Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§4315 Use of Foreign Mission in Manner Incompatible with Its Status as Foreign Mission

Title 22 › CHAPTER 53 — AUTHORITIES RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF FOREIGN MISSIONS › § 4315

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Foreign missions may not let a person who is not part of that mission use their inviolable buildings for things that don't fit the mission’s role, including living there as a residence. Short-term lodging can be allowed if the Secretary permits it by regulation. The Secretary may waive that rule for all missions of a particular country or cancel the waiver, but the waiver (or its cancellation) takes effect 30 days after the Secretary sends a written notice with reasons to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The Secretary of State had to report to Congress about how this was put into practice within 180 days after December 22, 1987, and must send other reports if needed. Definitions: "foreign mission" includes certain international organizations (see section 4309(b)). "Unaffiliated alien" means a nonimmigrant admitted to the U.S. who is not a member of, or family of a member of, that foreign mission.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4315

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment of limitation on certain uses
A foreign mission may not allow an unaffiliated alien the use of any premise of that foreign mission which is inviolable under United States law (including any treaty) for any purpose which is incompatible with its status as a foreign mission, including use as a residence.
(b)Temporary lodging
For the purposes of this section, the term “residence” does not include such temporary lodging as may be permitted under regulations issued by the Secretary.
(c)Waiver
The Secretary may waive subsection (a) with respect to all foreign missions of a country (and may revoke such a waiver) 30 days after providing written notification of such a waiver, together with the reasons for such waiver (or revocation of such a waiver), to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(d)Report
Not later than 180 days after December 22, 1987, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Congress concerning the implementation of this section and shall submit such other reports to the Congress concerning changes in implementation as may be necessary.
(e)Definitions
For the purposes of this section
(1)
(2)the term “unaffiliated alien” means, with respect to a foreign country, an alien who—
(A)is admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant, and
(B)is not a member, or a family member of a member, of a foreign mission of that foreign country.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification December 22, 1987, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original “the date of the enactment of this Act”, which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of Pub. L. 100–204, which enacted this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 100–204, title I, § 128(b), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1343, provided that: “(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall apply to any foreign mission beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 1987]. “(2)(A) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply beginning 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act with respect to any nonimmigrant alien who is using a foreign mission as a residence or a place of business on the date of enactment of this Act. “(B) The Secretary of State may delay the

Effective Date

provided for in subparagraph (A) for not more than 6 months with respect to any nonimmigrant alien if the Secretary finds that a hardship to that alien would result from the implementation of subsection (a).”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4315

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110