The UK has approximately 261 embassies and other diplomatic posts around the world, and in return allows practically every other country in the world a diplomatic presence here in the UK.

Foreign embassies in the UK

London is the home of the diplomatic service and it is here where you will find your country’s main embassy. There are other secondary consular services located outside of London in the UK’s other major cities, such as Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester, and occasionally you can find one in some of the UK’s major ports, such as Liverpool, Bristol or Dover. However in the vast majority of cases you will have to visit London if you require some assistance from an embassy.

Most of the foreign embassies in the UK are to be found in the western district (borough) of London known as Kensington. This is one of London’s wealthiest and most beautiful borough’s and is easily located by using the London Underground stations High Street Kensington or South Kensington, depending on which embassy you require.

A lot of these embassies are found along a tree lined avenue called Kensington Palace Gardens, just next to Hyde Park. It is an interesting place to explore even if you don’t need to visit an embassy, just take a walk along the avenue and you will get a real sense of the history and intrigue that radiates from these impressive old mansions, where Russian Counts and Austro-Hungarian Ambassadors once engaged in diplomatic conspiracies.

UK embassies around the globe

The UK’s diplomatic service has been run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from its head-office on King Charles Street, by St. James’s Park and Downing Street, since it began in 1782. From here the FCO controls all its operations, from helping with visa applications, assisting UK nationals who have run into trouble abroad, legalising documents, and promoting British businesses.

The FCO in London is not open to public except on special days; if you wish to visit them in person then you should first contact them by telephone on: 020 7008 1500. Alternatively you can visit their website, where you will also find a full list of every consular office around the world and lots of information regarding visa applications and travel advice.

The British Council

The FCO is also the organisation behind the British Council which you may have encountered in your country of origin. The British council receives funding from the FCO in order to promote UK culture abroad and to foster cultural understanding between different nations.

Some examples of this, in 2008, have been projects to send DJ’s and hip-hop producers from the UK to teach young people from urban parts of Eastern Europe skills in music production and performance, hoping that these skills will then be passed on through the local community.

However not everyone shares an optimistic view of British Council and there are many people, both inside and outside of the UK, who accuse them of cultural imperialism and cynically imposing British values on developing countries. This is a view that is particularly popular amongst western left-wing academics, and there have been a number of books written on this subject.

But the British Council maintains that is a force for good in the world and has an equally large number of supporters who point to the many projects around the world that help poorer communities to develop language skills and broaden cultural horizons by working with UK volunteers.

To be listed here click

USEFUL WORDS

official (n) = a person who is in a position of authority in a large organisation

embassy = a group of officials who represent their government in a foreign country / the building where these people work

ambassador = the senior representative in an embassy

consulate = similar to an embassy but dealing with less important matters

consul = an official who represents his/her government in a foreign country

diplomat = a person who works in an embassy or consulate
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->

expatriate = a person living in a country which is not their own

issue a visa

refuse a visa / an application

GRAMMAR SPOT

Inversion after a Negative Phrase
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->

A negative phrase can come in front position to emphasise the negative.  This can happen with phrases containing the words no, never, neither, nor, seldom, rarely, hardly and only

There is inversion of the subject and auxiliary:

Under no circumstances should you attempt to travel without your passport

(compare: You should not attempt to travel without your passport)

Never in my life have I seen such an amazing building
(compare: I have never seen such an amazing building in my life)

The embassy was closed.  Nor was there any consular service

(compare: There wasn’t any consular service either)

Only at the embassy is it possible to renew your passport
(compare: It is only possible to renew your passport at the embassy)

Sometimes a phrase with not can come in front position:

Not since his childhood had he visited his country’s embassy

Not until the following week was I able to speak to the Ambassador