What We Do

Working in the Foreign Service offers unique rewards that few other professions can match, including the experience of not just visiting, but living in, a foreign country, as well as the pride and gratification of representing the United States in an official capacity. Consular Fellows serve their country by facilitating critical bilateral trade, commerce, tourism, and cultural exchanges, while at the same time strengthening U.S. border security Living and working in a foreign country may involve an uncommon level of hardship, but serving as America’s “face” to literally thousands of foreign nationals will yield incredible rewards.

Basic duties may include the following:

1. Interview visa and/or passport applicants – and review their applications – to determine their eligibility to engage in U.S. travel, tourism, employment, study, and other activities, as per applicable U.S. laws and regulations.
2. Adjudicate (i.e., approve or deny) visa/passport applications as per relevant U.S. laws, regulations, and security protocols.
3. Cancel and/or revoke visas when warranted, as per relevant laws, regulations, and/or security protocols.
4. Provide efficient, professional, and compassionate customer service by explaining U.S. visa policies and entry procedures to foreign nationals, by basing adjudication decisions on material facts and proper application of U.S. laws/regulations, and by drafting appropriate correspondence with visa applicants, their attorneys, and their congressional representatives.
5. Investigate potentially fraudulent activities or claims, coordinate with other U.S. government agencies to prevent the entry of ineligible foreign nationals into the United States, and develop effective working relationships with host country officials for the purpose of sharing and verifying information that may safeguard the U.S. homeland.
6. Use a variety of computer applications, including the Microsoft Office suite (word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and presentations), and develop expert user skills with specialized visa and passport computer systems.
7. Prepare written materials, such as memos and status reports, as needed.
8. Communicate with and assist Department of State colleagues on various projects, which may include serving as an embassy/consulate 24/7 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.
9. Appropriately handle sensitive, privacy protected, and classified information.

Other responsibilities may include:

• Assist in the supervision/oversight of Locally Employed Staff (LES) and/or Eligible Family Members (EFM).
• Conduct outreach, pro-actively representing the U.S. and U.S. policies abroad.
• Participate on boards, committees, and task forces.
• Interact with non-government organizations (NGOs) and/or foreign government officials.
• Monitor and report on developments of interest to the U.S. government.
• Evaluate policies and procedures.
• Provide consular services to U.S. citizens.

Consular Fellows are hired via 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, with the expectation that he/she will complete a standard two-year tour of duty.

Successful candidates are hired at the FP-06, FP-05 or FP-04 level, depending on education and professional experience, with the possibility of administrative promotion for those hired at the FP-06 and FP-05 level to FP-04. Please download the current year’s Foreign Service Pay Schedule and scroll past the Base Schedule to the “Overseas Comparability Pay” table to see corresponding salary ranges. Depending on one’s assigned overseas post, a hardship allowance, danger pay, and/or a cost of living supplement may be authorized. Please see additional information about Foreign Service compensation and benefits at this FS Benefits.

If you’re ready to apply, please visit Test Information and Selection Process.