relationships
The Society works with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions and the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs on matters of shared interest to the consular community. These relationships support dialogue and practical forums for members and their staff.
Accreditation, identification cards, tax exemption, motor-vehicle matters and diplomatic privileges affecting consular officers accredited in the United States.
state.gov/ofm — opens in a new tab
The city’s liaison with the consular and diplomatic community: protocol, city services, community engagement and forums of shared interest.
nyc.gov — International Affairs — opens in a new tab
Recurring subjects
Continue exploring
Read the President’s message, meet the Executive Committee, browse the archive of events and press releases, or write to the Secretariat.
