What We Do
The U.S. Department of State uses diplomacy to promote and protect American interests. To achieve our mission, we:
- Manage diplomatic relations with other countries and international institutions
- Promote peace and stability in regions of vital interest
- Support U.S. businesses at home and abroad, acting as experts in host-country markets and business practices, and identifying opportunities for American firms
- Help developing nations establish stable economic environments
- Provide information and services for citizens traveling and living abroad, including issuing passports for U.S. citizens - more than seven million issues in 2000
- Issue visas for foreigners wishing to enter the United States
Bureaus and Offices
The links below provide online information for the domestic organizational components of the U.S. Department of State, in alphabetical order. Also see the list of components grouped by organizational responsibility under the Secretary and Under Secretaries. (Information about Bureaus and Offices that do not have web pages can be found in:
"Department Organization" and on the organization chart.)
Secretary of State (S)
Deputy Secretary (D)
Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and Administrator of USAID (F)
Counselor of the Department (C)
Under Secretary for:
Arms Control and International Security (T)Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs(E)
Democracy and Global Affairs (G)
Management (M)
Political Affairs (P)
Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (R)
Bureaus and Offices:
Administration (A)African Affairs (AF)
Allowances (A/OPR/ALS)
Authentication Division (A/OPR/GSM/AUTH)
Coordinator for Counterterrorism (S/CT)
Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS)
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Chief of Staff (S)
Civil Rights, Office of
Consular Affairs (CA)
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL)
Diplomatic Security (DS)
Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources (DGHR)
East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP)
Economic, Energy and Business Affairs (EEB)
Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR)
Executive Secretariat (S/ES)
Foreign Service Institute (FSI)
Global AIDS Coordinator, Office of (S/GAC)
Human Resources (M/HR)
Information Resource Management (IRM)
Inspector General (OIG)
Intelligence and Research (INR)
International Information Programs (IIP)
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
International Organization Affairs (IO)
International Security and Nonproliferation> (ISN)
Legal Adviser (L)
Legislative Affairs (H)
Management Policy (M/P)
Medical Services (M/DGHR/MED)
Near Eastern Affairs (NEA)
Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES)
Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)
Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Office of (R/PPR)
Policy Planning Staff (S/P)
Political-Military Affairs (PM)
Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)
Protocol (S/CPR)
Public Affairs (PA)
Resource Management (RM)
Rightsizing the U.S. Government's Overseas Presence (M/R)
Science & Technology Adviser (G/STAS)
South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA)
Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP)
Verification, Compliance, and Implementation (VCI)
War Crimes Issues (S/WCI)
Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA)
