Guide to the Terms Used in Vacancy Announcements

This diagram demonstrates how an Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM) is also a US-citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) as well as an Eligible Family Member (EFM).

1.  Eligible Family Member (EFM): An individual related to a US Government employee in one of the following ways:

• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610);
• Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age, or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support.  The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
• Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
• Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters and brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or, regardless of age, incapable of self-support.

 2.  US Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM): For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:

• US Citizen; and,
• EFM (see above) at least 18 years old; and,
• Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:

1.  
   1. Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
   2. Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.

3.  Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM): EFM (see above) eligible for a Family Member Appointment for purposes of Mission employment: 

• Is a U.S. citizen; and
• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or a child of the sponsoring employee who is unmarried and at least 18 years old; and
• Is listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report, of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or uniformed service member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad at a U.S. mission, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and who is under chief of mission authority; and
• Is residing at the sponsoring employee's post of assignment abroad, or, as appropriate, office of the American Institute in Taiwan.
• Does not receive a Foreign Service or Civil Service annuity.

4.  Member of Household (MOH): An individual who accompanies a  direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan.  An MOH is:

• Not an EFM; and,
• Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
• Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.

A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member.  An MOH does not have to be a US Citizen.

4. Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who:

• Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
• Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
• Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
• Has a US Social Security Number (SSN). 

NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

5. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or US citizen who:

• Is locally resident; and,
• Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
• Is subject to host country employment and tax laws. 

EFMs without US Social Security Numbers are also OR.  All OR employees, including US citizens, are compensated in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).