---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 613"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "613"
heading: "Exemptions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/613"
units:
  - "Chapter 11 — Foreign Agents and Propaganda"
  - "Subchapter II — Registration of Foreign Propagandists"
---

# §613. Exemptions


The requirements of [section 612(a) of this title](/usc/22/612.md?p=a) shall not apply to the following agents of [foreign principals](/usc/22/611.md?p=b):

- (a) **Diplomatic or consular officers—** A duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government who is so recognized by the Department of State, while said officer is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such officer;
- (b) **Officials of foreign government—** Any official of a foreign government, if such government is recognized by the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m), who is not a [public-relations counsel](/usc/22/611.md?p=g), [publicity agent](/usc/22/611.md?p=h), [information-service employee](/usc/22/611.md?p=i), or a citizen of the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m), whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such official are of public record in the Department of State, while said official is engaged exclusively in activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such official;
- (c) **Staff members of diplomatic or consular officers—** Any member of the staff of, or any [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) employed by, a duly accredited diplomatic or consular officer of a foreign government who is so recognized by the Department of State, other than a [public-relations counsel](/usc/22/611.md?p=g), [publicity agent](/usc/22/611.md?p=h), or [information-service employee](/usc/22/611.md?p=i), whose name and status and the character of whose duties as such member or employee are of public record in the Department of State, while said member or employee is engaged exclusively in the performance of activities which are recognized by the Department of State as being within the scope of the functions of such member or employee;
- (d) **Private and nonpolitical activities; solicitation of funds—** Any [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) engaging or agreeing to engage only (1) in private and nonpolitical activities in furtherance of the bona fide trade or commerce of such [foreign principal](/usc/22/611.md?p=b); or (2) in other activities not serving predominantly a foreign interest; or (3) in the soliciting or collecting of funds and contributions within the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m) to be used only for medical [aid](/usc/22/2421e.md?p=1) and assistance, or for food and clothing to relieve human suffering, if such solicitation or collection of funds and contributions is in accordance with and subject to the provisions of subchapter II of [chapter 9](/usc/22/chch9.md) of this title, and such rules and regulations as may be prescribed thereunder;
- (e) **Religious, scholastic, or scientific pursuits—** Any [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) engaging or agreeing to engage only in activities in furtherance of bona fide religious, scholastic, academic, or scientific pursuits or of the fine arts;
- (f) **Defense of foreign government vital to United States defense—** Any [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a), or employee of such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a), whose [foreign principal](/usc/22/611.md?p=b) is a [government of a foreign country](/usc/22/611.md?p=e) the defense of which the President deems vital to the defense of the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m) while, (1) such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or employee engages only in activities which are in furtherance of the policies, public interest, or national defense both of such government and of the Government of the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m), and are not intended to conflict with any of the domestic or foreign policies of the Government of the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m), (2) each communication or expression by such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or employee which he intends to, or has reason to believe will, be published, disseminated, or circulated among any section of the public, or portion thereof, within the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m), is a part of such activities and is believed by such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) to be truthful and accurate and the identity of such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) as an agent of such [foreign principal](/usc/22/611.md?p=b) is disclosed therein, and (3) such [government of a foreign country](/usc/22/611.md?p=e) furnishes to the Secretary of State for transmittal to, and retention for the duration of this subchapter by, the Attorney General such information as to the identity and activities of such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or employee at such times as the Attorney General may require. Upon notice to the Government of which such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) is an agent or to such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or employee, the Attorney General, having due regard for the public interest and national defense, may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, and shall, at the request of the Secretary of State, terminate in whole or in part the exemption herein of any such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or employee;
- (g) **Persons qualified to practice law—** Any [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) qualified to practice law, insofar as he engages or agrees to engage in the legal representation of a disclosed [foreign principal](/usc/22/611.md?p=b) before any court of law or any agency of the Government of the [United States](/usc/22/611.md?p=m): Provided, That for the purposes of this subsection legal representation does not include attempts to influence or persuade agency personnel or officials other than in the course of judicial proceedings, criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings, or agency proceedings required by statute or regulation to be conducted on the record.
- (h) **Agents of foreign principals—** Any agent of a [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) described in [section 611(b)(2) of this title](/usc/22/611.md?p=b-2) or an entity described in [section 611(b)(3) of this title](/usc/22/611.md?p=b-3) if the agent has engaged in lobbying activities and has registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 [[2 U.S.C. 1601](/usc/2/1601.md) et seq.] in connection with the agent’s representation of such [person](/usc/22/611.md?p=a) or entity.

## Source credit

(June 8, 1938, ch. 327, § 3, 52 Stat. 632; Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 521, § 2, 53 Stat. 1245; Apr. 29, 1942, ch. 263, § 1, 56 Stat. 254; Pub. L. 87–366, § 2, Oct. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 784; Pub. L. 89–486, § 3, July 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 246; Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(2), (3), Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 700; Pub. L. 105–166, § 5, Apr. 6, 1998, 112 Stat. 39.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (h), is Pub. L. 104–65, Dec. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 691, which is classified principally to chapter 26 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 2, The Congress. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 2 and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

Prior to general amendment of act June 8, 1938, by act Apr. 29, 1942, section related to additional registration statements after each six months period. Provisions on that subject were incorporated in section 612 of this title by 1942 amendment.

### Amendments

1998—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105–166 substituted “has engaged in lobbying activities and has registered” for “is required to register and does register”.

1995—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(2), substituted “judicial proceedings, criminal or civil law enforcement inquiries, investigations, or proceedings, or agency proceedings required by statute or regulation to be conducted on the record” for “established agency proceedings, whether formal or informal”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 104–65, § 9(3), added subsec. (h).

1966—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 89–486, § 3(a), designated existing provisions as cls. (1) and (3), struck out “financial or mercantile” before “activities” in cl. (1), and inserted the cl. (2) exemption of any person engaging or agreeing to engage in other activities not serving predominantly a foreign interest.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 89–486, § 3(b), added subsec. (g).

1961—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 87–366 substituted “private and nonpolitical financial or mercantile activities in furtherance” for “private, non-political, financial, mercantile, or other activities in furtherance”.

1942—Act Apr. 29, 1942, amended section generally.

1939—Act Aug. 7, 1939, amended section generally.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1995 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–65 effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided, see section 24 of Pub. L. 104–65, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1601 of Title 2, The Congress.

### Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 89–486 effective ninety days after July 4, 1966, see section 9 of Pub. L. 89–486, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1942 Amendment

Amendment by act Apr. 29, 1942, effective on the sixtieth day after Apr. 29, 1942, except that prior to such sixtieth day the Attorney General may make, prescribe, amend, and rescind such rules, regulations, and forms as may be necessary to carry out act Apr. 29, 1942, see section 3 of act Apr. 29, 1942, set out as a note under section 611 of this title.