USC Chapter 6

in effect

22 U.S.C. § 254a Definitions

As used in this Act— (1) the term “members of a mission” means—(A) the head of a mission and those members of a mission who are members of the diplomatic staff or who, pursuant to law, are granted equivalent privileges and immunities, (B) members of the administrative and technical staff of a mission, and (C) members of the service staff of a mission, as such terms are defined in Article 1 of the Vienna Convention; (2) the term “family” means—(A) the members of the family of a member of a mission described in paragraph (1)(A) who form part of his or her household if they are not nationals of the United States, and (B) the members of the family of a member of a mission described in paragraph (1)(B) who form part of his or her household if they are not nationals or permanent residents of the United States, within the meaning of Article 37 of the Vienna Convention; (3) the term “mission” includes missions within the meaning of the Vienna Convention and any missions representing foreign governments, individually or collectively, which are extended the same privileges and immunities, pursuant to law, as are enjoyed by missions under the Vienna Convention; and (4) the term “Vienna Convention” means the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961 (T.I.A.S. numbered 7502; 23 U.S.T. 3227), entered into force with respect to the United States on December 13, 1972.

22 U.S.C. § 254b Privileges and immunities of mission of nonparty to Vienna Convention

With respect to a nonparty to the Vienna Convention, the mission, the members of the mission, their families, and diplomatic couriers shall enjoy the privileges and immunities specified in the Vienna Convention.

22 U.S.C. § 254c Extension of more favorable or less favorable treatment than provided under Vienna Convention; authority of President

(a) In generalThe President may, on the basis of reciprocity and under such terms and conditions as he may determine, specify privileges and immunities for the mission, the members of the mission, their families, and the diplomatic couriers which result in more favorable treatment or less favorable treatment than is provided under the Vienna Convention. (b) Consular immunity(1) In generalThe Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Attorney General, may, on the basis of reciprocity and under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may determine, specify privileges and immunities for a consular post, the members of a consular post, and their families which result in more favorable or less favorable treatment than is provided in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, of April 24, 1963 (T.I.A.S. 6820), entered into force for the United States on December 24, 1969. (2) ConsultationBefore exercising the authority under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall consult with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate regarding the circumstances that may warrant the need for privileges and immunities providing more favorable or less favorable treatment than is provided in the Vienna Convention.

22 U.S.C. § 254c–1 Policy toward certain agents of foreign governments

(a) It is the sense of the Congress that the numbers, status, privileges and immunities, travel, accommodations, and facilities within the United States of official representatives to the United States of any foreign government that engages in intelligence activities within the United States harmful to the national security of the United States should not exceed the respective numbers, status, privileges and immunities, travel accommodations, and facilities within such country of official representatives of the United States to such country. (b) The Secretary of State, in negotiating agreements with foreign governments regarding reciprocal privileges and immunities of United States diplomatic personnel, shall consult with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence in achieving the sense of Congress in subsection (a). (c) Not later than 90 days after December 18, 2025, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of State, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report on each foreign government that—(1) engages in intelligence activities within the United States harmful to the national security of the United States; and (2) possesses numbers, status, privileges and immunities, travel accommodations, or facilities within the United States of official representatives to the United States that exceed the respective numbers, status, privileges and immunities, travel accommodations, or facilities within such country of official representatives of the United States to such country.

22 U.S.C. § 254d Dismissal on motion of action against individual entitled to immunity

Any action or proceeding brought against an individual who is entitled to immunity with respect to such action or proceeding under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, under section 254b or 254c of this title, or under any other laws extending diplomatic privileges and immunities, shall be dismissed. Such immunity may be established upon motion or suggestion by or on behalf of the individual, or as otherwise permitted by law or applicable rules of procedure.

22 U.S.C. § 254e Liability insurance for members of mission

(a) Compliance with regulationsEach mission, members of the mission and their families, and individuals described in section 19 of the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of February 13, 1946, shall comply with any requirement imposed by the regulations promulgated by the Director of the Office of Foreign Missions in the Department of State pursuant to subsection (b). (b) Establishment by regulation of liability insurance requirementsThe Director of the Office of Foreign Missions shall, by regulation, establish liability insurance requirements which can reasonably be expected to afford adequate compensation to victims and which are to be met by each mission, members of the mission and their families, and individuals described in section 19 of the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of February 13, 1946, relating to risks arising from the operation in the United States of any motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft. (c) Enforcement of liability insurance requirementsThe Director of the Office of Foreign Missions shall take such steps as he may deem necessary to insure that each mission, members of the mission and their families, and individuals described in section 19 of the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations of February 13, 1946, who operate motor vehicles, vessels, or aircraft in the United States comply with the requirements established pursuant to subsection (b).

22 U.S.C. § 256 Jurisdiction of consular officers in disputes between seamen

Whenever it is stipulated by treaty or convention between the United States and any foreign nation that the consul general, consuls, vice consuls, or consular or commercial agents of each nation, shall have exclusive jurisdiction of controversies, difficulties, or disorders arising at sea or in the waters or ports of the other nation, between the master or officers and any of the crew, or between any of the crew themselves, of any vessel belonging to the nation represented by such consular officer, such stipulations shall be executed and enforced within the jurisdiction of the United States as declared in sections 257 and 258 of this title. But before this section shall take effect as to the vessels of any particular nation having such treaty with the United States, the President shall be satisfied that similar provisions have been made for the execution of such treaty by the other contracting party, and shall issue his proclamation to that effect, declaring this section to be in force as to such nation.

22 U.S.C. § 257 Arrest of seamen; procedure generally

In all cases within the purview of section 256 of this title the consul general, consul, or other consular or commercial authority of such foreign nation charged with the appropriate duty in the particular case, may make application to any court of record of the United States, or to any judge thereof, or to any United States magistrate judge, setting forth that such controversy, difficulty, or disorder has arisen, briefly stating the nature thereof, and when and where the same occurred, and exhibiting a certified copy or extract of the shipping articles, roll, or other proper paper of the vessel, to the effect that the person in question is of the crew or ship’s company of such vessel; and further stating and certifying that such person has withdrawn himself, or is believed to be about to withdraw himself, from the control and discipline of the master and officers of the vessel or that he has refused, or is about to refuse, to submit to and obey the lawful jurisdiction of such consular or commercial authority in the premises; and further stating and certifying that, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the officer certifying, such person is not a citizen of the United States. Such application shall be in writing and duly authenticated by the consular or other sufficient official seal. Thereupon such court, judge, or magistrate judge shall issue his warrant for the arrest of the person so complained of, directed to the marshal of the United States for the appropriate district, or in his discretion to any person, being a citizen of the United States, whom he may specially depute for the purpose, requiring such person to be brought before him for examination at a certain time and place.

22 U.S.C. § 258 Commitment and discharge

If, on such examination, it is made to appear that the person so arrested is a citizen of the United States, he shall be forthwith discharged from arrest, and shall be left to the ordinary course of law. But if this is not made to appear, and such court, judge, or magistrate judge finds, upon the papers referred to in section 257 of this title, a sufficient prima facie case that the matter concerns only the internal order and discipline of such foreign vessel, or whether in its nature civil or criminal, does not affect directly the execution of the laws of the United States, or the rights and duties of any citizen of the United States, he shall forthwith, by his warrant, commit such person to prison, where prisoners under sentence of a court of the United States may be lawfully committed, or, in his discretion, to the master or chief officer of such foreign vessel, to be subject to the lawful orders, control, and discipline of such master or chief officer, and to the jurisdiction of the consular or commercial authority of the nation to which such vessel belongs, to the exclusion of any authority or jurisdiction in the premises of the United States or any State thereof. No person shall be detained more than two months after his arrest, but at the end of that time shall be set at liberty and shall not again be arrested for the same cause. The expenses of the arrest and the detention of the person so arrested shall be paid by the consular officers making the application: Provided, That nothing in this section or section 257 of this title shall authorize the arrest or imprisonment of officers and seamen deserting or charged with desertion from merchant vessels of foreign nations in the United States and Territories and possessions thereof, and the cooperation, aid, and protection of competent legal authorities in effecting such arrest or imprisonment.

22 U.S.C. § 258a Enforcement of awards of foreign consuls

The district courts and the United States magistrate judges shall have power to carry into effect, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, the award or arbitration or decree of any consul, vice consul or commercial agent of any foreign nation, made or rendered by virtue of authority conferred on him as such consul, vice consul, or commercial agent, to sit as judge or arbitrator in such differences as may arise between the captains and crews of the vessels belonging to the nation whose interests are committed to his charge, application for the exercise of such power being first made to such court or magistrate judge, by petition of such consul, vice consul, or commercial agent. And said courts and magistrate judges may issue all proper remedial process, mesne and final, to carry into full effect such award, arbitration, or decree, and to enforce obedience thereto by imprisonment in the jail or other place of confinement in the district in which the United States may lawfully imprison any person arrested under the authority of the United States, until such award, arbitration or decree is complied with, or the parties are otherwise discharged therefrom, by the consent in writing of such consul, vice consul, or commercial agent, or his successor in office, or by the authority of the foreign government appointing such consul, vice consul, or commercial agent. The expenses of the said imprisonment and maintenance of the prisoners, and the cost of the proceedings, shall be borne by such foreign government, or by its consul, vice consul, or commercial agent requiring such imprisonment. The marshals of the United States shall serve all such process, and do all other acts necessary and proper to carry into effect the premises, under the authority of the said courts and magistrate judges.