22 USC § 3952 - Diplomatic and consular missions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t22/s3952"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "22 USC § 3952 - Diplomatic and consular missions"
title_number: 22
title_name: "FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE"
section_number: "3952"
section_name: "Diplomatic and consular missions"
chapter_number: 52
chapter_name: "FOREIGN SERVICE"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "APPOINTMENTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 312, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2087.)"
---


# § 3952. Diplomatic and consular missions

**(a)** **Recommendations by Secretary of State; appointment by President; vice consul; performance of official functions under commission** The Secretary of State may recommend to the President that a member of the Service who is a citizen of the United States be commissioned as a diplomatic or consular officer or both. The President may, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, commission such member of the Service as a diplomatic or consular officer or both. The Secretary of State may commission as a vice consul a member of the Service who is a citizen of the United States. All official functions performed by a diplomatic or consular officer, including a vice consul, shall be performed under such a commission.

**(b)** **Function of commissioned Service members** Members of the Service commissioned under this section may, in accordance with their commissions, perform any function which any category of diplomatic officer (other than a chief of mission) or consular officer is authorized by law to perform.

**(c)** **Limits of consular districts** The Secretary of State shall define the limits of consular districts.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 312, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2087.)