§3941 General provisions

Summary

Only U.S. citizens may be hired into the Foreign Service, except when working abroad as a consular agent or as a foreign national employee. The Secretary must set the exams needed for hiring, like written, oral, physical, and foreign‑language tests, except for chiefs of mission or ambassadors at large. The Board of Examiners must give the oral assessment each year in cities that rotate among at least three different U.S. time zones. Being a veteran or disabled veteran is a positive factor when choosing officer candidates. “Veteran or disabled veteran” means a person who is a preference eligible under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of section 2108(3) of title 5. People with career appointments are career members. Those with limited appointments are career candidates or noncareer members. Chiefs of mission, ambassadors at large, and ministers serve as long as the President wants. A Foreign Service officer appointment is a career appointment. Career candidates and career members must not tell income tax authorities in the District of Columbia or any state or local area that they are exempt from income tax because they hold a Presidential appointment that needed Senate confirmation or because they serve in a job that lasts only as long as the President wants.