In accordance with State Department policy, U.S. citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) are given preference in the selection process. If these individuals meet all the essential criteria as outlined on the job advertisement, they will be selected for assessment. If the USEFM demonstrates that they meet the essential requirements for the position during the assessment, they will be selected for that position.

Applications from other (non-preference) candidates will ONLY be considered if preference candidates do not demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria on paper, or at assessment. The essential selection criteria of a vacancy is specified in the job announcement/advertisement of the position.

Things To Do as an USEFM

If you have USEFM hiring preference, it is YOUR responsibility to demonstrate this at the time of application. If you fail to provide the information detailed below, preference will NOT be given.

If you are an USEFM identify yourself as such on your application and please provide a copy of your sponsor’s orders. To qualify as an USEFM you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

U.S. citizen eligible family member (USEFM):  An individual who meets all of the following criteria is considered to be a USEFM for employment purposes:

(1)  U.S. citizen;

(2)  The spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) of the sponsoring employee (i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or uniformed service member); or a child of the sponsoring employee who is under 21 and unmarried, or (regardless of age) unmarried and incapable of self-support;

(3)  Is listed on one of the following:

(a)  Travel orders of a sponsoring employee who is assigned (not TDY) to a U.S. mission abroad under Chief of Mission authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or

(b)  Approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report (or other agency equivalent), of a sponsoring employee who is assigned (not TDY) to a U.S. mission abroad under Chief of Mission authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan, and is residing at the sponsoring employee’s post of assignment abroad.

(4)  The following categories of employees are also considered to be USEFMs for employment purposes if they meet the definition above:

(a)  Foreign Service Generalists or Specialists on approved LWOP ;

(b)  Civil Service employees with re-employment rights to their agency/bureau; or

(c)  Foreign Service or Civil Service annuitants.

If you have not yet arrived at Post

Please note, an application from an USEFM or Same Sex Domestic Partner (SSDP) who has yet to arrive at Post, will be considered for a vacant position only if the applicant is scheduled to arrive at Post and be available to start work in the position within a reasonable period of time (normally three months) of the closing date of the applicable job advertisement.  This period may be extended at the discretion of the chief of the hiring office.

Spouses and Dependents

Please note that being a spouse or dependent of a private U.S. citizen, working and living in the UK, does not qualify you as a USEFM, for the purposes of preference in the Mission hiring process.

U.S. Veterans

Effective April 01, 2016, Ordinarily Resident (OR) U.S. Veterans will no longer receive a hiring preference for positions advertised in the Mission. OR U.S. Veterans are encouraged to apply for positions in the Mission for which they are eligible and qualified; however, their applications will be considered alongside other non-preference candidates.