Embassy and consulate refer to government representations in a foreign country. A country will have only one Embassy in another nation whereas it will have a number of consulates in various cities.
An embassy is the larger representation, but a consulate is only a smaller version of the embassy. Consulates in a sense can be called junior embassies. Embassies are permanent diplomatic missions generally located in a county’s capital. Consulates are located only in bigger cities and not in the capital city.
Countries establish Embassies in another nation only if it recognizes the sovereignty of that country. While Ambassadors, who are high-ranking diplomatic representatives of a country, represent the Embassy, Consuls represent the Consulates.
The Ambassadors are the spokesperson of their governments. Embassies have a broader role to play and they represent their government in another nation. Embassies mainly deal with political and diplomatic relations with the host nations. The Embassies also look after the welfare of citizens who are living in that country.
When Embassies deal with major diplomatic tasks, Consulates deal with minor diplomatic tasks. The number of Consulates depends on the requirement. The main task of Consulates is to foster trade and maintain commercial links between the two nations. Moreover, the Consulates handle issues relating to visas, passports and also handle tourists and expatriates.
The major role of the Consulate is promoting trade like helping companies in the host nation to invest in its country and vice versa. It also facilitates import and export between the two countries.
While Embassy is the diplomatic representation of a government in another nation, Consulate is the representation of public administration. Embassies exchange messages between its government and the host government. Consulates are only responsible for its own citizens who are traveling or living in the host nation.
The Embassies inform its government about all important social, political, military, economical and other events happening in the host nation. Whereas Consulates report about important deaths, births, marriages and other events to its government.
Embassies are also responsible for preparing treaties between the two nations and also in arranging official visits.
The consulates are also responsible for informing its citizens about all security issues. Consulates are also entrusted with the responsibility of looking after its citizens in case of detention or arrest.
Though both Embassies and Consulates represent its government in a foreign country, they have totally different responsibilities and different roles to play.