UNCLASSIFIED (U)

3 FAM 3730

VISITATION TRAVEL

(CT:PER-993;   05-26-2020)
(Office of Origin:  GTM/ER/WLD)

3 FAM 3731  PURPOSE

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

a. Danger from hostile activity at times makes it impossible to allow the family of a member of the Foreign Service to reside at the employee’s post of assignment. In such cases, it is recognized that personal hardships are imposed and that it is desirable to allow family visitation travel for the member to make periodic trips out of the danger area to visit the member’s family.

b. Visitation travel is for allowing a member stationed abroad or the member’s family located abroad to travel to the United States or other locations in situations of family emergency.  (See 3 FAH-1 H-3740.)

3 FAM 3732  LEGAL AUTHORITY

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

Sections 901(8) and 901(9) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980.

3 FAM 3733  APPLICABILITY

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

These regulations apply to all U.S. citizen members (except contract employees) of the Foreign Service of State, USAID (including employees of participating agencies and all other personnel serving under the FC salary schedule assigned to USAID), USAGM, Commerce, and Agriculture, at posts abroad.

3 FAM 3734  RESPONSIBILITIES

(CT:PER-993;   05-26-2020)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

In Washington, the interpretation of these uniform regulations is the responsibility of:

In the field, these regulations are to be administered uniformly.  (See 2 FAM, 120) Inquiries from the field are to be joint messages directed to one of the above-named Washington offices.

3 FAM 3735  FAMILY VISITATION TRAVEL FROM IMMINENT DANGER AREAS (UNACCOMPANIED POSTS)

3 FAM 3735.1  Designation of Imminent Danger Areas From Which Travel May Be Authorized

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

The Under Secretary for Management is responsible for designating as an unaccompanied post, those imminent danger areas at which family members are not authorized to reside, and from which family visitation travel may be authorized. Designations may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances. Posts designated for family visitation travel will be notified by joint State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/ Agriculture message. Should the member be away from post on family visitation travel at the time post is re-designated as an accompanied post, the member will be authorized to return to post at Government expense.

3 FAM 3735.2  Eligibility for Family Visitation Travel From Imminent Danger Areas

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

U.S. citizen members of the Foreign Service assigned to a post or country which has been designated an imminent danger area (unaccompanied post) as described in section 3 FAM 3735.1 are eligible for family visitation travel. This travel permits a member to visit that member’s family which would reside at post with the member if the post were not within a hostile area at which family members cannot reside. For the purpose of this section, family is defined in 14 FAM 511.3.

3 FAM 3735.3  Funding Family Visitation Travel

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

Washington headquarters of State, USAID, USAGM, Commerce, and Agriculture will allot family visitation travel grant funds to designated posts. Individual grants for each trip, up to the legal maximum, are issued by the representatives at post of each agency.  The individual grants constitute authority to issue Government Transportation Requests (GTR’s) or other procurement documents.  Official travel orders are not used for family visitation travel, and hence the provisions of Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) 532(a). (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas) do not apply

3 FAM 3735.4  Posts Designated for Both Family Visitation Travel and Rest and Recuperation Travel

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

If a post is designated for both family visitation travel and rest and recuperation travel (see 3 FAM 3720), refer to provisions in 3 FAM 3735.4-1 and 3 FAM 3735.4-2 below.

3 FAM 3735.4-1  When Family Visitation Travel is to the United States

(CT:PER-993;   05-26-2020)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

When family visitation is to the United States, the employee may:

(1)  Elect two family visitation trips and no rest and recuperation travel; or

(2)  Elect one family visitation trip and a rest and recuperation trip, if eligible. However, in exceptional circumstances involving unusual personal hardship, an individual may be authorized two family visitation trips and a rest and recuperation trip, if eligible.

Request for exceptions will be submitted to:

3 FAM 3735.4-2  When Family Visitation Travel is to Family Members Located Abroad

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

When the family visitation travel is to family members located abroad, the employee may elect both family visitation and a rest and recuperation trip (if eligible).  Costs of family visitation trips not to exceed the equivalent cost of two round trips by less than first-class air travel to the District of Columbia.

3 FAM 3736  GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

(CT:PER-925;   09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corps/USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)

Guidelines and procedures for implementing these regulations are published in subchapter 3 FAH-1 H-3730.

3 FAM 3737  THROUGH 3739 UNASSIGNED

UNCLASSIFIED (U)