Finding people from your home country in the U.S.

Step 1 — Find your country’s embassy and consulate

In the U.S., foreign governments have an embassy (the government’s headquarters) in Washington, D.C., and consulates (branch offices) in other cities. Both help their country’s citizens in the United States (State Department — Consular Notification and Access).

To find yours, use the State Department’s official list, Contact Info for Foreign Embassies & Consulates. It is organized by country, and USA.gov sends people there for the contact details of foreign embassies and consulates in the U.S. (USA.gov — Find a U.S. embassy). For some countries, the list shows more than one office and which U.S. states each one covers (State Department). In the treaty that governs consulates, the area a consulate serves is called its consular district (Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, Article 1). Contact the office that covers the state where you live.

Open your consulate’s website from the official list, not from an ad or a link someone sends you. Save its phone number and email in your phone and on paper, and share them with someone you trust.

Step 2 — Learn what your consulate can do for you

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, an international treaty from 1963, lists what consulates do (United Nations — Vienna Convention). Its consular functions include issuing passports and travel documents to the country’s citizens, helping and assisting them, and promoting cultural relations (Vienna Convention, Article 5). Where local law allows, they also include acting as a notary and as a civil registrar, the office that records life events such as births and marriages (Article 5). The country that runs the consulate can give it other tasks too (Article 5).

Your consulate’s own website is the place to check what it offers, how to book and what it costs. Questions worth looking up early:

• How do I renew my passport from here, and how far ahead are appointments booked?
• Can I register as a citizen living abroad, or record a birth or marriage that happened here?
• Does the consulate share news about community or cultural events?

Your consulate represents your country’s government, not the U.S. government (State Department). For questions about your U.S. immigration status, see our guide to free immigration legal help.

One more reason to save the number. If you’re ever arrested or detained in the U.S., officials must tell you that you can have your nearest consulate or embassy notified (State Department — Consular Notification and Access). For citizens of some countries, they must notify it even if you don’t ask (State Department). Consular officials may then contact your family and help make sure you have legal representation and medical care (State Department). The State Department tells officials to follow these steps for all foreign nationals, whatever their immigration status (State Department).

Step 3 — Ask whether your country offers a consular ID card

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. agency, explains that Mexico’s Matrícula Consular is an official Mexican government ID, and that other countries offer similar cards, sometimes called consular identification (CID) cards, through their consulates in the U.S. (CFPB — Checklist for opening an account).

If you don’t have a U.S. or state government ID, some banks and credit unions accept foreign passports and consular IDs (CFPB). The CFPB suggests asking your consulate how to get an ID card, and checking with banks and credit unions about whether they accept it (CFPB). Not every country issues one, so ask yours. For a U.S. ID, see our guide to driver’s licenses and state IDs; for banking, see opening a bank account.

Step 4 — Start at your public library and your city’s website

According to USA.gov, public libraries have experts who can help you find resources, English classes, and programs and events for all ages based on holidays, historical events and more (USA.gov — Libraries and archives). That USA.gov page also links to a Library Finder.

Ask a librarian whether there are groups or events for people from your country or in your language, and whether the library has books or films in your language.

Then look at your city or county website. USA.gov lists contact information for local governments, state by state (USA.gov — Local governments). Check the events calendar, parks and recreation, and community centers for cultural festivals, international days or classes. Try searching the site for words like “immigrant”, “international” or “newcomer” to see what your city offers.

Step 5 — Look for cultural associations, faith communities and other groups

You might find cultural associations, language schools for children, music and dance groups, sports clubs and professional networks. To find them:

• search online for your country’s name or language plus “association” or “community” and your city;
• follow your consulate’s website and social media;
• ask at restaurants and food stores from your region whether they know local groups.

Faith communities. If faith is part of your life, a place of worship with services in your language can be a natural place to meet people from home. If not, cultural and sports groups offer the same chance.

Check that a group is real and active before you give it time or money: look for recent events, public meeting places, clear information about who runs it, and clear rules about any membership fee.

Step 6 — Share only what you want to share

At 4Livo, we believe that what you tell people about yourself is your choice. You shouldn’t have to reveal your nationality, your immigration status or your documents to join a group, go to an event or make friends, and a good group won’t ask.

Official services are different: to issue a passport or other papers, your consulate may ask for your documents. Share them only through the official contacts on its website.

Meet people you know only from online in a public place the first time, and tell someone where you’re going. And remember: people from home who have lived here for years can share great tips, but rules change. For taxes, visas or benefits, check the official source.

Step 7 — Go to cultural events, and keep one foot in your new city

Festivals, national-day celebrations, film nights and holiday events are an easy way to meet people from home. Look for them through your consulate, associations, your library and your city’s calendar.

People who share your language and culture can be a deep source of support. Try to keep both kinds of circles: people from home, and people from your new city. Our guide on building your circle has ideas for the second.