The Path to the Foreign Service for Former Refugees
Former refugees serve at every level of the Foreign Service. Here is how the path generally works.
Citizenship comes first
Foreign Service Officers and Specialists must be U.S. citizens. Refugees can apply for permanent residence after one year in the United States and, in most cases, for naturalization after five years as permanent residents. Naturalized citizens are fully eligible for the Foreign Service.
Eligibility
Applicants must generally be at least 20 years old to apply and no older than 59 at appointment. Veterans may qualify for veterans' preference and, in some cases, an extension of the age limit. They must also be available for worldwide assignment and able to obtain a security clearance and medical clearance.
Selection
The selection process has changed several times in recent years, including in 2025. It has traditionally included a written test or qualifications review, personal narratives, an oral assessment, and clearances before a candidate is placed on a hiring register. Always confirm the current process at careers.state.gov.
Fellowships
Two Department-funded fellowships have long served as entry points:
- The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, which supports graduate study, internships, and entry into the Foreign Service.
- The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, which did the same for students starting at the undergraduate or graduate level. Gai Nyok was a Pickering Fellow.
The security clearance
Former refugees often still have relatives abroad, sometimes in the country they fled. That is common and is not by itself disqualifying. Investigators look at the full picture, and honesty and completeness on the forms matter most.
Language as an asset
Many former refugees speak languages the Department needs, including Lao, Vietnamese, Khmer, Dari, Pashto, Arabic, Kurdish, and Farsi. Language ability can count toward selection, though tested proficiency is what matters.