Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§3903 Members of Service

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 52— - FOREIGN SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 3903

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Names seven kinds of people who are members of the Service. Chiefs of mission are the top diplomats in charge of posts abroad. Ambassadors at large are diplomats with broad or special duties. The Senior Foreign Service are the senior leaders and experts who run and advise the Service. Foreign Service officers carry out the Service’s general work. Foreign Service personnel (U.S. citizens) are specialists who provide needed skills and services. Foreign national employees are local staff who give clerical, administrative, technical, fiscal, and similar support at posts abroad. Consular agents, appointed by the Secretary of State, provide consular services where no Foreign Service post exists.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §3903

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The following are the members of the Service:

(1)Chiefs of mission, appointed under section 3942(a)(1) of this title or assigned under section 3982(c) of this title.

(2)Ambassadors at large, appointed under section 3942(a)(1) of this title.

(3)Members of the Senior Foreign Service, appointed under section 3942(a)(1) or 3943 of this title, who are the corps of leaders and experts for the management of the Service and the performance of its functions.

(4)Foreign Service officers, appointed under section 3942(a)(1) of this title, who have general responsibility for carrying out the functions of the Service.

(5)Foreign Service personnel, United States citizens appointed under section 3943 of this title, who provide skills and services required for effective performance by the Service.

(6)Foreign national employees, foreign nationals appointed under section 3943 of this title, who provide clerical, administrative, technical, fiscal, and other support at Foreign Service posts abroad.

(7)Consular agents, appointed under section 3943 of this title by the Secretary of State, who provide consular and related services as authorized by the Secretary of State at specified locations abroad where no Foreign Service posts are situated.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 3903

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73