3 FAH-1 H-3750
TRAVEL OF SEPARATED FAMILIES
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Office of Origin: GTM/ER/WLD)
3 FAH-1 H-3751 SPACING OF TRIPS
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. For each twelve-month period that a member/parent is serving abroad, one actual round trip is authorized under 3 FAM 3750. After the initial round-trip, eligibility for the next trip begins one year from the date the previous trip began (the anniversary date). Due to potential difficulties scheduling this benefit, travel may commence within a 30-day period prior to the anniversary date of when the child actually becomes eligible. For example, a member arrives at post in June 2020, and the first leg of travel for either the member/parent or eligible child(ren) begins in December 2020. Eligibility for the next trip begins in December 2021.
(1) If the member/parent or child undertakes the next trip within 30 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the last trip:
(a) The member can pay for the child's or member/parent's travel and request to be reimbursed, per 14 FAM 544; or
(b) The post may pay for the travel and have the member sign a repayment agreement to cover reimbursement to the U.S. Government, if an additional 12-month period of service abroad is not completed;
(2) The subsequent 12-month service period may be completed in the present tour, the immediate follow-on tour, or a combination of both.
b. Continued service abroad includes direct transfer to another post abroad or home leave followed by reassignment abroad. If there is a break in continued service abroad of 12 months or more, a new anniversary date will be established if the employee becomes eligible during a later assignment.
c. For trips taken after the initial trip and before the passage of a year since the initial tripmembers who do not complete the required additional period of service abroad are not eligible for reimbursement or are subject to repayment of travel costs under 3 FAM 3754.
3 FAH-1 H-3752 REQUESTING TRAVEL
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
The member of the Service who wishes to initiate travel under this section must provide the post, in writing, the following information:
(1) The name, date of birth, address and dates of the last travel under this section for each child or for the member/parent for whom travel is requested;
(2) The name and address(es) of the other parent pursuant to 3 FAM 3752(2);
(3) In the case of a child who would travel, a signed statement by the member/parent that the travel is not inconsistent with any applicable court order and/or separation agreement if the separation of the parents is the result of divorce or legal separation;
(4) In the case of a member/parent or child who would travel, a signed statement that the child does not regularly reside with the member/parent and that the member/parent is not receiving an education allowance, educational travel allowance, or voluntary separate maintenance allowance (when requested by the member for special needs or hardship) for the child [or parent] whose travel is requested unless as authorized in 3 FAM 3753.1(5);
3 FAH-1 H-3753 APPLICATION FOR PASSPORT
(CT:POH-239; 08-19-2020)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. A visiting child who is a U.S. citizen is entitled to apply for the type of passport (diplomatic or official) held by the member parent assigned abroad.
b. A member/parent who wishes the member's child to travel on a diplomatic or official passport in lieu of a regular passport should submit a copy of the orders prepared at post for the child's travel to the appropriate agency official as follows:
|
State |
The appropriate regional division in the Office of Career Development and Assignments (GTM/CDA); |
|
USAID |
Bureau for Management , Office of Administrative Services, Travel and Transportation Division (M/AS/TT); |
|
Commerce |
Office of Foreign Service Human Resources, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service; |
|
Foreign Service Corps - USDA |
FAS/MSD Field Services Branch; or APHIS International Services/RMS. |
c. Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, is executed in accordance with normal procedures and specific instructions contained on the reverse side of the application form.
|
Diplomatic and Official Passports |
Obtain and execute form at the Employee Service Center at the Department of State, any U.S. Passport Agency, most local courthouses and larger post offices throughout the United States and at U.S. consular offices abroad. |
|
Regular Passports |
Obtain and execute form at any U.S. Passport Agency, most local courthouses and larger post offices throughout the United States, and at U.S. consular offices abroad. |
d. For diplomatic or official passports, Form DS-11 must be submitted to the appropriate agency office as noted in paragraph b of this section:
(1) Except that for Commerce employees the form must be submitted to the Travel Section, Office of Administrative Services, Office of the Secretary;
(2) On the basis of a copy of the child's orders and executed Form DS-11, the appropriate agency office will obtain the diplomatic or official passport and visa services as required. Applicants should allow one month for processing of diplomatic and official passport requests and, in addition, up to one month for any diplomatic or official visas, as required. Questions regarding these procedures should be directed to the appropriate agency office noted in paragraph b of this section.
e. Holders of regular passports must obtain any visas required directly from the embassy or consulate of the country to be visited.
f. Parents of children traveling on regular, diplomatic, or official passports should note that the personal appearance of all minors under age 14 is required at the time Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport, is submitted.
3 FAH-1 H-3754 AUTHORIZING OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. Officials designated as post authorizing officers shall assure through review of the member's signed statement and review of previous records of U.S. Government-funded travel by the member/parent or child that the travel abroad does not exceed one round trip each 12-month period and that the applicable criteria for the authorities in 3 FAM 3752 are met.
b. There are no escort provisions under this travel authority for unaccompanied children. Therefore, the official authorizing an unaccompanied child to visit a separated parent will, for children 16 and under, formulate a routing utilizing such reduced U.S. air carrier service as necessary when the authorizing official determines that the routing otherwise appropriate under applicable Fly America requirements would constitute a serious risk to the health or welfare of the unaccompanied child. Routings regarded as involving a serious risk to the health or welfare of an unaccompanied child include those that require overnight lodgings, a change of airport terminals, or unusually short or long stopovers at an interchange point. Such alternative routings will be recorded, signed, and dated by the authorizing official and will be kept on file at the post for a three-year period.
3 FAH-1 H-3755 TRAVEL LIMITATION
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. In scheduling trips by either the member/parent or child, the authorizing officer should seek to make them at the least possible cost to the U.S. Government.
b. Travel will not be authorized within 30 days of the parent's anticipated transfer or home leave or within 30 days of arrival at post or return from home leave, except when there is an unexpected curtailment of tour or advance of travel of the employee at the request of the agency concerned.
c. Travel will be performed under official travel orders prepared at post.
3 FAH-1 H-3756 POST PRIVILEGES
(CT:POH-258; 07-28-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. While at post, visiting children and member/parents will be accorded access to recreational and other post facilities normally available to dependents, as appropriate for Members of Household, including, upon authorization by the principal officer, post medical facilities and services of the medical staff.
b. For information regarding the notification of family members to the host government and the privileges and immunities that family members would be accorded, please refer to 2 FAM 221.3(a).
3 FAH-1 H-3757 Other Expenses
(CT:POH-203; 03-13-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps - USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. The following expenses will be allowed under this travel authority:
(1) Unaccompanied minor fees charged by airlines since there are no escort provisions under this travel authority; and
(2) Transportation to and from the airport.
(3) Per 14 FAM 568.1, two pieces of checked luggage which weigh up to 50 lbs (23 kg) per piece are authorized.
b. Involuntary layovers resulting from circumstances beyond the traveler’s control, which involve additional expenditures for hotel accommodations and per diem may be authorized at the discretion of the post’s financial management officer or travel officer.
3 FAH-1 H-3758 and H-3759 UNASSIGNED