As spouses and partners play a critical role in a Foreign Service Officer’s success, their own career and professional development is important to the overall success of the Foreign Service community. Recognizing their valuable contributions, USAID provides a variety of programs and services to Foreign Service Eligible Family Members (EFMs) while they are overseas and when returning to the U.S.

Who We Are

The USAID Eligible Family Member Unit was created to support USAID family members in their career journeys and to tap into the tremendous wealth of skills and experience they possess. We ensure that family members have access to information and resources to improve their employment and professional development opportunities, both while they are overseas and when they transition back to the United States. 

We work with USAID’s Staff Care Center and serve as an important link between family members and the U.S. Department of State’s Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) and Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Transition Center.  We work collaboratively across USAID to assess and increase EFM employment opportunities in the U.S. and overseas and serve as the Agency’s representative for EFM policy related issues.

Who Is An EFM? Key Definitions

Generally speaking, a USAID EFM is the spouse or domestic partner of a USAID Foreign Service Office.  For a complete definition, please see the Foreign Affairs Manual 3 FAM 7121.

An Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM) is U.S. citizen EFMs who is eligible to apply for certain positions at U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and USAID Missions.

A Member of Household (MOH) is an individual who accompanies or joins a sponsoring employee, but is not an EFM. It is important for employees and others to understand that certain privileges and allowances which are extended to EFMs as defined by laws, regulations, and interpretations, cannot be extended to those who are not EFMs.

This chart compares services available for Eligible Family Members and Members of Household.

What We Do

We have a strong commitment to  EFM professional development and we provide training opportunities and access to information and resources that assist EFMs in finding meaningful employment opportunities. Through our programs and services, we provide: 

Our talented and skilled EFMs represent a valuable, and often untapped, mobile workforce who can fill critical needs and staffing gaps at our overseas Missions and in Washington. We also know that when spouses who seek meaningful work are gainfully employed, their partners are more likely to remain in the Foreign Service. We  provide EFMs with information and resources to improve their employment and professional development opportunities as well as their quality of life, while they are abroad and when they transition back to the United States.  

General Employment Resources

USAID EFMs can email HCTM-EFMCoordinator@usaid.gov for any questions about employment.  The Department of State’s Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) also has a number of resources for EFMs seeking employment overseas both inside and outside the Embassy.  Specific services and resources for EFMs include:

  • USAID’s Staff Care:  24/7 support and resources for USAID EFMs and employees designed to strengthen personal and organizational resilience via a range of in-person, telephonic and online services.
  • GCLO’s Global Employment Initiative (GEI) was created to to help family members explore employment and professional development options while posted overseas and when returning to the U.S. GCLO’s GEI Global Employment Advisors (GEAs) provide employment coaching sessions, training workshops, and career development services at no cost to EFMs and Members of Household (MOH).
  • The Family Member Employment Report (FAMER) is a biannual post-specific overview of employment both inside and outside U.S. Embassies. It includes filled, pending, and vacant positions and work permit information at the time of the report. For a post specific FAMER report email the EFM Unit at:  HCTM-EFMCoordinator@usaid.gov  or GCLO at GCLOAskEmployment@state.gov. 
  • The Electronic Recruitment Application (ERA) system is used by Embassies worldwide to post vacancy announcements. Family members can search for and apply to vacancies online through the ERA link found on U.S. Embassy websites.

Employment Overseas

Positions at USAID Missions overseas are available to EFMs through:

United States embassies and consulates may hire family members of U.S. direct-hire employees assigned overseas provided they have a need and the available budget.  Detailed information is available on the GCLO website.

To more quickly mobilize Appointment Eligible Family Members (AEFM) to fill available positions in missions overseas, the U.S. Department of State developed the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps (FSFRC). Upon acceptance, AEFMs are appointed into a non-compensated status, allowing the Department of State to improve efficiency in the hiring process when filling positions at posts abroad. 

Employment in the United States

  • Employment Resources for family members returning to the United States.
  • Non-Competitive Eligibility is a special hiring authority that allows Appointment Eligible Family Members (AEFMs) to be appointed to federal positions without competing with the general public.
  • The Network is a weekly email that connects Foreign Service family members in the Washington area with potential employers in the U.S. Department of State as well as with other federal agencies and private organizations. Register for The Network by sending an email to GCLONetwork@state.gov
  • USAID Vacancy Announcements
  • You can receive notifications for open USAID positions by setting up a saved search in USAJobs. For more information on saving a search, please visit How to Save a Search in USAJOBS.

The EFM Unit provides support and funding for EFMs to take courses at the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI) and the FSI Transition Center, including security and life skills training, resilience education and training, online language training (but not in-person language training), and other courses targeted to an EFM audience.  Funding is provided on a first come, first served; funding; and space available basis. EFMs are permitted to attend a maximum of four fee-based courses each year.

For information on registering for course and applying for funding, please contact the EFM Unit at: HCTM-EFMCoordinator@usaid.gov

USAID can liaise with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to help USAID’s direct-hire Foreign Service Officer’s foreign-born spouses navigate the naturalization process. Under the 319(b) naturalization policy for the n400 application, spouses do not need to meet the residency requirements and may be eligible to apply for naturalization immediately after obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status.  USAID’s assistance is limited to USAID direct-hire spouses.   For more information on USAID’s overall program, basic requirements and processing eligibility email n400@usaid.gov.  For more information about USCIS N400 naturalization rules, guidance and application, visit: https://www.uscis.gov/n-400 or the GCLO naturalization webpage. 

The EFM Unit organizes workshops and training sessions for EMS throughout the year. Past sessions have included: lunchtime briefings for new EFMS; a two-day “EFM Workshop 101” overview of services available to EFMs; a webinar on employment and training opportunities with USAID; resume writing: and more.

Contact Us

The EFM Unit Manager is Hope Williams. The OHCI Director is Sherri E. Fennell.

For more information, email us at: HCTM-EFMCoordinator@usaid.gov

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Foreign Service foreign service eligible family members