External Office (Caphiria)

The External Office of the Imperium, or simply the External Office or EXTRA, is the foreign affairs cabinet-level executive department of the Office of the Imperium, operating under the Ministry of Diplomacy. The External Office is tasked with advising the Imperator in matters of international relations, administering diplomatic missions, negotiating international treaties and agreements and coordinating its participation in international and regional supranational political organizations such as the League of Nations or UNESARP. Additionally, the External Office has the ability to deploy diplomats to foreign governments or institutions and maintains foreign embassies in other countries.

Within the External Office are several departments: the Department of Immigration, which manages issues of immigration and asylum for refugees; it is also responsible for the regulation of immigration and preventing illegal immigration as well as the integration of legal immigrants (professionally, linguistically, housing); the Department of Foreign Affairs which deploys diplomats to foreign governments or institutions and maintains foreign embassies in other countries; the Department of Diplomatic Security is concerned with protecting and assisting Caphirian citizens and Latins living or traveling abroad, and the Office of Counterterrorism which coordinates Caphiria's efforts to improve counter-terrorism cooperation with foreign governments and participates in the development, coordination, and implementation of the Imperium's overall counterterrorism policy.

Tracing its origins to the Third Imperium, the External Office is considered among the most powerful and prestigious ministerial offices in Caphiria. It is led by the Chancellor of the External Office (cancellarius extrarius), who reports to the Chancellor of Diplomacy (Proprinceps) and Imperator directly. The position of Chancellor of the External Office is currently held by Temione Egărenovisi, who was appointed in 2015.

The External Office also provides diplomatic training to Caphirian magistrates and military personnel, exercises partial jurisdiction over immigration, and provides various services to Caphirian citizens, such as issuing passports and visas, posting foreign travel advisories, and advancing commercial ties abroad.

Duties and responsibilities
The power of the External Office has increased significantly since the Third Imperium. Operating through the Imperator's imperium maius (supreme executive power), the External Office holds the explicit function of representing and guarding the interests of Caphiria concerning its political, economic, social, and cultural relations with the world and its direct relations with other states and international organizations. The ministry represents Caphiria in its implementation and revisions of treaties and international conventions.

The External Office's core activities and purpose include:


 * Protecting and assisting Caphirian and Latin citizens living or traveling abroad;
 * Assisting Caphirian businesses in the international marketplace;
 * Intervene in matters related to the territorial limits of the country and international waters;
 * Coordinating and providing support for international activities of other Caphirian agencies (local, provincial, or national government), official visits overseas and at home, and other diplomatic efforts;
 * Keeping the public informed about Caphirian foreign policy and relations with other countries and providing feedback from the public to administration officials;
 * To grant to the foreigners the licenses and authorizations that they require according to the laws to acquire the dominion of the lands, waters and their accessions in the Imperium; Obtain concessions and enter into contracts, intervene in the exploitation of natural resources or to invest or participate in Caphirian civil or mercantile societies, as well as to grant permits for the constitution of these or to amend its bylaws or to acquire real property or rights over them;
 * To intervene in international commissions, congresses, conferences and exhibitions, and to participate in international organizations and institutes of which the Caphirian government is a part

Caphiria maintains diplomatic relations with about 100 countries and maintains relations with many international organizations, adding up to 150 posts around the world. Throughout the Imperium, about 5,000 professional, technical, and administrative employees work compiling and analyzing reports from overseas, providing logistical support to posts, communicating with the Caphirian public, formulating and overseeing the budget, issuing passports and travel warnings, and more. In carrying out these responsibilities, the External Office works in close coordination with other departments and ministries, including the Ministries of Defense, Treasury, and Commerce. The office also consults with the National Assembly and Senate about foreign policy initiatives and policies.

Organization
The External Office consists of four primary departments and xx semi-autonomous offices responsible for specific regions, policy areas, as well as administration of the Ministry itself. Each office is headed by a director-general with at least two deputy directors-general. The offices are: