U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State, founded in 1789, is the U.S. federal executive department that conducts American foreign policy, operates the world's largest diplomatic network of embassies and consulates in 170+ countries, and delivers consular services including visa processing, passport issuance, and citizen assistance to U.S. nationals and foreign nationals.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1789
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What U.S. Department of State does
The U.S. Department of State, headquartered at the Harry S. Truman Building (2201 C Street NW, Washington, D.C.) and established on July 21, 1789, is the oldest federal executive department and the lead foreign affairs agency of the United States. It serves four primary constituencies: U.S. citizens abroad requiring consular protection and passport services; foreign nationals seeking visas to enter the United States; foreign governments engaged in bilateral diplomacy, sanctions coordination, and humanitarian response; and multilateral bodies such as the United Nations. The Department operates the world's largest diplomatic network with embassies and consulates in 170+ countries and executes a portfolio including the Artemis Accords (68 signatories), the Pax Silica AI supply chain pact (24 signatories), and approximately $50+ billion in annual foreign assistance programming.
Core products include passport issuance and renewal, non-immigrant and immigrant visa processing, traveler advisory services, and a suite of internal and inter-governmental technology platforms. Notable technology deployments include State Chat, an internal NLP AI tool serving 60,000+ users across 97% of posts and processing roughly 5,000 daily communications; Pax Silica, an AI supply chain credentialing and provenance platform integrating with customs, port operator, and shipper tracking systems to expedite vetted shipments of semiconductors and critical minerals; and the FIFA PASS visa priority scheduling system for the 2026 World Cup. IT modernization is being executed through the Evolve IDIQ contract awarded to Leidos, with a $10 billion ceiling covering cloud, application development, network, and end-user support services for diplomatic posts globally.
The Department's funding model is overwhelmingly appropriations-driven: FY2026 congressional appropriations totaled approximately $58.9 billion. Secondary revenue streams include transaction-based fees from visa processing (a standard $185 B1/B2 fee, with a new $750 expedited interview pilot running July–December 2026) and passport services. The go-to-market model is direct-to-citizen and direct-to-government through the physical embassy/consulate network and the state.gov digital platform, supplemented by authorized visa application centers. Leadership comprises Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau, and Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, with a career civil service and political appointee structure overseen by the President and Congress.
U.S. Department of State firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- U.S. Department of State
- Legal name
- United States Department of State
- Website
- https://state.gov
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1789
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The U.S. Department of State, founded in 1789, is the U.S. federal executive department that conducts American foreign policy, operates the world's largest diplomatic network of embassies and consulates in 170+ countries, and delivers consular services including visa processing, passport issuance, and citizen assistance to U.S. nationals and foreign nationals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
U.S. Department of State industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Government Foreign Affairs and Diplomatic Services
- NAICS
- International Affairs (928120), International Affairs (92812), Public Administration (92)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721), Foreign Governments (8888)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations) (BPAIAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Immigration, Citizenship & Border Administration (Civil) (BPAIAAAN), Consular Services & Citizen Assistance (BPAIAIAB), Bilateral Development & Aid Agencies (HLAJAKAB), Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA) (BPADABAA)
Keywords
Where U.S. Department of State is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
U.S. Department of State business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Visa and Passport Fees: The Department collects fees for visa processing (standard B1/B2 visa fee of $185) and passport services. A new expedited interview service pilot program charges an additional $750 fee for appointments within 10 business days.
- Congressional Appropriations: Primary funding through congressionally appropriated funds for diplomatic operations, foreign aid, and national security functions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard B1/B2 Visa Processing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Expedited Interview Service (Pilot) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
U.S. Department of State product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The U.S. Department of State is the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, functioning as the principal diplomatic arm of the federal government. It issues U.S. passports and adjudicates visas, provides 24/7 consular assistance to American citizens abroad, and conducts bilateral and multilateral diplomacy through embassies and consulates in more than 170 countries. The department also coordinates U.S. foreign policy, sanctions implementation, humanitarian assistance, and international development cooperation on behalf of the United States.
Product overview
The U.S. Department of State provides core diplomatic and citizen services including passport issuance, visa processing, and international travel guidance. The department operates AI-enabled platforms including Pax Silica for AI supply chain credentialing and State Chat for internal diplomatic communications. Infrastructure modernization is supported through the Evolve contract with Leidos for embassy and consulate IT systems worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Passport Services U.S. passport issuance, renewal, and travel documentation services for American citizens traveling internationally; delivered through U.S. embassies and consulates and the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
- Visa Services Adjudication and processing of immigrant and non-immigrant visas for foreign nationals seeking to travel to the United States for tourism, business, work, study, or immigration; including a new FIFA PASS priority appointment service for FIFA World Cup 2026 attendees.
- Traveler Services (Travel Advisories and Country Information) Travel advisories, country-specific information, safety alerts, and international travel guidance for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals planning international travel.
- Pax Silica AI Supply Chain Platform AI supply chain credentialing and provenance platform designed to expedite customs and logistics for vetted shipments of semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and critical minerals through trusted trade routes across 24 signatory countries including Argentina, Chile, the EU, Germany, Kazakhstan, and the Netherlands.
- FIFA PASS Visa Priority Appointment Service Visa priority appointment scheduling system offered to FIFA World Cup 2026 attendees to streamline their visa appointment experience through U.S. embassies and consulates.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 60,000 internal AI users across 97% of posts handling 5,000 daily communications
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use U.S. Department of State
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
U.S. Department of State technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability5 records
Feature2 records
U.S. Department of State partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Starlink (SpaceX)corePartnership to restore satellite internet connectivity in Venezuela earthquake-affected areas, marking one of the first major activations of a two-year MOU between the State Department and Starlink for disaster response communications
- Angel (media and technology company) and Wonder ProjectcoreStrategic partnership to screen the film 'Young Washington' at U.S. embassies worldwide as part of America's 250th anniversary celebration, engaging audiences including students, emerging filmmakers, cultural leaders across approximately 80 countries
- Leidos HoldingscoreFour awards under the State Department's Evolve contract to assist in modernizing IT systems for American diplomats globally, covering cloud services, application development, network telecommunications, and customer support. IDIQ contract has a $10 billion cap
- Foreign Military Sale - IndiacoreProposed Foreign Military Sale worth $482.2 million to provide sustainment support services for India's AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 Ultra-Light Howitzers
- UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)flagshipGlobal sports diplomacy partnership signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UFC CEO Dana White, establishing a public-private partnership to enhance sports diplomacy initiatives and collaborate on the global growth of mixed martial arts as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations (Freedom 250 event)
- CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations)core$50 million commitment to accelerate development of medical countermeasures against Bundibugyo virus, supporting vaccine candidates through emergency authorization for epidemic response in DRC and Uganda
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS)core$240 million grant for disaster and humanitarian assistance, marking the first in a planned series of grants to vetted organizations for rapid crisis response, supporting humanitarian aid in Ethiopia, Haiti, Nigeria, Sudan, and Ebola response efforts
- Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC)minor$10 million grant for regional coordination and environmental feasibility studies for Caribbean port infrastructure modernization, with additional $5 million digitalization grant for upgrading CCTV systems and Terminal Operating Systems
- ZiplinecorePartnership to expand autonomous drone medical delivery network across Africa, backed by up to $150 million in U.S. funding and up to $400 million in African government utilization fees, scaling from 5,000 to 15,000 health facilities and reaching approximately 130 million additional people
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
U.S. Department of State competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Leidos Holdings: Major federal IT contractor holding the State Department's Evolve IDIQ contract (up to $10 billion ceiling per source) for cloud, application development, network telecom, and customer support across U.S. diplomatic posts globally. Closest private-sector counterpart supplying State with mission-critical technology infrastructure.
- Starlink (SpaceX): Satellite internet operator that signed a two-year MOU with the State Department for disaster response communications, activated during the 2026 Venezuela earthquake relief effort. Adjacent infrastructure provider supporting State's emergency consular and humanitarian response capabilities.
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - dissolved functions now under State: The recently dissolved U.S. bilateral development agency, whose foreign-assistance functions were transferred to the State Department. Historically the State Department's principal implementing partner on humanitarian aid and development grants; now functionally merged into the State Department.
Direct peers
- German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt): Germany's central foreign affairs ministry, headquartered in Berlin, running a wide embassy/consulate network across all continents. Closely comparable to the State Department's consular, visa, and bilateral diplomacy functions, including recent leadership on sanctions related to Russia and Iran.
- French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères): France's foreign affairs ministry, operating one of the world's largest diplomatic networks with cultural diplomacy (Institut Français, Alliance Française) as a core pillar. Comparable to the State Department in consular services, visa issuance, and bilateral/multilateral negotiation.
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): Australia's combined foreign affairs and trade ministry, headquartered in Canberra, with responsibility for consular services, passport issuance, visa processing, and bilateral aid programs. Operates on a similarly integrated consular-plus-policy model as the U.S. State Department.
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO): The United Kingdom's lead foreign affairs ministry, headquartered in London. Runs a global network of embassies and consulates, delivers consular services to British nationals, processes visas, and administers overseas development assistance — directly mirroring the State Department's mandate on a smaller geographic footprint.
- Global Affairs Canada (Affaires mondiales Canada): Canada's foreign affairs ministry, integrating diplomatic, consular, trade, and development assistance functions under one department. Operates a smaller global network but mirrors the State Department's portfolio structure, particularly for consular services, visa processing, and international development.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (外務省): Japan's foreign ministry, a long-standing U.S. treaty ally with extensive consular and diplomatic operations in 170+ countries. Directly comparable consular, visa, and bilateral diplomacy functions, and a key counterpart in Pax Silica-aligned technology and supply chain diplomacy.
Broad incumbents
- European External Action Service (EEAS): The EU's diplomatic corps, headquartered in Brussels, representing the European Union's combined foreign policy, security, and trade interests. Operates EU delegations analogous to U.S. embassies in 170+ countries and is a counterpart to the State Department on issues like Pax Silica and global sanctions coordination.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
U.S. Department of State social profiles
Digital presenceU.S. Department of State financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
U.S. Department of State leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
U.S. Department of State subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
U.S. Department of State funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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U.S. Department of State M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
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Frequently asked questions about U.S. Department of State
What does U.S. Department of State do?
The U.S. Department of State is the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, functioning as the principal diplomatic arm of the federal government. It issues U.S. passports and adjudicates visas, provides 24/7 consular assistance to American citizens abroad, and conducts bilateral and multilateral diplomacy through embassies and consulates in more than 170 countries. The department also coordinates U.S. foreign policy, sanctions implementation, humanitarian assistance, and international development cooperation on behalf of the United States.
Is U.S. Department of State a public or private company?
U.S. Department of State is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was U.S. Department of State founded?
U.S. Department of State was founded in 1789. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is U.S. Department of State based?
U.S. Department of State is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does U.S. Department of State make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Visa and Passport Fees are the primary driver. The others are congressional Appropriations.
Who are U.S. Department of State's main competitors?
Others on record are Leidos Holdings, Starlink (SpaceX) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - dissolved functions now under State. Direct peers are German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères), Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Global Affairs Canada (Affaires mondiales Canada) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (外務省). European External Action Service (EEAS) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does U.S. Department of State have an API?
No public API is recorded for U.S. Department of State.
What industry is U.S. Department of State in?
U.S. Department of State's product category is Government Foreign Affairs and Diplomatic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAIAA, Diplomatic Missions & Embassies (Bilateral Relations), with a secondary code of BPAIAAAN, Immigration, Citizenship & Border Administration (Civil). Its NAICS code is 928120 and its SIC code is 9721.