Embassy of the United States

About the Embassy

Who We Are & What We Do

Mission Statement

The mission of the U.S. Department of State – the equivalent of what most countries call a ministry of foreign affairs – is to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community. 

With this goal in mind, the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik works with leaders, institutions, and citizens of the U.S. and Iceland to maintain and broaden the close political, economic, security, cultural, and personal ties between the two nations.   

Organization

The Embassy is staffed by 12 American and about 32 locally engaged employees of the Department of State, divided into several sections.  More

Coordination With Other U.S. Agencies

The Embassy draws support from representatives of other U.S. government agencies in the region or in Washington. These non-resident colleagues coordinate with the Embassy and with the government of Iceland through periodic visits, videoconferences, and other contacts, on such topics as:

Trade. 
The Embassy’s Economic/Commercial Section works closely with regional representatives of the Department of Commerce and Department of Agriculture, based at Embassy Stockholm and Embassy The Hague respectively, and with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington.

Environment, Science, and Technology. 
The Economic/Commercial Section also coordinates with the State Department’s Copenhagen-based regional Environment, Science, and Technology officer, and with Washington-based scientific agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey, and NASA.

Defense. 
The United States remains commited to honoring the bilateral U.S.-Iceland defense agreement. Since 2005 the Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo has been accredited to the Government of Iceland, providing Embassy Reykjavik with expertise on military arrangements, operations, and assistance in support of efforts to transform U.S.-Iceland security cooperation to face emerging 21st Century threats such as terrorism and trafficking. Upon the September 2006 closure of Naval Air Station Keflavik, two additional military officers were assigned to the Embassy as European Command representatives to work on issues related to the transfer of the base. An Assistant Defense Attaché reporting to the Attaché in Oslo was assigned to the Embassy to support ongoing efforts to enhance security cooperation.

Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism. 
The Embassy's Regional Security Officer is the primary liaison with Icelandic police and security services and obtains support for the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration based in nearby countries.

Immigration. 
On all immigration-related issues, the Embassy's Consular Section is the primary liaison with Icelandic authorities, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other government agencies.

Together, the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and section chiefs are referred to as the “Country Team.”

The Country Team