702.0011/206a: Circular
The Secretary of State to All Chiefs of Mission in the United States
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to Their Excellencies and Messieurs the Chiefs of Mission and has the honor to request that the Department of State be furnished with a complete biographical record of each consular officer of their respective governments now assigned in the United States or its possessions, which record shall show his address, nationality, whether a career or honorary officer, place of service, capacity in which he is serving, a chronological record of previous service or business occupation, and an indication of any office he holds in the United States connected with the Federal, State, or local government.
[Page 927]The Secretary of State further requests that a similar biographical record accompany each future request for the recognition of a newly assigned consular officer and be furnished promptly upon the assignment in the United States or its possessions of a consular officer for whom official recognition by the Government of the United States is not required.
In addition to the information requested above, the Secretary of State will appreciate being advised of the full name, address, nationality, capacity in which serving, and place of service of any other officers or employees (other than diplomatic and consular officers and employees of embassies and legations whose names are regularly sent to the Department for inclusion in the official lists maintained by the Department) who are resident in the United States or its possessions as officers or employees of their respective governments or agencies or departments of those governments who receive wages, fees or salaries as compensation for official service to such governments. The Secretary of State further requests that hereafter a similar record be furnished promptly upon the assignment to duty in the United States or its possessions of such officers or employees. Whenever such an officer or employee plans to leave the United States, the port and date of departure and the name of the vessel upon which he will sail should be furnished the Department as requested in the Department’s note of August 15, 1938, to the Chiefs of Mission.63a It should be stated that the provisions of the Act of Congress approved June 8, 1938 (Public No. 583—75th Congress),64 and the rules and regulations thereunder governing the registration of agents of foreign principals require the registration with the Secretary of State of any representatives of foreign countries (other than accredited diplomatic and consular officers whose diplomatic or consular status is of record in the Department of State of the United States) employed in the embassies, legations and consulates or other government offices whose functions in the United States are of a responsible character or are at any time carried on without direct supervision or who engage in political activities of any kind. In this connection reference may be made to the Department’s circular notes of September 6 and September 23, 1938.65
The Secretary of State would also appreciate being promptly informed of the date of assumption of duty of each consular or other officer (except diplomatic officers) and consular or diplomatic employee of a foreign government hereafter assigned to duty in the United States or its possessions and of the date of termination of the tour of duty of each such officer or employee of a foreign government [Page 928] now or hereafter assigned to duty in the United States or its possessions regardless of whether his name appears in the “List of Employees in the Embassies and Legations in Washington Not Printed in the Diplomatic List” or the list of “Foreign Consular Offices in the United States”.
Beginning July 1, 1939, Their Excellencies and Messieurs the Chiefs of Mission are requested to supply the Department of State on January 1 and July 1 of each year with:
- 1.
- A list of all consular officers of their respective governments in the United States or its possessions showing the full name, address, nationality, capacity in which serving, and place of service of each officer.
- 2.
- A list of all other officers (except diplomatic officers) and of all consular and other employees of their respective governments in the United States or its possessions (other than those whose names are furnished for publication in the “List of Employees in the Embassies and Legations in Washington Not Printed in the Diplomatic List”) showing the full name, address, nationality, capacity in which serving, and place of service of each officer or employee.
The information requested in this note is, of course, in addition to that furnished by the Chiefs of Mission for publication in the “List of Employees in the Embassies and Legations in Washington Not Printed in the Diplomatic List” which it is expected they will continue to submit as heretofore.
There have been prepared for the convenience of the missions two forms for their use in supplying the information requested in this note. Copies of the forms will be sent to the missions upon request. A specimen of each form is enclosed.66