Designated border offices (DBOs), field offices (FOs), processing centers (PCs), and the Division of International Operations (DIO) receive routine correspondence and diplomatic notes from foreign diplomatic and consular officials. Both types of correspondence are first sent to the Department of State (DOS) and then forwarded to our agency. DOS serves as the official channel for diplomatic communications between the U.S. Government and a foreign government, except for certain military activities. For more information on the types of routine correspondence and diplomatic notes, including exhibits visit DOS' Foreign Affairs Manual Section 5, Chapter 612.

Send replies to routine correspondence from foreign diplomatic officials or consular officers directly to the foreign government's embassy or consular office.

Route replies to diplomatic notes through DOS.

Attach the original of the reply and one copy of the diplomatic note to an Optional Form 41 (Routing and Transmittal Slip), or other transmittal notice, with the annotation, “For transmission to the address shown.”

Address the routing material to:  

Office of Policy Review and Inter-agency Liaison

Department of State

2201 C Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20520