[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR11.3]

[Page 71-72]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 11_APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 11.3  Oral examination for appointment to class 7 or 8.

    The Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service has established the 
following rules regarding the oral examination:
    (a) When and where given. The oral examination will be given 
throughout the year at Washington and periodically in selected cities in 
the United States and, if circumstances permit, at selected Foreign 
Service posts.
    (b) Eligibility. If a candidate's weighted average on the written 
examination is 70 or higher, the candidate will be eligible to take the 
oral examination. Candidates eligible for the oral examination will be 
given an opportunity and will be required to take the oral examination 
within 9 months after the date of the written examination. If a 
candidate fails to appear for the oral examination on an agreed date 
within the 9-month period, the candidacy will automatically terminate, 
except that time spent outside the United States and its territories, 
for reasons acceptable to the Board of Examiners, will not be counted 
against the 9-month period. The candidacy of anyone for whom the 9-month 
period is extended because of being abroad will be automatically 
terminated if the candidate fails to appear for the oral examination 
within 3 months after first returning to the United States: Provided, 
That the candidacy of anyone who has not returned and been examined in 
the meantime will be canceled 2 years after the end of the month in 
which the written examination was held.
    (c) Examining process. (1) The oral examination will be given by a 
panel of deputy examiners approved by the Board of Examiners from a 
roster of Foreign Service officers, officers from the Department of 
State, and other Government agencies, and qualified private citizens who 
by prior service as members of selection boards or through other 
appropriate activities have demonstrated special qualifications for this 
work. Service as deputy examiners shall be limited to a maximum of 5 
years, unless a further period is specifically authorized by the Board.
    (2) The examination will be conducted in the light of all available 
information concerning the candidate and will be designed to determine 
the candidate's: (i) Competence to perform the work of a Foreign Service 
officer at home and abroad; (ii) potential for growth in the Service; 
and (iii) suitability to serve as a representative of the United States 
abroad. Panels examining candidates for the Department of State will be 
chaired by a Foreign

[[Page 72]]

Service officer of the Department. Panels examining candidates for the 
U.S. Information Agency will be chaired by a Foreign Service officer of 
that Agency. Determinations of duly constituted panels of deputy 
examiners are final, unless modified by specific action of the Board of 
Examiners for the Foreign Service.
    (3) Grading: Candidates appearing for the oral examination will be 
graded ``recommended'' or ``not recommended.'' If recommended, the panel 
will assign a grade which will be advisory to the Final Review Panel in 
determining the candidate's standing on the rank-order register of 
eligibles. The candidacy of anyone who is graded ``not recommended'' is 
automatically terminated and may not be considered again until the 
candidate has passed a new written examination.
    (4) An investigation shall be conducted of candidates who have been 
graded ``recommended'' by the oral examining panel to determine loyalty 
to the Government of the United States and attachment to the principles 
of the Constitution.

(22 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.)

[37 FR 19356, Sept. 20, 1972, as amended at 38 FR 13640, May 24, 1973]