---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 3902"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "3902"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/3902"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §3902. Definitions


As used in this chapter, the term—

- (1) “abroad” means all areas not included within the United States;
- (2) “agency” means an agency as defined in section 552(e)[^1] of title 5;
- (3) “chief of mission” means the [principal officer](#9) in charge of a diplomatic mission of the United States or of a United States office [abroad](#1) which is designated by the Secretary of State as diplomatic in nature, including any individual assigned under [section 3982(c) of this title](/usc/22/3982.md?p=c) to be temporarily in charge of such a mission or office;
- (4) “Department” means the Department of State, except that with reference to the exercise of [functions](#6) under this chapter with respect to another [agency](#2) authorized by law to utilize the Foreign Service personnel [system](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=10), such term means that other [agency](#2);
- (5) “employee” (except as provided in [section 4102(8) of this title](/usc/22/4102.md?p=8)) means, when used with respect to an [agency](#2) or to the [Government](#7) generally, an officer or employee (including a member of the Service) or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
- (6) “function” includes any duty, obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege, discretion, or activity;
- (7) “Government” means the Government of the United States;
- (8) “merit principles” means the principles set out in [section 2301(b) of title 5](/usc/5/2301.md?p=b);
- (9) “principal officer” means the officer in charge of a diplomatic mission, consular mission (other than a consular [agency](#2)), or other Foreign Service post;
- (10) “Secretary” means the Secretary of State, except that (subject to [section 3921 of this title](/usc/22/3921.md)) with reference to the exercise of [functions](#6) under this Act with respect to any [agency](#2) authorized by law to utilize the Foreign Service personnel [system](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=10), such term means the head of that [agency](#2);
- (11) “Service” or “Foreign Service” means the Foreign Service of the United States; and
- (12) “United States”, when used in a geographic sense, means the several States and the District of Columbia.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 102, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2075; Pub. L. 98–164, title I, § 130(a), Nov. 22, 1983, 97 Stat. 1027.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 552(e) of title 5, referred to in par. (2), was redesignated section 552(f) of title 5 by section 1802(b) of Pub. L. 99–570.

### Amendments

1983—Pub. L. 98–164 struck out “(a)” before “As used in this chapter”, and struck out subsec. (b) which provided that references to Foreign Service officers in any provision be deemed to refer to, with respect to the United States Information Agency, Foreign Service Information officers.