consulate

thumb|Consulate-General of Indonesia in Houston, Texas, United States. thumb|Consulate of Kazakhstan in [[Omsk, Russia]] thumb|Consulate of Russia in Mariehamn, [[Åland]] thumb|Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit at the [[Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, United States.]]

A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a high commission). The term "consulate" may refer not only to the office of a consul, but also to the building occupied by the consul and the consul's staff. The consulate primarily serves its visiting nationals to the region in which it is based, and prospective visitors, commercial entities, or regional governments, who wish access or connections to the consulate's home country. There is usually also consular services in the capital too, and in those cases, the consulate may share premises with the embassy itself.