What We Do

What We Do 

Consular Fellows serve their country by facilitating critical bilateral trade, commerce, tourism, and cultural exchanges, while strengthening U.S. border security. Although living and working in a foreign country may involve uncommon hardships, Consular Fellows have the honor to serve as America's "face" to thousands of foreign nationals. 

Responsibilities of a Consular Fellow include: 

1. Interviewing visa and/or passport applicants and reviewing applications to determine candidates' eligibility to engage in U.S. travel, tourism, employment, study, and other activities, as per applicable U.S. laws and regulations. 
2. Adjudicating (i.e., approving or denying) U.S. visa and passport applications as per relevant U.S. laws, regulations, and security protocols. 
3. Canceling and/or revoking U.S. visas when warranted, as per relevant laws, regulations, and/or security protocols. 
4. Providing efficient, professional, and empathetic customer service when interviewing foreign nationals and assisting U.S. citizens. 
5. Investigating potentially fraudulent activities or claims, coordinating with other U.S. government agencies to prevent the entry of ineligible foreign nationals into the United States, and developing effective working relationships with host country officials for the purpose of sharing and verifying information that may safeguard the U.S. homeland. 
6. Using a variety of specialized computer applications for visa and passport processing. 
7. Preparing written materials, such as memos and reports, as needed. 
8. Communicating with and assisting Department of State colleagues on various projects, which may include serving as an embassy or consulate duty officer, attending and note-taking for certain bilateral or multi-lateral meetings, supporting the visits of high-level U.S. government officials, and conducting consular outreach to host country nationals or U.S. citizens residing in that country. 
9. Handling sensitive, privacy protected, and classified information appropriately. 

Other responsibilities may include: 

• Assist in the supervision/oversight of Locally Employed Staff (LE Staff) and/or Eligible Family Members (EFM) colleagues. 

• Participate on embassy or consulate boards and/or committees; support crisis response efforts by serving on task forces. 

Consular Fellows are employed as limited non-career appointments (LNAs). The Consular Fellow LNA appointment is for 60 months but may be terminated at any time depending on satisfactory performance and the needs of the Service. Each Consular Fellow is assigned to a specific U.S. embassy or consulate overseas, with the expectation that he/she will complete a standard two-year tour of duty.