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Perth
U.S. Consulate
History & Relationship
Consul General
Consular Operations
Sections & Offices
U.S. Commercial Service
Our Location

History & Relationship

The United States and Western Australia’s relationship extends more than a century and a half. Early connections arose amid the state’s whaling industry and the gold rush, with the first U.S. diplomat posted to WA’s port city of Fremantle in 1886. Before becoming U.S. President in 1929, Herbert Hoover was a mine manager in WA’s goldfields. The first U.S. Consul General was appointed to the state’s capital city Perth in 1937.

The U.S. Navy has strong ties to WA with U.S. submarines stationed at Albany and Fremantle during World War II and since then U.S. Navy vessels have regularly visited WA for port calls.  Under the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, HMAS Stirling naval base near Perth will host a rotational presence of up to four U.S. submarines as early as 2027.

The United States is WA’s most important economic partner and by far the largest investor. Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas projects off WA’s northwestern coast are the single largest foreign investment in Australia’s history at more than AU$80 billion. American companies have invested billions of dollars in WA to build critical mineral and rare earths supply chains. More than 100 U.S. companies have operations in WA and many WA businesses have expanded to the United States.

WA and the United States have a long history of space cooperation. In 1962, NASA astronaut John Glenn flew over WA and dubbed Perth the “City of Light” as homes were visible from space. The Carnarvon Tracking Station in WA’s Midwest played a vital role in the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing. Today, the U.S. Air Force and Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology jointly operate a solar observatory in Exmouth.

The Consulate works with a range of local organizations to bring U.S. artists, athletes and industry experts to WA for exchanges. Our diplomats regularly go out to local high schools and universities.  Additionally, we support exchange programs to the United States such as Fulbright Scholarships and the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.  Our young professionals networking group the Ben Franklin Club is open to any young person interested in foreign affairs.

There are more than 30,000 U.S. citizens living in WA.

Consul General

Consul General Colleen Altstock
Consul General Colleen Altstock

Consul General Colleen Altstock

Colleen Altstock most recently served as the Economic and Political Section Chief at the U.S.
Consulate General in Shanghai. At the State Department in Washington, DC, she was Chief of
the Global Affairs Unit in the Office of Chinese Affairs, Chief of the Multilateral Affairs Unit in
the Office of Global Issues in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and Chief of the Political
Unit in the Office of Russian Affairs.

A career Foreign Service Officer, Colleen has worked in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the U.S.
Consulate in Shenyang and the U.S. Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan. Ms. Altstock holds B.A.
degrees (in International Studies, Economics, and Asian Studies) from the University of
Washington in Seattle.

Consular Operations

Our Consular services include emergency assistance to U.S. citizens, issuing U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, as well as visa services for Australians and other foreign nationals. All Consular services are by appointment only. For general inquiries:

  • American Citizen Services
    • Email: PerthACS@state.gov. Email inquiries are answered by the ACS Unit at the Consulate throughout the business day; however more complex inquiries are generally responded to within 2-3 business days.
    • Emails sent over the weekend or on Australian and U.S. public holidays will be responded to on the next business day.
  • Visa Inquiries
  • Mailing and Physical Address:
    • U.S. Consulate General
      4th Floor
      16 St George’s Terrace
      Perth WA 6000
    • Accessibility: 

For information regarding mobility impaired access to the U.S. Consulate General Perth or if you have other accessibility needs, please email PerthVisas@state.gov

    • Parking/Transport: Paid street parking is available within walking distance. There is a bus stop directly outside our building.
    • Please ensure that all correspondence mailed to the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit is addressed to the attention of the “ACS Unit”.

Sections & Offices

Public Affairs Section

The Public Affairs section is responsible for community engagement, education, exchanges, media, and arts & cultural programs in Western Australia. This section also manages the Consulate’s grants programs and its youth networking group the Ben Franklin Club.

Political and Economic Section

The Political and Economic section maintains contact and liaison with local, state and federal government officials in Western Australia, and follows important WA political and economic developments. This section also with the U.S. Commercial Services to assist companies looking to expand to the United States.

Management Section

The Management section provides support services to our Consulate including human resources, customs and shipping, motor pool, contracting, procurement, information management, budget and fiscal, residential and commercial leasing, and security.

U.S. Commercial Service

The U.S. Commercial Service, within the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, helps American companies to find qualified, local partners, to overcome trade barriers, and to gain exposure in the Australian market with the goal of increasing U.S. exports abroad. USCS has offices in Perth, Sydney and Canberra. More information is available here: https://www.trade.gov/australia-contact-us

Our Location

U.S. Consulate General Perth

Address:

4th Floor, 16 St George’s Terrace Perth WA 6000

Phone:

(08) 6144-5100

Hours:

8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday