LOCAL Houston | The City Guide JANUARY 2016 | Page 34

C

www.houstontx.gov | www.ccohouston.org/consulates.aspx | www.renaca.ch/wasmacht-en.html

...IS FOR CONSULATES

By Ida Sameri
Albania
Angola
Argentina
Australia
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bolivia
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Cote d’Ivoire

34

L O C A L

Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Guyana
Haiti

| january 16

Honduras
Hungary
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jordan
Kazakhstan
South Korea
Kyrgyzstan
Lithuania
Malaysia
Malta

Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Papua New
Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Romania
Russia

Rwanda
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovenia
Spain
Switzerland
Syria
Thailand
Trinidad
Ukraine
UK
Uruguay
Venezuela

How diverse is Houston really? There are more than 90 consulates
in the city (the third highest in the nation). Each consulate maintains
their role to serve their communities by establishing and renewing
passports as well as other official documents; report births, deaths,
divorces, marriages, adoptions, etc., while abroad; to look after its
own citizens whether they need a lawyer or a doctor; watch over the
rule of law and fair trials; help businesses find partners and customers
in foreign countries; promote educational and cultural exchanges; as
well as establish entry visas to foreign citizens and inform them about
all the rules and regulations such as immigration; and special permits.
With over 2 million people in the Greater Houston area making it the
4th largest city in the United States, these 90+ consulates’ primary
overall job is to project their community the best they can.