foreign service officer domestic assignment

UNCLASSIFIED (U)

3 FAM 2240 

FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER CAREER CANDIDATE PROGRAM

(CT:PER-1140;   06-29-2023) (Office of Origin:  GTM/CDA)

3 FAM 2241  GENERAL PROVISIONS

3 FAM 2241.1  Authority

(CT:PER-715;   12-09-2013) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees)

The authorities include sections 105, 211, 301, 302, 303, 306, 307, 309, 404, 502, 601, 602, 603, 605, 610, 611, 612, 2102, and 2106 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).

3 FAM 2241.2  Purpose

(TL:PER-302;   11-9-95) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees)

The Foreign Service Officer Career Candidate Program is a comprehensive program of appropriate training, assignment, evaluation, counseling, and review intended to enable candidates for career status as Foreign Service Officers to demonstrate through on-the-job experience, and in the shortest time practicable, whether they have the potential to serve successfully across the normal career span of a Foreign Service Officer (extending to and including class FS-01).

3 FAM 2241.3  Applicability

These regulations apply to:

(1)  Entry-level Foreign Service Officer career candidates who have been appointed under the authority of 3 FAM 2210 .  Such candidates are appointed to classes FS-06, 05, or 04.  Such appointments will be limited to a maximum of 5 years;

(2)  Mid-level Foreign Service Officer career candidates who have been appointed under the authority of 3 FAM 2210 for a period not to exceed 5 years.  Such candidates are appointed to classes FS-03, 02, or 01; and

(3)  Foreign Service Officer career candidates in the Mustang Program, who have been appointed under the authority of 3 FAM 2210 .

3 FAM 2241.4  Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter and 3 FAH-1 H-2240 , the following definitions will apply:

(1)  Officer candidate:   All candidates covered in 3 FAM 2241.3 ;

(2)  Entry-level candidate:   All Foreign Service Officer candidates in the categories covered by 3 FAM 2241.3 , subparagraphs (1) and (3);

(3)  Tenure:   Granting of career status; and

(4)  Commissioning:   Act of appointment by the President and a confirmation by Senate of a candidate who has been recommended for tenure as a Foreign Service Officer by the Commissioning and Tenure Board, hereinafter called the Board.

3 FAM 2242  ASSIGNMENT PROCEDURES

3 FAM 2242.1  Responsibilities

(CT:PER-988;   05-13-2020) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees)

The Office of Career Development and Assignments (GTM/CDA) makes assignments for officer candidates as follows:

(1)  The first assignment of an officer candidate is identified by the Career Development Officers (CDO) during the candidate training program at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC);

(2)  Career Development Officers also identify the second assignment of an officer candidate; and

(3)  These initial two assignments will be in accordance with tenuring requirements and other objectives of the career candidate program.  In subsequent assignments, officer candidates participate in the open assignments bidding process.  In rare cases, such as when an officer has served a one-year assignment instead of the normal two-year assignment, GTM/CDA may direct the officer to a third entry-level assignment.

3 FAM 2242.2  Language Training

(CT:PER-1108;   11-04-2022) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees)

a. Career Candidates must show proficiency in at least one foreign language, at the levels prescribed in 3 FAM 2245.7 , to be commissioned as Foreign Service Officers.  Career candidates who enter the Foreign Service without demonstrated language proficiency will be directed to an assignment in conjunction with intensive FSI language training to achieve this goal.  GTM/CDA may make such assignment on either the first or second tour.

b. As demonstrated potential, shown through documented performance, is the key criterion for determining tenure, GTM/CDA will limit the cumulative amount of time spent in training prior to the start of a candidate’s second tour.  If a career candidate cannot attain language proficiency in the normally scheduled training period and FSI recommends that the candidate be extended in language training, GTM/CDA may extend the training period beyond such limits for officers needing to attain language proficiency for commissioning.

c.  Career Candidates should know that supplemental language training to allow a career candidate to attain language proficiency prior to the expiration of the five-year appointment is not automatic.  Learning a language and attaining proficiency after initial FSI training are ultimately the individual career candidate’s responsibility.

3 FAM 2242.3  Relocation Expenses Related to a Domestic First Tour

If the first assignment of a Career Candidate is to a domestic location (U.S. or U.S. territory), the Department may authorize relocation expenses and allowances in accord with 14 FAM 632.1 .

3 FAM 2242.4  Details and Leave Without Pay

a. As the goal of the Officer Candidate Program is to provide clear evidence of career Foreign Service potential within the time period of the candidate’s limited appointment, details, or assignments outside the Department of State will generally be avoided except for unusual cases, and then only when content and supervision of the work to be performed would be substantially the same as for a normal officer candidate position in the Department.

b. Posts may authorize career candidates up to 90 days of leave without pay (LWOP) under certain conditions as provided in 3 FAM 3510 .  Except for medical reasons, all LWOP requests exceeding 90 days must be referred to GTM/CDA.  Because career candidates are on a five-year limited appointment that generally cannot be extended, LWOP is not recommended prior to tenure.

3 FAM 2242.5  Supervision

a. At all posts the deputy chief of mission (DCM) or principal officer or, in Washington, the appropriate office director or officer of equivalent rank will be responsible for assigning supervisory duties over entry-level officer candidates and ensuring that they are well trained, and properly counseled and evaluated.  In large organizations where the pressure of work makes difficult the conduct of this important responsibility, the DCM or office director may designate an appropriate counselor of embassy or deputy office director to oversee entry-level officer candidate activities.

b. Notwithstanding this authority to delegate responsibility for the day-to-day management of the officer candidate program, the DCM or office director should continue to assure personally that these activities are effectively administered and should remain available to the officer candidates for consultation as needed. 

c.  Officer candidates will normally be informed of the identity of the supervisory official as soon as practical, but always within 45 working days after arrival at post or bureau.

3 FAM 2243  EVALUATION PROCESS

3 FAM 2243.1  Purpose

a. The evaluation process is designed to:

(1)  Supply the Board with adequate information on which to determine a candidate’s fitness for appointment as a Foreign Service Officer;

(2)  Provide officer candidates with periodic assessments of their performance so that they can better prepare for their careers; and

(3)  Assist in supplying to the Director General of the Foreign Service the necessary information for making a final judgment on possible early termination of an officer candidate appointment because of unsatisfactory performance of assigned duties (see 3 FAM 2247 ).

b. Evaluations also play an important role in determining entry-level officer candidate promotions, which are based upon satisfactory performance of assigned duties over the prescribed period.  The major focus of the evaluation process during the entry-level officer candidate period should be upon long-term potential, growth capacity, and adaptability to the rigors of a Foreign Service career extending to and including class FS-01.

3 FAM 2243.2  Evaluation of Entry-Level Officer Candidates

3 FAM 2243.2-1  Rating and Reviewing Officers

a. Normally, the entry-level officer candidate's immediate supervisor will prepare the rating officer portion of the Employee Evaluation Report (EER). If the supervisor of an untenured entry-level officer is another untenured officer, the principal officer or DCM (or in Washington, the office director or equivalent) will at the beginning of the rating period name a tenured officer in line of authority as the rating officer. If, in unusual circumstances, the entry-level officer candidate is simultaneously supervised by more than one officer, the principal officer or DCM (or in Washington, the office director or equivalent) at the beginning of the rating period will designate one of the supervisors as a rating officer. The other supervisors may be designated to submit evaluative material in the form of a memorandum, which the rating officer may draw upon in drafting the evaluation.

b. The DCM, principal officer, or office director is expected to exercise personal oversight in establishing responsibilities of the entry-level officer candidates assigned to the post or bureau and will in most cases be the reviewing officer.  When the DCM, principal officer, or office director is the immediate supervisor of the entry-level officer candidate, the former must act as the rating officer only, and the reviewing officer will be the next highest ranking officer with supervisory duties in the mission or organization.  In large organizations where supervisory responsibility has been delegated pursuant to section 3 FAM 2242.4 , the appropriate counselor of embassy or office deputy director may be designated as the reviewing officer in place of the DCM or office director.

3 FAM 2243.2-2  Rating Periods

Normal Foreign Service rating periods will not apply to entry-level officer candidates.  Instead, EERs will be prepared on Form DS-1829, on a schedule calculated from the candidate's assumption of specific duties, as follows:

(1)  One year from the date in which the entry-level officer candidate assumes specific duties within a post or bureau; and/or

(2)  Upon transfer of the entry-level officer candidate from the post or bureau or to other duties within the post or bureau; and/or

(3)  Upon change of immediate supervisor; and/or

(4)  Immediately before scheduled consideration by the Board.

NOTE :  No such report is required if the total elapsed period since the prior report is less than 120 calendar days.  In unusual circumstances, the Office of Performance Evaluation (GTM/PE) may direct more frequent reports.

3 FAM 2243.3  Evaluation of Mid-Level Candidates

a. The performance and potential of mid-level officer candidates are evaluated in accordance with the schedule, procedures, and EER for tenured Foreign Service employees.

b. Normally, the mid-level candidate’s immediate supervisor will prepare the rating officer portion of the EER.  If an untenured mid-level officer is supervised by another untenured officer, the principal officer or DCM (or in Washington, the DAS or officer of equivalent rank) will at the beginning of the rating period name a tenured officer in line of authority as the rating officer.

c.  For a candidate pending review by the Board, GTM/PE may request an interim performance appraisal for any period of performance in excess of 60 days.

3 FAM 2244  PROMOTIONS

3 FAM 2244.1  Promotion of Entry-Level Officer Candidates

a. An entry-level officer candidate will be promoted administratively up to class FS-04 for satisfactory performance, without regard to the candidate’s ultimate qualification for tenure appointment as a Foreign Service Officer as determined by the Board.  Such promotions will be in accordance with the requirements and procedures of 3 FAM 2320 .  Promotion beyond FS-04 will not be considered until the candidate has been tenured.

b. Entry-level officer candidates who have been recommended for tenure will be reviewed by the next appropriate selection board if they are otherwise eligible.  Whenever time-in-class eligibility rules for promotion consideration would permit one or more candidates in an entering FSI class of entry-level officer candidates to be reviewed while rendering ineligible other candidates in the same group at the same level who were appointed slightly later, all candidates in the group at that level recommended for tenure will benefit from the earliest appointment date of those candidates in the group.

3 FAM 2244.2  Promotion of Mid-Level Candidates

Mid-level candidates will be considered for promotion by selection boards after serving the requisite time in class required for Foreign Service Officers in their class and occupational category as established in Selection Board precepts.  They will be reviewed in the same competition group as such officers.  A mid-level candidate may not be considered for promotion over the senior threshold until the candidate has been tenured.

3 FAM 2245  COMMISSIONING AND TENURE

3 FAM 2245.1  Policy

The decision on whether to tenure a candidate will be made by the Board.  The sole criterion for a positive tenuring decision will be the candidate’s demonstrated potential, assuming normal growth and career development, to serve effectively as a Foreign Service Officer over a normal career span, extending to and including class FS-01.  This criterion will be amplified or more fully expressed in precepts provided for the Board’s guidance (see subchapter 3 FAH-1 Exhibit H-2245.3 , Precepts for the Foreign Service Officer Commissioning and Tenuring Board).  Because candidates are recruited in response to defined Service needs, no numerical limit is placed on the number of positive tenuring decisions by the Board.  Candidates’ records are reviewed on their merits, not in comparison or competition with one another.  Candidates not recommended for tenure will be separated from the Service at expiration of their limited appointment or at an earlier date if so recommended by the Board.

3 FAM 2245.2  Entry-Level Officer Candidates

a. The Board makes its initial judgment regarding an entry-level officer candidate’s potential as soon as possible after a candidate has served 36 months.  A subsequent review for candidates not recommended for tenure on initial review occurs 12 months thereafter.  The Board may recommend a third review six months subsequent to the second review, if it considers that additional evaluated experience may lead to a favorable tenuring decision.  Successful candidates will be commissioned as Foreign Service Officers and will be granted 27 years from date of entry into the Foreign Service to reach the Senior Foreign Service (time-in-class restrictions apply at classes FS-04 to FS-01).

b. The Board’s decision will in no instance be made before the candidate has attained class FS-04.

3 FAM 2245.3  Members of the Foreign Service Appointed Under the Mustang Program

Members of the Foreign Service appointed under the Mustang Program must be subject to the same commissioning and tenure process as other entry-level officer candidates.

3 FAM 2245.4  Mid-Level Officer Candidates

a. The Board makes its initial judgment regarding a mid-level candidate’s potential as soon as possible after a candidate has served 36 months.  A subsequent review for candidates not recommended for tenure on initial review occurs 12 months thereafter.  The Board will conduct a third review approximately two months prior to expiration of the candidate’s limited appointment if it does not recommend tenuring on second review.

b. Mid-level candidates who are promoted before tenure will be referred to the next session of the Board for review for career status regardless of the date of their last review and of their period of service.  In the case of mid-level candidates whose limited appointments would expire before the next scheduled meeting of the Board, the referral must be made in time to permit a decision before the expiration date.  In considering for career status a mid-level candidate who has been promoted, the Board must accept the candidate’s promotion as a prima facie indication that the candidate has demonstrated the potential to serve successfully in a Foreign Service career.  If, notwithstanding this presumption, the Board should determine that the candidate requires additional experience before the Board can reach a decision on career status, the Board must prepare a statement setting forth the reasons for its decision.  This statement must be made available to the candidate and to the candidate’s Career Development Officer (CDO), and must be made part of the Board’s permanent record.

c.  Mid-level candidates commissioned as Foreign Service Officers are granted a pro-rated time-in-service (TIS) from date of entry.

d. TIS limits for tenured mid-level candidates are as follows:

3 FAM 2245.5  Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)

Boards are advised that the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) provides that members called to military service are entitled to “the additional seniority and rights and benefits that such a person would have attained if the person had remained continuously employed” at the Department.  In light of this mandate, Boards are instructed to weigh carefully and consider military evaluation reports and awards nominations a member provides in connection with the period of time during which such member was on active military duty.  In this regard, Boards should review carefully any statement submitted by a member concerning the relevance of military service to his or her work in the Foreign Service.

3 FAM 2245.6  Deferral of Board Review

Board review will take place in accordance with the provisions and schedule set out in this subchapter.  In unusual circumstances, such as unavoidable absence of an evaluation report, recent assumption of new duties, or other conditions that would make Board review at the scheduled time inequitable, the candidate may request, or the Department may recommend, that review be deferred until a succeeding session of the Board, rather than proceeding with review on schedule with the possibility of denial of tenure and lengthy delay before the next scheduled review.  Such deferral may take place only with the concurrence of the Department and the candidate.  Subsequent Board reviews will date from the time of actual Board review, but in no case will deferral itself lead to extension of limited appointment or time-in-class.

3 FAM 2245.7  Foreign Language Proficiency

(CT:PER-1140;   06-29-2023 ) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees)

a. No officer candidate may be commissioned until the candidate has demonstrated a proficiency, at the indicated level , in at least one foreign language listed in 3 FAM     In appropriate cases, the Board may render a favorable tenure decision conditional upon subsequent achievement of the prescribed language rating before the expiration of candidate status.  In such cases, the Board’s action will not take effect until the candidate achieves the required language rating.  Candidates who fail to satisfy language probation requirements by the end of their five-year limited appointment will be separated from the Service.

b. Officer candidates who are language probationers and who have been recommended for tenure and are subsequently recommended for promotion by a Selection Board will not receive such promotion unless they satisfy their language requirement before the convening of the next Selection Board.  If the candidate is not off language probation before the convening of the next board, the officer will recompete for promotion.

c.  The following list reflects existing language designated positions (LDPs) and may be modified in accordance with the regular LDP review and re-designation process.  For each language listed, the first number indicates the necessary minimum score in speaking and the second number indicates the necessary minimum score in reading.

3 FAM 2245.8  Action by the Director General

Upon receipt of the Board’s recommendations, the Director General will initiate necessary administrative action to commission employees recommended for tenure by the Board and notify officer candidates not selected for tenure on the last review.

3 FAM 2245.9  Temporary or Permanent Removal of Names From Commissioning and Tenure Lists

The Director General may order the temporary exclusion from a tenure list of the name of any candidate if, in the Director General’s opinion, commissioning as a Foreign Service Officer would be inconsistent with the national interest or the efficiency of the Service.  Such reasons must be based upon either:

(1)  Issues of loyalty, security, misconduct, suitability, or malfeasance; or

(2)  Indications that documentation available to the Board regarding an employee’s performance may have been significantly inaccurate or incomplete.

NOTE :  Procedures for temporary or permanent removal of names are found in 3 FAH 1 H-2246.

3 FAM 2246  SEPARATION OF OFFICER CANDIDATES FOR UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE

The following applies to all candidates subject to review by the Board.

3 FAM 2246.1  Policy

(CT:PER-715;   12-09-2013) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees

The Officer Candidate Program is designed to permit an on-the-job evaluation of the officer candidate’s fitness and aptitude for effective service as a Foreign Service Officer across a normal career span.  That judgment normally will be made by the Board as described in 3 FAM 2245 .  However, in exceptional cases a candidate may, prior to Board review, prove unable to perform assigned duties satisfactorily, including the satisfactory completion of the basic training course, or may fail to meet the standards for a Foreign Service Officer as assessed through basic training.  In such circumstances, it serves neither the interest of the Service nor the individual to retain the candidate for the full trial period originally scheduled.  In such instances, the Director General will terminate the candidate’s appointment without delay, as authorized by section 612 of the Act.

3 FAM 2246.2  Procedures

3 FAM 2246.2-1  Entry-Level Officer Candidates

(CT:PER-988;   05-13-2020) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees

a. In accordance with the schedule in 3 FAM 2244 , the EER is submitted to GTM/PE and reviewed for compliance and adequacy.  Upon receipt of an EER in which the candidate’s performance is rated as unsatisfactory, GTM/PE will refer the case to the Director General for review.  No post or bureau will submit an unsatisfactory report on a candidate unless the candidate received notice in writing of the areas of performance that are deficient and had a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate satisfactory performance.  A period of 60 days ordinarily will be sufficient to demonstrate needed improvement, but a lesser period may suffice.  An unsatisfactory rating cannot be made unless the member has been given a reasonable opportunity (ordinarily 30-60 days) and adequate guidance to remedy deficiencies.

b. Upon being advised by the Director, GTM/PE, that a candidate’s service has been rated unsatisfactory, the Director General will:

(1)  Advise the candidate in writing of this decision and grant a period of at least 10 working days for the candidate to offer comment on that finding; and

(2)  Conduct further review or inquiry regarding the candidate’s performance as the Director General may deem appropriate.  All material generated by such a review or inquiry or otherwise considered by the Director General will be made available to the candidate, who will be granted a period of ten working days from receipt of such material in which to offer comment.

c.  Upon completion of the above procedures, the Director General will review all relevant and admissible material on file regarding the candidate’s performance and will do one of the following:

(1)  Advise the candidate that the finding of unsatisfactory performance has been changed to satisfactory, and initiate action to ensure that all personnel records reflect this determination; or

(2)  Direct that the candidate be separated from the Service under section 612 of the Act; or

(3)  Withhold judgment regarding possible action for a specified period of further on-the-job observation.  The post or bureau must submit to GTM/PE the EER immediately following the additional period stating either that the candidate’s performance is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.  The Director General will readdress the question based on overall performance history at that date.

d. When ordering separation under this section, the Director General will set the effective date, which may be no less than 30 days following notification of that action, excluding travel time required to return to Washington, DC, if abroad.

3 FAM 2246.2-2  Mid-Level Candidates

 (CT:PER-715;   12-09-2013) (State Only) (Applies to Foreign Service Employees

a. Ordinarily, the determination of unsatisfactory performance will be made by the rating and reviewing officers only in connection with a normally established performance appraisal period (see 3 FAM 2810 for regulations governing submission of annual and interim reports and 3 FAM 2244 for additional reports that may be required by GTM/PE for mid-level candidates).  When at any time after a reasonable opportunity for experience in a new position a mid-level candidate’s performance is judged clearly unsatisfactory, the supervisor in consultation with the chief of mission or other reviewing officer may, if the situation warrants, advise the candidate in writing of the unsatisfactory determination and the reasons for the decision.  The candidate will have 60 days to raise performance to a satisfactory level.  In such cases, if the candidate’s performance after the 60-day warning period is unsatisfactory, the post or bureau must immediately submit a full performance appraisal on the prescribed Department form to GTM/PE documenting that performance is unsatisfactory.  The report should be prepared and submitted in accordance with 3 FAM 2810 .  Upon receipt of the report, GTM/PE will refer the case to the Director General for review.

(1)  Advise the candidate and grant a period of at least 10 working days for the candidate to offer comment on that finding; and

(2)  Conduct such further review or inquiry regarding the candidate’s performance as the Director General may deem appropriate.  All material generated by such a review or inquiry or otherwise considered by the Director General will be made available to the candidate, who will be granted a period of 10 working days from receipt of the material in which to offer comment.

(1)  Advise the candidate that the finding of unsatisfactory performance has been changed to satisfactory, and initiate action to assure that all personnel records reflect this determination; or

(3)  Withhold judgment regarding possible action for a specified period of further on the-job observation.  During that additional period, the Director General may direct a special monitoring of the candidate’s performance, possibly to include preparation of evaluation reports at more frequent intervals than otherwise prescribed.  Upon expiration of the period, the Director General will readdress the question based on overall performance history at that date.

d. When ordering separation under this section, the Director General will set the effective date, which may be no less than 30 days following notification of that action, excluding travel time required to return to Washington, DC if abroad.

3 FAM 2247  PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

Procedures and guidelines which implement these regulations are published in 3 FAH-1 H-2240 .

3 FAM 2248 and 2249  unassigned

An official website of the United States government

Foreign Service Officer

Department of state.

The U.S. Department of State maintains a rank-order list of eligible hires (a register) for appointments as career Foreign Service Officers (U.S. diplomats) based on the needs of the Department. Candi​dates who pass the assessment and clearance processes are placed on the register.  To learn more about applying to represent the United States abroad as a career Foreign Service Officer/U.S. Diplomat, please visit  https://careers.state.gov .

• Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

10/02/2023 to 09/30/2024

For further details, visit https://careers.state.gov/benefits/fs-entry-salaries/

Pay scale & grade

• Department of State Posts - Overseas and Domestic, MANY vacancies

Telework eligible

Yes—For some domestic tours of duty.

Travel Required

76% or greater - After completing initial training in Washington, D.C., a Foreign Service Officer usually is assigned to two consecutive overseas tours, each two years in length. After the initial two tours, assignments will be for periods of one to three years overseas or in the United States. The majority of a Foreign Service Officer career is generally spent serving at embassies or consulates abroad, sometimes accompanied by family and sometimes away from family and/or in difficult or isolated conditions.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes—Once the assessment and selection processes are complete and a position is offered and accepted, official travel and relocation expenses are paid for by the Department of State for employees residing more than 60 miles outside the National Capital Region. Applicants are responsible for all travel and other expenses incurred in connection with the assessment process.

Appointment type

Permanent - Permanent after tenure granted by a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Tenure Board.

Work schedule

Promotion potential, job family (series).

0130 Foreign Affairs

Supervisory status

Security clearance, announcement number.

FSO-2024-0001

Control number

This job is open to.

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants should read the entire announcement to ensure that they meet all of the requirements and understand the unique aspects of a Foreign Service career. Applicants must wait for one year after initiating the most recent application before reapplying for the same position.

As the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, the U.S. Department of State advances the interests of the American people, their safety, and economic prosperity.  The Department has Foreign Service employees serving as diplomats in more than 270 locations abroad and throughout the United States. Foreign Service personnel practice diplomacy to advance America’s interests, solve global challenges, build alliances, counter adversaries, promote peace, and find new opportunities for our nation.

They make a difference globally every day through solving intellectually challenging issues, innovating creatively, achieving lifelong learning and professional development, and helping people around the world.

The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad.

If you’re passionate about public service and want to represent the U.S. around the world, a challenging and rewarding career is waiting for you. The opportunity to work abroad and experience cultures, customs and people of different nations is truly a career unlike any other.

The work you’ll do will have an impact on the world. You will be asked to serve at one of any of the more than 270 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions in The Americas, Africa, Europe and Eurasia, East Asia and Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia. Some of these posts are in difficult and even dangerous environments but serving in them affords great challenges and rewards.

When hiring Foreign Service Officers, we look for motivated individuals with sound judgment and leadership abilities who can retain their composure in times of great stress — or even dire situations, like a military coup or a major environmental disaster. We are looking for individuals dedicated to public service.

A career with the Foreign Service may appear glamorous with travel, government-paid housing, generous pay and benefits. In some instances, though, working as a Foreign Service Officer can be very challenging and sometimes dangerous. In any posting, you may face an irregular schedule or extended work schedule. These posts can be in remote locations, without many U.S.- style amenities; there can be sporadic power outages, unreliable internet service etc. Health and sanitation standards can be below U.S. standards. Some assignments are “unaccompanied,” which means family members may not travel to the post with you.

That’s why it takes a special type of person to represent America abroad, to advance diplomatic initiatives to the benefit of both the U.S. and the host country. Serving as a U.S. diplomat requires fortitude, flexibility, a commitment to public service, and the ability to adapt to changing situations and cultures other than your own.

Whether you want to follow a professional path that grows your management skills, impacts economic policy or helps reunite families, you’ll find  five different career tracks that can direct you towards realizing your goals.

You can take this  quiz to assist in considering which track is right for you. After determining which career track is right for you can take the online  FSO practice test that is designed to provide you with a realistic preview of the computer-based FSOT and an estimate of your likelihood of passing.

Requirements

Conditions of employment.

Please do not submit your application through USAJOBS.

Please review the application process at  careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/test-process/  and submit your application and register to take the Foreign Service Officer Test at:  www.pearsonvue.com/fsot

Key Requirements:

To be eligible, the U.S. Department of State requires that you be:

• A U.S. citizen on the date you submit your registration package
• At least 20 years old and no older than 59 years of age on the day you submit your registration
• At least 21 years old and not yet 60 on the day you are appointed as a Foreign Service Officer
• Available for worldwide assignments, including Washington, D.C.

Even though you are not required to know a foreign language to become an officer, proficiency in one or more languages will enhance your competitiveness for selection.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience

None required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Other Characteristics

Successful candidates will demonstrate the following dimensions that reflect the skills, abilities, and personal qualities deemed essential to the work of the Foreign Service at the United States Department of State.

CRITICAL THINKING

To discern what is appropriate, practical, and realistic in a given situation; to weigh relative merits of competing demands using sound judgment; to consider multiple points of view when making recommendations; to formulate creative alternatives or solutions to resolve problems; to show flexible and innovative thinking/problem solving.

CULTURAL ADAPTABILITY

To work and communicate effectively and harmoniously with persons of other cultures, value systems, political beliefs, and economic circumstances; to recognize and respect differences in new and different cultural environments.

EXPERIENCE & MOTIVATION

To demonstrate knowledge, skills or other attributes gained from previous experience of relevance to the Foreign Service; to articulate appropriate motivation for joining the Foreign Service.

INFORMATION INTEGRATION & ANALYSIS

To evaluate the importance, reliability, and usefulness of information from a variety of sources; to distill relevant details from available information; to synthesize and analyze available information; to recognize patterns or trends and draw reasoned conclusions from data.

To recognize and assume responsibility for work that needs to be done; to persist in the completion of a task; to influence a group’s activity or direction significantly; to motivate others to participate in the activity one is leading.

NEGOTIATION

To recognize divergent and overlapping interests; to recognize advantages and disadvantages of agreement and available options; to advocate, influence and/or persuade others using information, facts, and reasoning rather than emotion; to resolve disagreements; to maintain or develop mutually beneficial working relationships with counterparts in the process.

OBJECTIVITY/INTEGRITY

To be fair and honest to all employees and keep an open mind; to present issues frankly; to analyze facts and data effectively, without interjecting bias; to be consistent in words and actions; to be dependable.

PLANNING & ORGANIZING

To prioritize and order tasks effectively, to employ a systematic approach to achieving objectives, to make appropriate use of limited resources.

PRESENTATION SKILLS

To present fluently in a concise, grammatically correct, organized, and precise manner; to think on one’s feet, adjusting quickly to changing situations; to convey key elements and nuances of meaning accurately; to respond to questions from others effectively; to use appropriate styles of communication to fit the audience and purpose.

To interact in a constructive, cooperative, and harmonious manner toward a common goal; to work effectively as a team player; to establish positive relationships and gain the confidence of others; to ease tension as appropriate.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

To write concisely yet comprehensively; to use clear arguments and facts; to use correct grammar and syntax; to use appropriate vocabulary to promote understanding.

For additional information please visit https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/dimensions/

No specific educational level or proficiency in a foreign language is required.

Additional information

U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States – either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

***For more information about Veteran’s Preference and how it is applied in the Foreign Service Selection Process, please visit:  http://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/are-veterans-given-hiring-preference-

****For more information regarding the selection process, please visit  https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/test-process/ 

No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections 607, 608, 610 or 612 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.

A Foreign Service Generalist separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be a Foreign Service Officer, but may apply to be a Foreign Service Specialist. A Foreign Service Specialist separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be a Foreign Service Specialist in the same skill code, but may apply for another skill code (or to be a Foreign Service Generalist).

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 U.S.C. § 3303, as amended, from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 U.S.C. § 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities, and employees may not influence or participate in the hiring process of a relative.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all its employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination—whether based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors—and retaliation. 

The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should so advise the Department at [email protected], in advance of each component of the officer assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.  For additional information, visit https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/fso-selection-process-text-version/.

Visit  Foreign Service Officer Benefits - Careers (state.gov) for details.

The basic salary listed is from the FS Overseas Pay Schedule and the FS Washington D.C. locality Pay Schedule.  For information on FS Pay Schedules, please visit https://careers.state.gov/benefits/fs-entry-salaries/  of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Foreign Service Officer selection process begins with an application, including personal narratives, and proceeds through the selection process, including the Foreign Service Officer Test. For those who succeed, the process culminates in hiring from the Register for assignment to the training and orientation course that marks the beginning of every Foreign Service Officer career.

For additional information, please visit  https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/test-process/

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

Please do not apply through USAJOBS. Visit  https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Please do not apply through USAJOBS.

For more information on the Foreign Service Officer hiring process, please visit  https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/officer/fso-test-information-and-selection-process/ .

Agency contact information

000-000-0000

[email protected]

Visit  https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/  and take the online  FSO practice test. Contact the Diplomat in Residence nearest you to find out about information sessions and other opportunities to learn more about a career in the Foreign Service.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Criminal history inquiries
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request

Required Documents

How to apply, fair & transparent.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov . For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/752490300 . Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

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Foreign Service Officer Salary: A Comprehensive Guide (2023 update)

The Foreign Service Officer’s salary is dynamic and ever-changing. Along with your promotion, each assignment can bring different danger pay, hardship pay, and cost-of-living adjustments that affect what you take home.

Depending on international geopolitics, the strength of domestic and national currencies, and the size of your family, to name a few, your salary can rise or decline between posts.

With this resource and interactive maps, this FSO Salary Guide is a comprehensive introduction to how your income is determined and the three primary modifiers that affect it between posts.

Updated: January 6, 2023

It’s been three years since the last update, and a lot changed! I hope you find this information helpful. As before, feel free to access the salary calculator, which you will find a link (button) below.

FSO Salary Ladder

Every organization has a system in place to track seniority. The Foreign Service is no different.

To understand this guide, you must first learn the foundation before adding layers. Let’s dive in.

You are a brand new Foreign Service Officer. After over a year of going through the application process (test, essays, orals, clearances, and the Register), you finally received an offer to join the State Department. Congratulations!

Among one of the many thoughts running through your mind, you may begin to think about salary. Just how much will I make?

The Foreign Service allocates salaries based on a ‘ladder’ system of grades and steps.

As an incoming entry-level FSO, you are  eligible for one of three grades

FP-4 is the highest (most senior) of the three grades.

Within each grade, there are 14 steps. Step 1 is the lowest step of each grade, and step 14 is the highest.

In short, the lower the grade number, the more senior you are. The higher the step number, the more senior you are within that grade. Your salary follows this progression: within a grade, the higher the step, the higher your pay.

In table form, it looks like this:

As your Foreign Service career progresses, your promotions will follow “up” this ladder.

Takeaway 1:  FP-4 is the highest of three entry-level FSO grades (4, 5, or 6).

Takeaway 2:  Within each grade, there are 14 steps. Step 1 is the lowest step of each grade, and step 14 is the highest – the higher the step, the more senior within that grade.

Determining FSO entry grade and step

Now that you understand the basics let’s determine the grade and step you could enter as a brand new Foreign Service Officer.

This is the most significant chapter, so pay close attention!

The Department of State’s Bureau of Global Talent Management, Office of Talent Acquisition determines  entry-level FSO grades and steps in two parts , the level of education attained and your qualifying experience.

Education and "Qualifying Experience"

First, we need to determine your level of education and the number of full years of Qualifying Experience (QE) you have attained. The image below shows how different combinations affect your grade and step.

The level of education achieved is straightforward. However, there are some nuances you will want to review in the above link.

But how is QE determined? You can find a lengthy definition of QE in the Bureau of Talent Management, and I recommend checking it out. But here is the crux of the definition:

Therefore, the employee’s primary duty must be, or must have been, the performance of work requiring advanced knowledge, defined as work which is predominantly intellectual in character, and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment. Advanced knowledge must be in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction. To be credited, any volunteer work must meet these conditions. Acquisition of a foreign language is not in itself treated as qualifying experience or advanced knowledge. Additionally, credit for supervisory oversight is awarded only where management or supervision is a part of an individual’s official job duties.

Each year of QE is equal to one additional step.

Your QE rounds down if you do not have a full year of professional experience. For example, 2.5 years of experience is considered two years of QE.

However, if the addition of QE would put you at a step higher than 14, your step is 14, and you do not move to the next grade.

To best illustrate a salary from now on in this guide, we will need the help of Sarah, the newest member of the FSO family.

Sarah is in her early thirties, works as a consultant making $69,000, is single, has no children, earned her Master’s degree, and has two years of QE.

Let’s determine what her grade and step are!

First, education. With a Master’s Degree, Sarah will either enter as a grade 4 or 5.

Second, QE. With two years of QE, Sarah falls in the 0-5 ‘full years of QE’ row and column.

Putting it all together, Sarah attains the grade FP-5. We add her two years of QE to the minimum step in the range (i.e., 5) to determine her step.

Sarah’s grade and step are thus FP-5/Step-7 .

Take a moment and look at the image above to get an idea of your grade/step if you enter the Foreign Service today.

Takeaway 3 : You can determine your entry-level FSO grades and steps by combining education achieved and years of QE attained.

Attempt to match salary

Once you calculate your grade and step, the Bureau of Global Talent Management will attempt to match your current salary.

Once the candidate’s grade and step are determined based on education and qualifying experience, the Registrar will compare the candidate’s “current salary” (defined below) with the base salary at the projected grade and step. If the candidate’s current salary is higher than the candidate’s projected grade and step salary as provided in the Foreign Service “Base” Salary Schedule, the candidate’s starting salary will be raised to the step in the grade for which they are qualified that is closest to, but not less than, their current salary. If the current salary is too high to be matched in the Foreign Service grade for which the candidate is qualified, step 14 of that grade is the starting salary. The candidate’s salary rate is then set at that grade and step as provided in the Foreign Service “Overseas Comparability Pay” Salary Schedule.

So what does this mean?

If your initial grade and step result in a loss of salary, you will advance within a grade until you reach a step that corresponds slightly higher than your current salary.

However, if your current salary is higher than the step 14 salary within the grade you were assigned, you will be set to step 14. One does not advance to the next highest grade.

If you think about it, that’s cool for the State Department to make this adjustment.

To help explain this further, let’s look at Sarah once more, who currently makes $69,000, and determine how this may affect her salary.

For further illustration, below is the  2023 Foreign Service Salary Table Base Schedule , effective January 1, 2023.

From the steps we completed above, we know Sarah’s grade and step are FP-5/Step-7.

Knowing this, we can determine her base salary as $60,493. You can see this by looking at the below table (red highlighted box).

But wait! Sarah’s current salary is $69,000. Working as an FSO would mean a loss of $8,500… right? 

Fortunately, DOS matches her salary to the next highest step. In this example, Sarah’s salary step will raise to step 12 within FP-5.

So we’ve figured it out! Sarah’s salary is $70,128.

Nope, wrong once more.

Let’s return to the description above.

The candidate’s salary rate is then set at that grade and step as provided in the Foreign Service “Overseas Comparability Pay” Salary Schedule.

Let’s look at the “Overseas Comparability Pay” table and add a red box around the appropriate step and grade.

Considering “Overseas Comparability Pay,” at FP-5/Step-12, Sarah’s salary is $85,318.

And there we have it!

Sarah’s new entry-level grade and step are FP-5/Step-12 , with a salary of $85,318 .

Go ahead and determine how salary matching affects you!

Takeaway 4 : The Bureau of Global Talent Management will attempt to match your current salary by increasing your step level. The maximum is step 14 within your assigned grade.

PART 3: Promotions

Once in the system, you may wonder about the general process of moving between grades and steps, a.k.a. being promoted.

First, you are considered for promotion once a year. Your promotion depends on the needs of the Department, how well you perform, and your potential.

There is an exception: if you enter the Foreign Service as an FP-4/Step-14, you are only eligible for promotion (grade or step) once you are tenured (the first tenure review is after 36 months). You may receive a salary increase within those three years.

Second, for promotion between grades, it is not a requirement to be at step 14 to advance to the next grade.

Third, when you are promoted between grades, you are promoted to a different step level than you currently hold. For example, all other things equal, if Sarah receives a promotion, she is not promoted to FP-4/Step-12.

Instead, when you go up a grade, your step level is found by finding the step that matches your current base salary the closest and then going up two steps or 6%, whichever is greater ( 3 FAH-1 H-2325 Effect of Promotion on Basic Salary ).

For Sarah, within the next grade, the step that closely matches her current base Grade/Step is FP-4/Step-5 (base salary at FP-5/Step-12 is $70,128, base salary at FP-4/Step-5 is $74,656.

The following table helps illustrate this movement:

We must then compare our two options and choose the greater of the two: (1) go up two steps or (2) 6%.

A 6% raise is $74,592.

A two Step increase (FP-4/Step 7) is $74,656.

The two Step increase is greater, promoting Sarah to FP-4/Step 7 .

Takeaway 5 : You are considered for promotion once a year.

Takeaway 6 : If promoted to a new grade, the step you are assigned will correlate with your former step salary, not the step number.

In the following three chapters, we will discuss the three most common allowances affecting all FSOs.

Foreign Service Officer Danger Pay Allowance

Unfortunately, not all assignments are safe, and some carry extra danger.

I bet if you think hard, you’ll figure out a few of them.

The State Department thanks you for taking on these dangerous assignments by bumping your pay.

Thanks, Uncle Sam!

PART 1: What is danger pay allowance?

You may be familiar Danger pay allowance may be the monetary supplement most of you have heard of.

Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen… get sent to one of these countries, and the question of whether or not you will be paid more for it will cross your mind.

And the answer is YES.

Which posts are dangerous, not just difficult, is an important distinction. Additionally, the State Department defines danger pay with the understanding that this designation can change depending on the current state of affairs in that country.

For post danger pay allowance designation, it must be:

Danger pay may be authorized at posts where civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism, or wartime conditions threaten physical harm or imminent danger to the health or well-being of employees. It will normally be granted at posts where the evacuation of family members and/or nonessential personnel has been authorized or ordered, or at posts at which family members are not permitted.

Further, to earn danger pay, you must first spend 4 cumulative hours at that post. After the four-hour mark, you will receive a danger pay allowance for the full day.

This means if you fly into Yemen from Egypt, do three hours of work, and then are wheels up before the four-hour mark, you do not receive danger pay.

Danger pay designation, and the amount of allowance, is reviewed annually.

For more information, visit the FAQ concerning danger pay .

PART 2: Danger pay allowance rates

You can view the Department of State Danger Pay Allowance Table if you want a complete listing.

Takeaway 7 : Danger pay allowance, if given, is set at 15%, 25%, or 35% of overseas comparability pay and is initiated when most employees stationed in a post are under conditions that threaten physical harm due to political upheaval.

A disclaimer regarding the maps

The allowances allocated to the countries on this page’s maps are where the U.S. Embassy, or the predominant U.S. diplomatic mission, is located. For example, Bamako, Mali, has a danger pay allowance of 25%, which is attributed in the map above. However, the danger pay may differ if you are posted elsewhere in Mali. This applies to all allowance discussion on the maps that follow.

Foreign Service Officer Hardship Post Allowance

Citizens in the U.S. are fortunate to live in a country with a higher standard of living than others, and their people have grown accustomed to a higher standard of living.

A designation of hardship allowance is much more common. However, unlike danger pay, hardship doesn’t mean life-threatening.

For example, is the country’s pollution too toxic? If it is, then here is a bonus for you.

PART 1: What is hardship post allowance?

The  Office of Allowances  provides post hardship differential:

For service at places in foreign areas where conditions of environment differ substantially from conditions of environment in the United States.

A review of hardship post differential occurs at least biennially.

PART 2: Hardship post allowance rates

Like danger pay, hardship post is a taxable allowance and ranges from 0-35% of overseas comparability pay.

If Sarah were stationed in Sierra Leone, her hardship post allowance would be 25%. With a salary of $85,318, a 25% allowance comes to $21,330.

Take a look at the map and let me know your thoughts on the hardship allowance.

You can view the Department of State Hardship Post Allowance Table  if you want a complete list.

Takeaway 8:  Hardship post allowance ranges from 0-35% of overseas comparability pay and is broadly based on unhealthy living conditions, measured at least biennially.

Foreign Service Officer Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA)

Compared to the rest of the world, the U.S. is fortunate to have inexpensive goods.

Some countries are expensive to live in, especially considering the geographic location (e.g., islands) or currency conversion.

Gas costs how much?! Oh my, here’s some extra $$$.

PART 1: What is a Cost-of-Living Allowance?

A cost-of-living allowance (COLA) differs from the previous two allowances by not being a percentage of your overseas comparability pay, and it is also not taxable.

Instead, COLA is a percentage of spendable income, which is the portion of salary used to purchase the goods and services in the cost of living “market basket.”

The market basket is an index of categories comprising percentage weights comparing the costs of goods and services in foreign posts to the prices of goods and services in Washington, D.C.

COLA is granted to an FSO officially stationed at an overseas post where the cost of living, excluding housing and education, is “substantially higher than in Washington, D.C.” (at least 2.5% more).

More information on the rules and stipulations concerning COLA is online .

The “market basket” includes the following categories and their corresponding percentages:

• Food at Home (Grocery Store Items), 17%
• Food Away from Home (Restaurants & Fast Food), 13%
• Tobacco/Alcohol, 4%
• Clothing (Laundry & Clothing Purchases), 7%
• Personal Care (Salon, Beauty, and Grooming Items), 3%
• Household and Operations (Household staff, Internet, and Cleaning Supplies), 14%
• Medical (Over-the-counter and out-of-pocket medical expenses), 6%
• Recreation (Sports, Entertainment, and Movies), 12%
• POV and Public Transportation (POV expenses and Transportation), 24%

How is the post allowance determined?

Washington, D.C. is the base of 100. When the overall cost of goods and services at the foreign location are at least 2.5% above those in Washington, D.C. (index 102.5 or higher) then a post allowance is established. The expenditure pattern is based on the average Washington, D.C. family living in the foreign area. This family consists of three to four persons with an employee’s salary of a GS-12, Step 6 (or FS-equivalent).

A majority of posts have a COLA.

Fun fact: Eritrea and Switzerland have the highest COLA at 110% of spendable income!

You can view the  Department of State COLA Table  if you want complete listings.

PART 2: Spendable income

Now that you know how percentages are derived and how COLA compares internationally, let’s look at how your spendable income is determined.

Your salary and family’s size determine your annual spendable income .

Let’s revisit Sarah once more. Sarah’s salary is $85,318. She is single with no children.

Given the information we have on Sarah, her annual spendable income is $33,600.

PART 3: COLA Example

If Sarah were posted in Australia, her COLA would be 15% of her spendable income ($33,600), which comes to $5,040. This income is added to her pay and is not taxable.

Takeaway 9 : COLA is a percentage of your spendable income and is not taxable.

Takeaway 10 : As your base pay increases and (possibly) the number of persons in your family, so will your annual spendable income.

Hardship pay, danger pay, and COLA - putting it all together

Just like a puzzle, we now have a better understanding of what goes into the FSO salary by putting together a little bit of information.

Let’s see the image we create by combining everything we have learned into one final map.

We’ve now discussed the three significant allowances that affect a Foreign Service Officer’s salary: Hardship pay, danger pay, and Cost-of-living.

Quite a bit of information!

From reading the sections above, you know how each allowance is allocated and how the countries compare.

This information is already interesting, but viewing the entire picture makes for an exciting analysis.

The map below compares the diplomatic posts that take the information above and adds it up.

One last time, to our new Foreign Service Officer Sarah:

Sarah has just completed the first part of her training in Washington, D.C., and on ‘Flag Day,’ she finds out she is moving to Nairobi, Kenya.

Let’s determine her salary (at minimum) from the information we have learned above.

The combined map below will help to visualize all this information. We use Sarah’s details to map the information. 

When you scroll over a country, you will see two outputs. The first would be Sarah’s annual salary if stationed there. The second is the percentage increase in salary compared to her overseas comparability pay.

I find this dynamic map very interesting and hope you do too. There is just so much information! For instance, these four countries have the same salary and are in different parts of the world: Algeria, Greenland, India, and Indonesia.

Also, just in case you are wondering, the six posts with the highest percentage increases are:

The complete list

There is a lot of information found in salary comparisons. For a complete review and an opportunity to calculate your salary, look at this spreadsheet:

Well, that does it. Feel free to bookmark this page so you can reference it later.

I put this resource together because I could not find one location discussing all the information above. Instead, many sources described only separate parts. Now, a comprehensive guide exists.

I am not an employee of the State Department. To my knowledge, the information above is accurate as of the posting date. I am happy to support general questions, but please communicate with the  Office of Talent Acquisition  or the  Office of Allowances  for specific inquiries.

Having read this guide, you should now understand how to determine your base salary, overseas comparability pay, and the three primary allowances that affect all FSO salaries.

However, there are additional allowances that will alter your salary between posts.

Three examples not discussed in this guide are:

• Education allowance  (if you have children, then their education is covered overseas)
• Difficult-to-staff incentive differential
• Quarters allowance  (free housing overseas or a generous stipend)

If you are not in the Foreign Service but interested in joining, I hope this information has been helpful ( learn more about becoming a Foreign Service Officer )! I look forward to your insights if you are in the Foreign Service.

Thanks for reading! Want to receive guidance on joining the Foreign Service, including recommended preparation resources? Join a community of people interested in the FS and going through the application process . Enter your email now and join us.

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• Serving in Tandem for State

The number of tandems in the Foreign Service is growing. State could make better use of their tremendous potential.

BY KATHRYN FITRELL AND KANISHKA GANGOPADHYAY

During his confirmation hearing in April 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked about “unleashing talent” at the State Department. His plan to accomplish this included an immediate lifting of the hiring freeze, which would allow the department to once again hire into the Foreign Service and Civil Service, as well as opening positions for eligible family members (EFMs).

Secretary Pompeo could tap into the department talent pool in another significant way by maximizing the enormous potential of tandem couples. Tandems represent nearly 15 percent of today’s Foreign Service workforce, according to the Bureau of Human Resources. Unfortunately, recent trends suggest that tandems are encountering greater challenges to serve. For example, in the summer 2019 bidding cycle, 40 percent of surveyed tandem officers reported that they were unable to secure positions at the same overseas post as their tandem spouse. If the Department of State is to attract, support and retain a truly agile and skilled workforce, and if we are indeed to “out-work” and “out-hustle” our competitors as the Secretary envisions, then we need to maximize the potential of all our people— including tandems.

There are both tangible and intangible benefits for the organization when spouses can pursue dual Foreign Service career tracks together at U.S. missions abroad. The “two-for-one deal” that tandems offer creates value for the American taxpayer. According to Fiscal Year 2016 estimates, the average cost of a direct hire (USDH) position overseas is more than $400,000 per year. Assigning a tandem couple together overseas realizes savings on various allowances, including more than $40,000 per year on housing alone. And keeping tandem families living and serving together can have a positive impact on their morale, just as it does for non-tandem families.

A common catchphrase of many tandems is “We’ll serve anywhere, if we can serve together.” If the State Department works to ensure tandems can stay together at post, the payoff for the department will be significant.

Working in Tandem

Formed in October 2016, Working in Tandem has more than 700 members, making it one of State’s largest employee organizations. The group helps the department develop creative and inclusive solutions to the unique challenges facing tandem couples. Working with department and American Foreign Service Association leadership, WiT raises issues of concern and advocates for policies that will improve the recruitment, retention and morale of tandem officers. While tandems can share information in less formal discussion forums (e.g., Facebook and Yahoo groups) and in official ones such as HR’s recent tandem blog, WiT is the first group officially designated to represent tandem employees to the department.

At the end of 2018, the WiT Executive Board conducted its second membership survey to identify the most pressing issues facing tandem professionals. There was strong consensus among respondents about the best ways to alleviate some of the challenges. Many of these priorities, listed below, represent significant cost savings for the department and are in sync with the Secretary’s stated vision of supporting the families behind the Foreign Service.

The idiom “square peg, round hole” often applies when it comes to securing travel orders and allowances for tandems.

Expand Domestic Employee Telework Overseas opportunities. DETOs provide the best opportunity for both spouses to be employed overseas together if only one is assigned to a post. While officers stay productively employed, bureaus can meet their staffing needs. DETOs leverage the time difference from D.C. to extend a Washington-based office’s coverage across the globe, increasing productivity, customer service and responsiveness to needs of posts on the other side of the globe. DETOs can save money in travel costs because of their proximity to constituent posts; and because they telework, they require no additional office space. They can also handle the more time-consuming, product-oriented tasks of an office.

DETOs, however, are underutilized by most bureaus, although Consular Affairs, African Affairs and International Information Programs have historically authorized more DETOs than other bureaus. During the 2019 bid cycle, there were just eight DETO-eligible jobs listed on HR’s tandem blog. According to HR, there are about 20 members of the Foreign Service on DETOs currently, and that number is not expected to significantly increase this summer.

Harmonize disparate administrative policies and procedures. Currently tandems who have had to find creative solutions to keep their families together, such as leave without pay (LWOP) or a DETO assignment, also face complications in obtaining travel orders and benefits, or even simply logging into OpenNet. The idiom “square peg, round hole” often applies when it comes to securing travel orders and allowances for tandems who are on LWOP or working under a DETO arrangement.

For example, tandem officers returning to D.C. for training after half of the couple has been on either a DETO or LWOP assignment are both precluded from receiving per diem. Due to an HR standard operating procedure (SOP) document (listed on HR’s intranet site) stating that tandems must be in the same status and the fact that LWOPs and DETOs are “administratively” assigned to D.C., tandem couples transitioning out of LWOP or DETO status must return to any training on permanent change of station (PCS) status, even if such training lasts less than six months.

This contradicts the Foreign Service Act, which states that tours less than six months should be considered temporary rather than full assignments. In addition to the significant financial burden placed on tandem employees, the department must also incur the full costs of a PCS, including shipment and unpacking of all effects.

Coordinate bidding across bureaus and agencies. Multiple respondents to the 2018 WiT member survey reported that the 2019 bidding cycle was harder than ever, with entry-level/midlevel, interagency and specialist/generalist couples noting that a lack of harmony between systems led to increased stress (at best) or a desire to leave the Foreign Service (at worst). As one interagency tandem put it, bidding has become “a sloppy dance of trying to keep our family together.”

The “two-for-one deal” that tandems offer creates value for the American taxpayer.

Specialist/generalist couples have noted that career development officers (CDOs) across cones would coordinate when prodded by their clients themselves, while entry-level/ mid-level tandems note that finding mid-level jobs for their spouses—even at high-hardship, high-danger posts—is a daunting process. Differing bid cycle timing for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, USAID and other offices only adds to the difficulty. Asking CDOs or their equivalents in other agencies to coordinate actions related to tandems could lend a welcome element of transparency to what is already a challenging process.

Reconsider authorized and ordered departure policies for tandems and single parents. The department should institutionalize policies and procedures that permit tandem and single-parent employees to escort minor or other dependent EFMs to safety during an evacuation whenever possible. USDH tandems and single parents with minor dependents or other dependents needing assistance currently are unable to evacuate with their EFMs when departures are authorized or ordered for EFMs only. The current policy states that officers must identify an official American employee or American family member to accompany minor children. USDH employees do not always have a trusted colleague or family member able or willing to assume this responsibility. There are also circumstances, such as in the case of nursing mothers, where there is no suitable alternate caregiver. This practice causes undue hardship for tandems, single parents and their families.

The Future for Tandems

As technology advances, there are far more opportunities for creative work arrangements and rational policies for a flexible organization that cares about families. In recent years, the department has made strides on some tandem issues. HR has formed a tandem working group—including participants from regional and functional bureaus, the Office of the Legal Advisor and HR—and WiT has a seat at that table. The Bureau of Consular Affairs improved its policy on passport endorsements. The new 01B endorsement allows for a more accurate reflection of the legal status of many tandem employees who have different status at post (e.g., one is on a DETO or LWOP, while the other is assigned). The endorsement allows the non-assigned spouse to have the same privileges and immunities as other eligible family members while still being able to use the passport for work-related travel, and it reduces administrative waste by not requiring multiple passports.

AFSA has been a strong partner, advocating for the Director General’s office to expand and promote DETOs to keep tandem families together so they can contribute to the important work of the department. When LWOP is the only option, AFSA has been an invaluable partner in promoting the easing of administrative restrictions so tandems can stay connected on OpenNet and get back to paid status quickly. AFSA also noted a dramatic increase in the number and length of anti-nepotism reviews (ANRs) mandated for tandems in recent years and sought clarity on behalf of WiT from the DG’s office. The creation of a new position in HR/ CDA helped bring the time to adjudicate an ANR down from as much as six months to as little as two months. It’s a step in the right direction, but there remains a need for more transparent guidance on when ANRs are required. AFSA is also studying the legality of the department’s SOP mandating that tandem couples must be in the same status when assigned to D.C.

There is still much to be done. WiT survey results showed that tandem employees regularly serve separated tours or accept positions that stall career advancement to prevent family separation. Like all members of the Foreign Service, tandems want the opportunity to represent the U.S. government while keeping their families together. As WiT’s vision statement says: “Retaining the best employees and staying competitive in today’s dynamic work environment require the department to invest in its employees and ensure they can balance their work and personal lives.”

Kathryn Fitrell has been a tandem Foreign Service officer since 2003 (and a Foreign Service spouse since 1996). She has served or lived in Denmark, Ghana, Zambia, Guatemala, Mauritius, Portugal and Ethiopia. She is currently the public affairs adviser in the Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues in Washington, D.C. Kathryn and her husband, Troy, have a 19-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son.

Kanishka Gangopadhyay met his future wife during A-100 in 2005 and became part of an official tandem couple in 2007. Since becoming tandems, he and his wife have served together in Mumbai, Pristina and Washington, D.C. They are currently serving in Cotonou, where Kanishka is the public affairs officer. He and his wife are raising three boys, ages 6, 3 and 2.

The authors thank their colleagues from the Working in Tandem board for their contributions to this article.

TANDEMS IN HISTORY

It was not until the early 1970s that tandems were permitted in the Foreign Service. Though the first woman, Lucile Atcherson, joined the U.S. Diplomatic Service in 1922, women were expected to resign when they married.

A department policy directive in 1971 ended that practice, and women who had resigned were given the opportunity to re-apply. About 40 women rejoined in the first five years.

Carol Rose and Peter Wood were the first married couple in the same orientation class in December 1974; they were assigned together to Hermosillo, Mexico.

And before “tandem” had its current meaning, Carol Laise and Ellsworth Bunker were an early and famous such couple. After their marriage in 1967, they served simultaneously as ambassadors, she in Nepal and he in South Vietnam.

Neither Laise nor Bunker was a member of the Foreign Service, however: Laise was a civil servant and Bunker a political appointee. President Lyndon Johnson offered Bunker a special government plane to facilitate monthly visits to Laise and entice him to take the post of ambassador.

Today, nearly 15 percent of the Foreign Service workforce is tandem couples.

—KF & KG

Read More...

• “Tandem Couples: Serving Together, Apart”
• “Forever Tandem”
• “Coping With Separation: Tandem Couples”

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FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMATS: LEADERSHIP & LESSONS

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• President’s Views: The State of State—Putting the Back Channel Up Front
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• Where We Stand: Career Diplomats Matter

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